First Aid

so true...$130 could be spent on fixing war wounds...but things have changed even in the past 4 yrs since i did mine....its now the same amount a compressions and breaths for everyone...baby or not...cant remember what it is - maybe 15:2???...didnt even have to do f.a course to learn that...it was on sunrise,chanel 7...
i just read my f.a book which gives all those details anyway...but it is good to do ...just cost to much to requalify...they should have a special pov pack for re-doing course before certificate runs out.....
Laura B

HAPPY INSIDE WHEN IM OUTSIDE

"Who's going to ask if you have current certification when they are bleeding like a stuck pig, or need their broken arm imobilized, or need to be placed in the Coma position." So true!
Reminds me when camped at Mud Tank (NT) years ago: Son (about 10) was chopping wood... enuf said! Straight into his foot cutting thong strap. Blood gushed like a fountain.
Friend had just completed St John course; she hit the panic button & went blank; had no idea what to do!
I, on the other hand, can't have an injection/blood test without lying down... faint at the thought of blood. But in an emergency situation it was reversed.
Seemed to recall reading somewhere to put bleeding wound higher than heart, which we done, wrapped it firmly with what swabs & bandages from 'personal' first aid kit, using a sling plus towels to keep it all together. Lying down with foot raised, we rushed back to Alice. Twelve stitches later...

PS Our First aid kit for home or travel is a med. plastic tool box. Contents all wht you normally use with a few extra items for the road, including foil type heat blankets ($2 from Warehouse). Plus personal medication. There is always an old sheet & towels in a zip bag in the car.

I used to work in a nurses' training college as a computer tech (best place to work ever! Loads of student nurses!), hence I got the chance to regularly update my CPR skills on the dummies they use. I once sat in on a class which meant to be a refresher course for qualified nurses. From memory, about 20-30% were told, "Well done, you've just killed him." This was usually from fairly simple mistakes (ones which I'd had hammered out of me by a particularly bossy nurse teacher (who was also a good friend)).

That was about 10 years ago, my last update was about 6 years ago. Although I'd be reasonably confident of my ability to give proper CPR, I wouldn't be arrogant enough to adopt the "near enough is good enough" attitude that some people seem to be adopting.

Graeme

You use compressions on a baby??

Commonsense and straight thinking are a poor substitutes for training. Doesn't help to lower the stress either. ;-)

if you have done the training you would have learnt that on babies you use 2 fingers and only compress 1-3cm...plus if you came across a baby whose heart had stopped how else are you going to get it going...my mother is an ambo....she'll let ya know what is to be done......

I have and this is what you said:

...'its now the same amount a compressions and breaths for everyone...baby or not...cant remember what it is - maybe 15:2???...didnt even have to do f.a course to learn that...it was on sunrise,chanel 7... '

I don't think the telling demonstrates the art hence the need for training.

anything is better than nothing...it doesnt matter what you do just do something...something is better than nothing....you should have been told that too....so what is it now that youve been 'trained'...how many compressions?and how long ago did you do your training?because its changed in the past 5 months...

Here you go:

http://www.ambulance.nsw.gov.au/areas/ambulance/firstaid/basic.html

Steven Martin who appeared on Sunrise with first aid tips was from the NSW Ambos, I thought.

Don't think he would say the show would replace training.

Have a good day.

dunno what his name is....nothing would replace training but all im saying is that you dont need to do training to know the updates!hope i didnt bleep you off too much....hope you know the number of compressions seeing that you questioned doing them on a baby!!no offence but if anything ever went wrong with my baby i wouldnt want you there!sorry!

If you read what i said I objected to the impression you gave to lay readers that CPR was the same for adults, children and babies.

By saying 'You use compressions on a baby??' I was referring to your inference that the adult and baby compressions (ie delivery and repetitions) would be the same.

There are differences as shown in the NSW Ambo chart (same as the Qld Ambos).

I think what you were endeavouring to convey was that you were only to the number of repetitions which is around the same (for simplicity). But the pressure and manner of delivery are very different.

What you meant was outlined in your response to my query.

Similarly air volume and delivery differs.

I also objected because I believe that people should be encouraged to undergo re-training, which has purposes additional to updating of information.

I see no point in insults or personal attacks.

maybe i should have made myself clearer...just assumed you would have known what i meant...i did say 15:2..but no harm done...im a strong believer in the training but its not the be all and end all in life...laura b