OSCEs BLS DONE Flashcards
What is Basic Life Support? (BLS)
Maintaining airway patency and supporting breathing and circulation without the use of equipment other than a protective device.
What is the main sign which indicates treatment for cardiac arrest in current BLS guidelines?
What do you no longer look for to assess whether a cardiac arrest has taken place?
The main sign which indicates treatment for cardiac arrest is the absence of normal breathing sounds.
You no longer check for a carotid pulse as this can be time consuming and unreliable.
If you find a collapsed person, what is the overall BLS sequence you should follow?
Make sure you, the victim and bystanders are safe
Check for a response
If responsive, don’t move them, try to find out what is wrong.
If unresponsive shout for help
Open airway
If breathing normally, put into the recovery position
If not breathing normally, call 999
Start CPR: begin with compressions
30 chest compressions, 2 breaths
When obtaining help in BLS, what should you ask for?
Ask for an automated external defibrillator, if one is likely to be available.
Describe the chest compressions you should give in CPR
Compress vertically, in the centre of the sternum. Compress to a depth of 5-6cm, at a rate of 100-120 per min (Staying Alive).
How long should a rescue breath take? Why?
A rescue breath should take about 1 sec, no more so that the pauses in chest compression is minimised.
During CPR, when should you stop to check the victim, or discontinue CPR?
Do not stop to check the victim or discontinue CPR unless the victim starts to show signs of regaining consciousness, such as coughing, opening his eyes, speaking or moving AND then starts to breathe normally.
What should you do with a responsive patient? (3)
- Leave them in the position in which you find them provided they are in no danger
- Try to find out what is wrong with them
- Reassess them regularly
How do you open an airway
Turn the victim onto their back
Place a hand on the victims forehead and gently tilt his head back
With your fingertips under the point of the victim’s chin, lift the chin to open the airway.
How do you check for breathing?
Keep the airway open
Look for chest movement
Listen at the victims mouth for breath sounds
Feel for air on your cheek
How long do you check for breathing?
What do you do if you are unsure of breathing is normal?
What do first aiders sometimes mistake for normal breathing?
Check for no more than 10 seconds
If there is any doubt as to whether there is normal breathing, act as if breathing is not normal
In the first few minutes after cardiac arrest, a paitent may be barely breathing, or taking infrequent, noisy gasps. This is often termed agonal breathing and must not be confused with normal breathing
What do you do with a patient who is unconscious, but is breathing normally?
Turn them into the recovery position
Call 999 from a mobile. If there is no signal, send a bystander to find a phone. Only leave the victim if there is no other option.
Continue to assess that the breathing is normal. If there is any doubt as to whether the breathing is normal, commence CPR.
What is the first thing you do if you have a patient who is unconscious and not breathing normally?
Call 999/ask someone to call for an ambulance
Only leave the patient if there is no other option for summoning an ambulance
Ask a bystander to find an AED if this seems likely to be available
Then you should start CPR.
How do you do a chest compression?
Kneel by the side of the victim
Place the heel of one hand in the centre of the victims chest (lower half of the sternum)
Place the heel of your other hand on top of the first hand, and interlock fingers. Ensure that there is no pressure on the ribs or abdomen.
Press down vertically and with your arms straight. Aim to press 5-6cm
After each compression release all pressure on the chest without losing contact with the patient
Compression and release should take the same amount of time
How do you do a rescue breath?
Open the airway using head tilt and lift
Pinch the victims nose using the index finger and thumb of the hand on their forehead
Allow the mouth to open while maintaining chin lift
Take a normal breath and seal your lips to their mouth
Blow steadily into their mouth while watching the chest rise, take about 1 sec
Take your mouth away and watch for the air leaving the chest
Do one more breath, then return to the compressions straight away. 30 compressions:2breaths
What do you do if the first rescue breath does not make the chest rise and fall?
Check the victims mouth, and remove obstruction
Recheck that there is adequate head tilt and chin lift
Do not attempt more than two breaths each time before returning to chest compressions.
If there are two BLS trained first aiders there, how often do you change roles and why?
Swap compressions/breaths every one to two minutes to avoid fatigue
Do this as quickly as possible, trying to keep compressions uninterrupted.
If you cannot face giving rescue breaths, what can you do?
Give compression only CPR. Continue for as long as you would with normal CPR
Continue resuscitation until…
- Qualified help arrives and takes over
- The victim starts to regain consciousness AND starts breathing normally
- You become exhausted
How do you put someone in the recovery position?
- Remove glasses and check pockets for anything bulky
- Kneel beside the victim and make sure that both legs are straight
- Place the arm nearest to you out at right angles to the body, elbow bent with the hand palm-up
- Bring the far arm across the chest and hold the back of the hand against the victims cheek next to you
- With your other hand, grasp the far leg above the knee and pull it up, keeping the foot on the ground
- Keeping his hand pressed against his cheek, pull on the far leg to roll the victim towards you on to his side
- Adjust the upper leg so that both the hip and knee are bent to 90 degrees
- Tilt the head back to make sure the airway remains open
- If necessary, adjust the hand under the cheek to keep the head tilted and facing downwards to allow liquid material to drain from the mouth
- Check breathing regularly
- If they have to be kept in the recovery position for more than 30mins, turn them onto the other side
What is the main modification for CPR on a child?
How does the sequence of CPR slightly alter?
Main modification: Do chest compressions to one third of the depth of the chest. Use 2 fingers for an infant under 1, and use one or both hands for older children
Do 5 breaths before you start compressions
If you are on your own, do 1 min CPR before going for help
What modification to CPR is useful for victims of drowning?
Do 1 min of CPR before going to get help
What is the function of the spleen? (3)
The spleen acts as a resevoir for blood in case of hemmhorage, it is involved in the produciton of B lymphocytes and in the breakdown of old and damaged erythrocytes.
It also contains T lymphocytes.
Where is the spleen located?
the spleen lies against the diaphragm, in the area of rib 9 to rib 10 in the left upper quadrant of the abdomen.
