2015 American Heart Association CPR Guideline Updates
At In-Pulse CPR, we want to give our students every advantage when it comes to potentially life-saving CPR training. This includes staying informed about the latest advancements and newest technologies.
In October 2015, the American Heart Association released its latest guideline updates. Although all of the guideline changes are included the organization’s official publication, Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association, here are some of the most important CPR recommendations.
Guideline Updates for Bystanders
Even if a person has no CPR training, he can still perform a useful service to someone who has experienced a cardiac arrest. First, he should call 911. This call should be made using the speaker function so that the dispatcher can get the precise location and instruct the caller on how to check for breathing and start CPR.
Next, even the untrained bystander can administer CPR without breaths, also known as Hands-Only CPR. This is performed by pushing hard and fast in the center of the patient’s chest. 100-120 compressions per minute is the optimal rate.
However, a bystander who has completed CPR training can take this one step further. After calling 911, he can perform chest compressions along with breaths according to CPR guidelines. The ideal compressions to breaths ratio is 30:2.
Guideline Updates for Dispatchers
In today’s age of advanced technology, communities should consider investing in mobile dispatch systems. The system works by alerting trained personnel when a presumed cardiac arrest occurs near them, improving the rate of bystander CPR and potentially increasing the survival rate. When the time to first chest compressions is shortened, outcomes are better.
Dispatchers also need to be trained to assist bystanders in recognizing cardiac arrest and checking for breathing. It’s important for dispatchers to be aware that a brief generalized seizure can be an early sign of cardiac arrest.
Guideline Updates for Healthcare Professionals
Since more than 200,000 cardiac arrests occur within a hospital in the United States every year, healthcare organizations need to keep investing in training to ensure that their employees can provide the best possible emergency cardiovascular care. Studies have shown that resuscitation skills can decline within just a few months after training, which is a much shorter time frame than the required 2-year re-certification.
Thanks to new data that shows an excessive compression rate and depth is less effective, the American Heart Association added upper limits to its recommended compression depth and heart rate. Compressions should be performed at a depth of at least 2 inches, but no more than 2.4 inches. Chest compressions should be administered at a rate of 100 to 120 per minute.
Since the time to first chest compression is so vital, healthcare professionals are encouraged to perform multiple steps at the same time when possible. For instance, checking for pulse and breathing at the same time can save valuable seconds.
The American Heart Association’s guidelines have been in place for more than 50 years, and millions of people have used them to learn CPR and understand how to respond in an emergency. Updates are based on peer-reviewed studies and publications from top researchers around the world. You can trust In-Pulse CPR to deliver thorough, professional training according to the most recent AHA guidelines.
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