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Posted 31/01/2011

 

Jan 2011 - ARC SUMMARY OF MAJOR CHANGES TO BASIC LIFE SUPPORT GUIDELINES

The ARC recently announced some changes in relation to our Basic Life Support guidelines. This does not eliminate what you have been taught in recent times as the training you attended is still current until you are due to refresh your certificate in three years time.

Topics to note are as follows:

Guideline 2- Priorities in an Emergency

The focus has changed to cover a range of emergency situations not just cardiac arrest and includes collapsed and injured victims.

Guideline 3 – Unconsciousness

Focus now on the breathing unconscious victim (the non breathing unconscious victim will now fall under Guideline 8: CPR)

Guideline 5- Breathing

References to signs of life removed as these are open to interpretation and feedback suggests that the term “signs of life” is confusing. Focus on unresponsive and not breathing normally as the indicators of resuscitation

Guideline 6-Compressions

References to signs of life removed as these are open to interpretation and feedback from member organisations suggests that the term ‘signs of life’ is confusing.
Focus on unresponsive and not breathing normally as the indicators for resuscitation.
If unwilling / unable to perform rescue breathing, then perform compression only CPR.
Pulse check downgraded for health care professionals as it is an unreliable indicator of the need for resuscitation.
New focus on maintenance of CPR quality including recommendations to change rescuers every 2 minutes to decrease rescuer fatigue and maintain depth and rate of compressions.
New section on use of prompt devices in clinical use as a part of an overall strategy to improve quality of CPR

New Guideline 7 – AED Use in Basic Life Support

This is a new guideline recognising the role of AEDs as part of BLS in both out of hospital and in hospital environments.

Clear recommendations that training in AED use should be part of BLS education.

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Posted 31/01/2011

NSW Ambulance Guideline on Calling an Ambulance

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