Rant about learning CPR

nefbaker

Yesterday I performed CPR.
Not on a mannequin.
I performed it on a local businessman, husband, father, grandfather.

Yes, I'm an EMT. I'm trained to do CPR.
However, I'm three weeks out from a hysterectomy. I wasn't riding on the ambulance yesterday. I'm still another week before I'm allowed to work on the ambulance again.
I was going about my own business, having lunch.

Today, I hurt.
Back. Shoulders. Arms. Ribs and abdomen.
And today, a family mourns.

His was a witnessed collapse, but I was next door having lunch. He had been down for several minutes before someone came outside yelling for help.

It is estimated that there was nearly five minutes before I got to his side. My town is served by a volunteer ambulance, so it was another five minutes I did CPR before backup arrived. The police department showed up first and we shocked him twice before the ambulance arrived. He had a shockable rhythm, so he wasn't officially dead.

They shocked him again, packaged him up and took him to the hospital, where he was declared dead by the ER physician.

CPR is hard — physically.

But, crap.

It isn't hard. Hands in the center of the chest - between the nipples on a man, in the valley between the breasts on the woman.
Push.

Hard. You should hear the cartilage crack - you are using the breastbone to pump the heart and to do that effectively you have to crack the cartilage. Arms straight, use your hips and body weight, not the elbows out bs you see on TV.

Hum "Staying Alive" by the Bee Gees and push to the beat. Or "Another One Bites The Dust" by Queen, just as appropriate but more depressing. And yes, I hum.

That is it.

I'm not saying he would have lived had someone started CPR as soon as he collapsed.
But his chances would have been better.

With government cutbacks and Obamacare, the first place cut is emergency services. In some places it will be 20 minutes before an ambulance can get to you. Every day you read of how ambulance delays cause people to die.

Do your part.

Know the signs of an impending heart attack.

And learn CPR.
Hands Only CPR can be learned online. Just go to the American Heart Association website.

Don't worry about counting 30-2. If someone collapses - just start pushing. As long as the blood is circulating, oxygen is getting to the major organs.

Don't think it won't happen to you. As you get older, the chances of you witnessing a cardiac event go up. Make the decision to make a difference.

quirkytizzy

I'm so sorry. Sometimes the effort we make seems so stark compared the results. What's left - the sore muscles, the physical pain - seems like it would echo the emotional trauma of what happened.

I know this is a matter of syntax (so please excuse if this comes off stilted), but what you wrote is beautiful. It's.....that snapshot in time when we see the minute details of what transpired. A form of shock? Or the mind, maybe, focusing on the tactile sensations of hearing the bones crack? It's just such a real way of telling what happened.

I'm so sorry. I hope comfort finds you soon.

EatClean_WashUrNuts

First, I commend you for your commitment as an EMT, I am an Army Veteran, Field Medic.

Let me just toss this out, because I'm pretty tired of rants on MFP...You cannot control others choices, thoughts, actions, or emotions...only Yours. Please stop trying to push blame off to someone else so that subconsciously you will feel better. Yes, someone died. It sucks. But you did what you could, what YOU CHOSE to be trained to do. Everyone does not NEED to learn CPR. And with that, remember from your training that if you are not doing right, you could be doing more harm. Additionally, not everyone has the mental capability of being able to react and take action, as you did.
This may sound harsh, but in reality, you did what you could. There is a time and reason for every action, reaction, and result. This is fact.

You did outstanding. Again, I commend you, to the highest degree. May you find resolve in the facts as to why the individual passed. May your thoughts strengthen the reason why you chose to be an EMT. Stand proud in your service.

perfectingpatti

Let me just toss this out, because I'm pretty tired of rants on MFP...You cannot control others choices, thoughts, actions, or emotions...only Yours.

But perhaps someone reading this rant will think about learning CPR. If it saves even one life, then I couldn't care less that you're tired of rants.

Thanks for the reminder, OP.

My0WNinspiration

I can relate. I've done CPR several times. Everyone should learn it. More lives would be saved.

RhonndaJ

As someone who's been on the receiving end of CPR, though in a more controlled situation, I want to thank the OP and others who know how to do this. I'm also going to say that it hurts like heck from the receiving end as well, both during and afterwards. (Yes, I was conscious during part of the event.)

Right now, I don't believe I'd have the strength in order to perform CPR for any length of time, but it wouldn't stop me from trying because I do know enough of the basics.

islandnutshel

Some times it works. I work in a dental office, and need to keep my ticket fresh for my liscence. But my husband worked on a golf course and is accident prone. So, when I needed more people to fill a class I petitioned the golf course to get their staff trained in first aid. They surprisingly agreed and one week after their training a golfer colapsed on the green.
The greenskeepers spotted him, one went for help and the other went to assist him. He soon started CPR and the ambulence arrive within 10 minutes from him dropping. They shocked him and got him breathing again before he got to the hospital.
I still see the golfer in the dental office and he looks and feels great and is looking after his heart.
There are happy endings.
Its worth the aches and pains.

jsiricos

After reading your post - twice, I would say, the bodily pain is not what hurts the most.

The helplessness because he died hurts more than anything. Get back on the ambulance as soon as you can, it's the only way. They understand unlike most people here (no offence meant to anyone)

Knowing CPR and applying it, is 2 different things, most family members just lose it when faced with a person down.

I can say all this with 15 years on both paid and volunteer EMS behind me.

I also have a faceshield clipped to my keyring at all times.

sissiluv

Point me to free classes in my area and I'll sign up. In the meantime I don't have nearly that kind of money to learn first aid, classes run for around $400+ around here and I sure as hell don't want to do it wrong. In the meantime I can just be thankful that I've never been in your situation OP, and admire you for your efforts and strength for doing what others couldn't.

Thank you.

mandys1979

CPR is very important to learn along with early access to an AED. I take my oldest with me each year when I recert for CPR. He is not given the card but at least he has the general knowledge.

I do wish more places had trained personel. It is not just elderly people in a medical setting that collapse. It is kids at sporting events people at gyms restuarant etc.

I am sorry that it was unsucessful. It is hard both physically and emtionally. But remember that you did the best you could.

WarriorCupcakeBlydnsr

I agree that CPR is very important. I am a medical laboratory technologist I make sure I take my class every two years. The person that comes out teaches layperson CPR (ie compressions, but no breathing) and then takes it one step further for me and teaches the medical (I'm also a medical assistant and am required to take the medical CPR-compressions and breathing) she also does the AED, which I think should be available in every public establishment. One of the things that the instrutor pointed out is that most AED's in use actually will tell you what to do step by step so you don't need training to use it if there is no one who has training to use it there.
I know around here, the Red Cross and the YMCA offer free layperson CPR and first aid classes so anyone can learn it, so if you can't afford it and want to learn, check it out

mandys1979

Point me to free classes in my area and I'll sign up. In the meantime I don't have nearly that kind of money to learn first aid, classes run for around $400+ around here and I sure as hell don't want to do it wrong. In the meantime I can just be thankful that I've never been in your situation OP, and admire you for your efforts and strength for doing what others couldn't.

Thank you.
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I would check into The American Red Cross they offer it and it is usually pretty inexpensive.