CPR and First Aid Training serving Vancouver, Wa and Portland, Or areas

Breathing should not be the indicator of life

admin — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 03:49:47 +0000

How can you tell if a person needs CPR? What if they are still breathing? Don’t be fooled by the breathing. Over the years we were taught not to do CPR if the person is breathing. A person requiring CPR will never be breathing at all, right? Wrong! It is important to understand agonal respirations. Agonal respirations occurs frequently in cardiac arrest victims, some studies indicate that it occurs as much as 65% of the time. If you don’t know what to look for it will trick you. So what is agonal respirations and why does this happen? Agonal breathing is also known as gasping for breath. It is a sign that the body is not receiving the oxygen it needs. Agonal breathing originates from the lower brain stem and is an automatic response due to inadequate oxygen, even though the person may be in cardiac arrest (and clinically dead) the brain stem is still sending messages to breathe. Agonal breathing can present as a snorting, snoring, gurgling or gasping sound. Some describe a fish out of water or attempts for gulps of air. The duration differs from person to person, usually lasting from a few seconds to a few minutes. Agonal breathing is irregular and sporadic. It is important to remember that agonal breathing is not sufficient in delivering oxygen to the body. It is a sign of distress and is therefore not considered real breathing.

Our goal is to start CPR immediately when Cardiac Arrest occurs, so what if we see this agonal respirations? Do not use breathing as your only guide to determining to provide CPR or not. We used to worry about starting CPR on someone who doesn’t necessarily need CPR. We used to check breathing, check pulse and other signs to be sure that compressions were the right thing. The studies out now suggest that if the person is unresponsive and not breathing normally then we should start CPR as the benefits far outweigh the risks. If you are doing compressions correctly (a full 2″ in depth for an adult) the victim WILL let you know if they don’t need it. We have complied a video that show what agonal respirations looks like. Keep in mind that agonal respirations can look different among individuals but just remember, agonal respirations will not look like normal breathing.

So how do you know when it is appropriate to begin CPR? A few things to look for when approaching a victim: First off assure that the scene is safe. Secondly tap the victim and loudly ask if they are OK (A sternal rub may be appropriate to weed thru the uncertainty) Visual look at the victim and check for “normal breathing” , skin color and purposeful body movement. If it’s an adult call (or send someone to call) 911 and get the defibrillator. Start CPR with compressions. Do not delay CPR. If the person doesn’t need CPR and your doing appropriate 2″ compressions, they will let you know, versus delaying CPR and potentially decreasing the patients chances of survival.

Do you know what to do in the event of a cardiac arrest? You can with training from Northwest Health and Safety Inc. Northwest Health and Safety Inc is the Northwest’s leading provider of CPR, First Aid and AED training programs serving the Vancouver, Washington and Portland Oregon areas. We provide corporate safety training to training for individuals all at low prices. Visit our course calendar for up coming trainings or contact us at 360-737-8910 or by email.

Oregon Requires AED’s in Schools

admin — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 19:40:01 +0000

The state of Oregon passed legislation that will require all schools in the state to install and maintain at least one Automated External Defibrillator. Oregon SB 1033 Relating to automated external defibrillators in schools; creating new provisions; and amending ORS431.680 and 431.690. Compliance is required on or before January 1, 2015. The legislation applies to all schools: public, private and charter schools. Northwest Health and Safety Inc is a leading provider of AED programs and implementation programs for schools in Oregon and Washington. We have successfully implemented hundreds of AED programs within schools and understand the complexities of school AED implementations. The Oregon Department of Education has provided some information, guidance and sample policies for school districts and schools.

AED Programs

Northwest Health and Safety Inc. is a leading and most experienced provider of Automated External Defibrillators (AED’s) and specializes in implementing AED programs for business, schools, golf courses, churches, non-profit organizations and industrial settings. Our AED experts can assist you with every aspect of your AED program from:

Budgeting
Device Selection
Program Design
Medical Direction/Physician Oversight
EMS Integration/Notification
Policies and Procedures
Maintenance
Installation
CPR/AED Training
Loaner programs
Risk Management
Ongoing Support
Expiration Reminders

There is more to setting up an AED program than just going out and purchasing an AED. There are state requirements that dictate AED placement standards and minimum requirements. Most states have 4 main requirements for AED placement in public places: CPR and AED Training, Medical Direction/Oversight, EMS notification and Maintenance in accordance with manufacture specifications (monthly inspections).

Northwest Health and Safety Inc. has successfully implemented thousands of successful AED programs within schools, churches, government buildings, businesses, golf courses, health clubs, childcare facilities and much more. We have over 13 years of experience working with AED’s and feature all the major AED brands from Cardiac Science, Defibtech, Heartsine, Physio-Control, Philips and ZOLL. For more information on AED’s visit us at AEDUniverse.com or AED4U.com. There is only one choice for implementing your AED programs in the Northwest. Northwest Health and Safety Inc. stocks replacement AED pads and batteries for all major AED brands at their Vancouver, Washington store.

Northwest Health and Safety Inc. is an Authorized AED Distributor serving Washington, Oregon and Idaho and nationwide. for more information on AED’s and AED programs visit our AED site AEDUniverse.com

AED’s save lives in schools

admin — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 16:47:41 +0000

With an increasing number of students at local schools having cardiac episodes, the public is becoming more aware of what we have always known, children and young adults can and do have cardiac arrest. It is estimated that as many as 1 in 500 children have undiagnosed heart conditions, and approximately one case of sudden cardiac death occurs every three days in organized youth sports across the United States. This alarming statistic has teachers and parents on edge. “It seems that we lose at least one child locally per year due to cardiac arrest” says Jason Royse, President of Northwest Health and Safety Inc. “That number is unacceptable and there is something that we can and should be doing about it”.

Heart screening in young athletes is a priority and should be a part of every sports physical. States need to recognize that this is a public safety issue and develop strategies to make these screenings affordable and commonplace. Organizations like the Quinn Driscoll Foundationhave partnered with Peace Health Southwest Medical Center to provide heart screenings for young athletes in the Clark County area at a significant discount. These screenings include a review of child’s personal and family health history, blood pressure, ECG/EKG (electrocardiogram) and echocardiogram (ultrasound of the heart). The screenings have been proven effective and have identified cardiac conditions that have allowed young athletes the ability to seek treatment.

Training staff in CPR and use of the AED should also be a standard by all schools and districts. When cardiac arrest strikes, the clock is ticking and survival depends on early CPR and early defibrillation. You cannot depend on a fast arriving EMS unit to provide treatment. Although you will call EMS immediately, the typical EMS response time in the United States is 8-10 minutes. What do you do while you wait? You start providing care with CPR and an AED (if one is available). Some studies show that the chances of survival decrease about 10% every minute without a defibrillator. CPR is easy to learn and can mean the difference between life and death.

Implementing an AED program within each school. AED’s in schools are becoming commonplace. Many states have passed legislation requiring AED’s in schools. It is important to not just place an AED but place an AED program, there is a difference. Placing an AED in a school means nothing if there is not a plan in place for training, maintenance, placement, medical direction and other key factors addressed. AED’s save lives not just for children but adults as well. Watch this news story of a young lady that was saved with an AED.

To find out more information about any of the subjects listed click on a link:

Quinn Driscoll Foundation

Young Champions Heart Screening

AED’s in Schools

AED laws

CPR Training

Is AED training required?

admin — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 15:31:36 +0000

One thing we hear frequently is that AED training is not required and anyone can use them regardless of training. While AED’s are fairly easy to use, training is still required and necessary. Most states have what is called “conditional immunity” for using a defibrillator. Conditional immunity means there are conditions for which the civil immunity is granted, one of the main conditions being training by a formal CPR and AED training program. Although there are no laws (that we are aware of) that prohibit use without training, rescuers are not fully protected by the AED immunity legislation without formal training. We have reviewed some instances of negative outcomes as a result of lack of training in the use of a defibrillator. Most of these negative outcomes have come as a result of improper patient preparation prior to defibrillation. Training in the use of an AED is a simple step that should not be taken lightly. For more information on AED laws you can visit AEDUniverse.com.

Evergreen Receives Donation From Quinn Driscoll Foundation

admin — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 14:39:01 +0000

The Quinn Driscoll foundation has made a $7,500 donation to Evergreen Public Schools, enough money to buy five automated external defibrillators (AEDs) for student athletes. The donation was presented at the end of Wy’east Middle School’s football practice on September 22nd.

Scott Driscoll, head of the foundation, also gave each of the football players a sticker for their helmet.

Quinn Driscoll died in 2009 from sudden cardiac arrest while running during P.E. class at Wy’east. “From this tragedy, we established a foundation in his name with a mission to educate, screen kids for cardiac issues and provide grants for AEDs,” said Driscoll.

For more information on AED’s in schools visit AEDUniverse.com.

Watch Video

ZOLL 2010 CPR Upgrades Now Available

admin — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 17:06:58 +0000

ZOLL Medical has announced the release of the AHA 2010 guidelines software and interface stickers for the ZOLL AED Plus Automated External Defibrillator. The new software can be downloaded for free via the ZOLL Medical website by clicking here. The stickers can also be ordered thru the ZOLL website, the cost for the stickers is $10. It is important to note that the stickers are NOT required. When downloading the software you will need a USB infrared adapter to communicate with the ZOLL AED Plus. The IRDA adapters can be purchased at most electronic stores or can be ordered from our website AEDUniverse.com. For more information on the ZOLL AED Plus visit our ZOLL AED Resources page.

About Northwest Health and Safety Inc.

Northwest Health and Safety Inc. is an Authorized AED Distributor serving Washington, Oregon and Idaho and nationwide.

How to choose a CPR and First Aid Trainer

admin — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 16:22:08 +0000

Choosing a CPR trainer is an important task that is often overlooked and under appreciated. With more and more people becoming “CPR trainers” with thoughts of making a quick buck, there is a lot of choices in trainers available. For individuals and employers there are some questions that you should ask your prospective CPR and/or First Aid instructor.

How experienced is the instructor that will be teaching my course?

Does the instructor have any real world experience with the material being taught?

What does the course cover?

How many manikins will there be for the group?

How much hands-on time will I get?

Is my training Nationally Accredited?

What training materials will I have and what can I keep?

Will I have the opportunity to actually practice with an AED?

Are there any other training options? Online?

Unfortunately the only questions typically asked is: What is the cost? How long will it take? As an employer, you want the best training that you can get within your budget. When we are trained we never anticipate using the skills that we learned in real life, for most people CPR and First Aid training is simply done to meet an employer or regulatory requirement. If you hear that you can get CPR and First Aid Training in 30 minutes? Run the other way. There are many really great instructors out there. There is also a lot of very inexperienced instructors that don’t fully understand the scope of what they are teaching.

One thing we hear frequently is that: I know a nurse or a fireman. They can teach me CPR. Just because someone is in the health care profession doesn’t mean that they are qualified to teach lifesaving skills. We teach many health care professionals CPR and First Aid. We want you to be ready for the unexpected emergency. We teach our students the skills needed to act appropriately during an emergency situations. Our quality instructors are experienced in emergency medicine and can give real insight into actual emergencies versus just what the book says. Our students will each have their own manikin during CPR training and will have the opportunity to actually use a defibrillator or AED.

Northwest Health and Safety Inc. Sponsors Little League

admin — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 22:16:10 +0000

Northwest Health and Safety will be sponsoring a Little League baseball team for the 2011 season. “Giving back to the community is an important part of what Northwest Health and Safety does”, says Jason Royse, the company’s President. This is the second team to be sponsored by Northwest Health and Safety which operates in Vancouver, Washington. “We will be out there cheering on our Northwest Health and Safety Yankees”!

About Northwest Health and Safety Inc.

Northwest Health and Safety Inc. is a leading provider of CPR and First Aid Training programs serving the Vancouver, Washington and Portland, Oregon areas. Our quality CPR & First Aid classes are taught by the most experienced instructors in a fun, relaxed and informative way. Check our calendar for an upcoming class or if you have a group? Contact us through this website or at 360-737-8910 and we can schedule a private CPR and First Aid Training for you at our location or yours.

Emergency Preparedness Products

admin — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 20:04:54 +0000

With the recent devastation in Japan that has rocked the world, we have many of our local customers asking themselves “Am I really prepared for the BIG ONE”. Japan has long been know as one of the most “prepared” counties and has typically taken the lead in earthquake preparedness and in terms of structural engineering. While it is difficult to predict what or when a disaster will occur here in the Northwest, you can bank on the fact that it will happen. The Portland and Vancouver areas has seen its fair share of natural disasters (mostly on a small scale) from tornado’s, flooding, volcanic activity, earthquakes and winter weather. In talking with local experts and emergency managers they feel the “Big One” is yet to come. Are you prepared?

To be honest most commercially available emergency preparedness kits are not worth it. Most items needed in an emergency you already have. Building a kit can be a fun family project and it is important to get the family involved. Sometimes kids can bring a different perspective to it and you are wise to get their input. Northwest Health and Safety Inc. carries a line of emergency preparedness kits, first aid kits and supplies at their Vancouver, Washington store. The staff at Northwest Health and Safety Inc. is always happy to help you with your product selections and can make helpful recommendations. To find out more about emergency preparedness supplies and information visit us at our Vancouver, Washington store or give us a call at 360-737-8910. Check out our emergency preparedness online catalog.

New 2010 CPR Guidelines Released

admin — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 18:34:47 +0000

On October 18, 2010 the American Heart Association released the new 2010 CPR and First Aid Guidelines. Here are just a few of the highlights from the 2010 release.

Emphasis on High Quality Compressions

Compressions are now at a rate of at least 100 per min vs. “approximately” 100 per min.
For Adults compression depth of at least 2” (5 cm) vs the 1-1/2 to 2” range
For Children 2” or about 1/3 of the anterior/posterior diameter of the chest
For Infants 1-1/2” or about 1/3 of the anterior/posterior diameter of the chest
The Compression to breath ratio remains at 30 compressions to 2 breaths

Change in CPR Sequence

ABC (Airway, Breathing, Chest Compressions) has changed to CAB (Compressions, Airway, Breathing) for all ages. Compressions will now be initiated prior to ventilations
Look, Listen and Feel has been removed from the algorithm

Northwest Health and Safety Inc. has implemented these new standards into their training programs. For more information on the new CPR and First Aid Standards visit us online at nwcprtraining.com.

Our Learning Center has some videos that outline some of the new 2010 CPR standards.

Northwest Health and Safety Inc. is a leading provider of CPR and First Aid Training classes serving Vancouver, Washington, Portland, Oregon and surrounding areas. Northwest Health and Safety Inc. is a full time training organization teaching such classes as Basic First Aid, CPR for the Community, AED, Healthcare Provider CPR, First Responder, Oxygen Administration, Wilderness Medicine and Bloodborne Pathogen. Along with being a leading provider of life saving training, Northwest Health and Safety Inc. is the Northwest’s leading supplier of Automated External Defibrillators or AED’s. To find out more information about AED’s visit AEDUniverse.com.

CPR & First Aid Training Classes in Vancouver, WA and Portland, OR