March 25, 2009
Most of us will help someone in danger. There are, however, certain concerns that we all have when we think about saving another person’s life.
The first thing emergency medical personnel are taught when responding to a call is scene safety. Make certain that the area is safe for you and your team. If the injured person was just electrocuted or overcome by gas fumes, what will stop you from becoming injured person No. 2?
In addition to personal safety is legal safety. If you perform CPR and break a rib, will this person sue you? For those of us willing to assist a stranger, Good Samaritan laws protect us.
Another fear is of becoming infected by a person’s blood, saliva or other contaminant. Even though there have been no documented cases of anyone catching AIDS during CPR, there is a chance and we want to avoid it when possible. In dealing with emergencies such as bleeding, assume that all blood is infectious and use caution.
With CPR our primary piece of safety equipment is a barrier device. A CPR mask enables us to provide artificial respiration through a barrier that prevents contact with bodily fluids. These masks cost less than $20.
Protecting your eyes is also important. Inexpensive safety glasses that cover both the front and sides of the eyes protect rescuers from contact with infected bodily fluids.
The final safety item is medical exam gloves. When I teach a class, I suggest that all students keep several pair of gloves near their work areas. If you work in the engine room, have gloves in your tool box. If you move around a lot, keep a pair on you.
Consider keeping gloves, safety glasses and a CPR mask at various points throughout the vessel.
If you get caught without a barrier device and need to perform CPR, the compression-only method may be all you need. When you see someone collapse, check for breathing. If they are not breathing, press down about two inches on the center of the victim’s chest at a rate of 100 times per minute. Do this until help arrives or the victim starts to breath.
The American Heart Association states that hands-only CPR should not be used for infants or children, for adults whose cardiac arrest is from respiratory causes (like drug overdose or near-drowning), or for an unwitnessed cardiac arrest.
Being prepared is the key to happy medical emergencies ending. It starts with onboard crew first-aid training, having the right equipment, placing it throughout the ship, periodically making certain it is in proper order, and conducting drills to reinforce what to do in the event of an emergency.
Keith Murray, a former Florida firefighter EMT, is the owner of The CPR School, a mobile training company that provides CPR, AED and first aid training. He also sells and services automated external defibrillators. Contact him at +1-561-762-0500 or keith@theCPRschool.com . Comments on this column are welcome at editorial@the-triton.com .
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