Who here knows The Heimlich Maneuver & can perform CPR?

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I want to take CPR classes in the summer,
and become certified through The Red Cross.

Also, I want to learn first aid so that if
someone at PCC is in need of help,
a student can give aid.

I know both but have not been certified in years. I'm looking into getting it again very soon.

I know the Heimlich maneuver (can one be certified for that? I didn't know that) and have used it, unfortunately. I was certified in CPR last year, but it's really probably best not to test that; I don't remember the exact ratio of breaths to pushes.

I have a little card that says I do...but I don't.

I am certified in both, as well as Oxygen administration. I get it renewed every year.

On another note, anyone know which courses they took?
I know mine were

If you are cert. through the American Red Cross, there is a list HERE (Click on one of the three links under "Courses:")

They came to PE one day in high school and gave tests. I was the only one in the entire class that failed!! !!

I haven't taken any course but I do know cpr and heimlich maneuver, I have also saved the life of a drunken snowmobiler who had cut his foot off at the ankle and was bleeding to death, he was very pissed off at me for pulling out the rope starter on his machine to make a turnicate, but he was in no shape to stop me. I know most pressure points for stopping blood loss, so it came in handy reading my moms first aid books as a child

I can do both, but I am not certified.

I don't know how to do either.

BTW, Dr. Heimlich's nephew is Anson Williams, who played Potsie on Happy Days.

5 breaths and 30 chest compressions on an adult.
2 breaths and 10 chest compressions on a child.

Thats great Spudnik, a job well done. I took the CPR/AED class last September and according to the card, it's good till 2009. AnonymousAnonymous the new standard ratio is 30 compressions to 2 breaths. I think the standard has changed a few times over the years.

I took my first cpr/first aid class way back in 1976.

Since then I've done CPR many times... always on the job though.
I've only done mouth-to-mouth once since then and I wound up with the patient's blood on my face.. ick... this was after AIDS just became known and we started talking about wearing protective gear.

Anyway, I just wanted to tell you folks that from a real-world perspecitive... those ratios are nice to learn, but you really just need to keep pumping on that chest and timing your downward compressions with the person giving the respirations.

The times I've seen CPR really work are the times when we pushed hard and fast on the chest. No slow counts here.
We actually usually go faster than you would do in CPR class.

Also.. MAKE SURE THE PATIENT IS ON THE GROUND OR BELOW YOUR WAIST!

It irks me to no end the number of people who try to do compressions on a patient lying on a gurney that is elevated above the rescuers waist. Actually waist high is even too high.
The compressions need to be straight down into the chest... not sideways.. which is what happens when some ambulance personnel haul the patient out of the unit and bring them into the hospital.

I did straddle a patient once on a gurney while we were rolled into the ER at the VA hospital in Houston, Texas.

As long as you are making good compressions straight down into the chest at a pretty good clip, you are doing the best you can.
Often, you'll hear and feel the sternum separate from the ribs... especially on old guys.
You just keep on compressing the chest... nothing else you can do.

The person giving the rescue breaths needs to pay attention to the person giving the compressions and timing their breaths accordingly.
They can also be checking the pulse in the neck to see if compressions are going well enough, but don't waste too much time trying to catch a pulse... especially on big-necked patient's

I've never done CPR on a child or teenager, but did once on an infant.

I've also never done the Heimlich but had a partner do it once on someone... successfully!

If you are ever in a situation where a patient is being defibrillated... when the AED or the person giving the shock calls out "CLEAR"... MAKE DAMN SURE YOU ARE NOT TOUCHING THE PATIENT!

I got hit once from touching the paramedic who was shocking a little old lady in the back of our unit.
I was doing compressions but had stopped for the fib and right when my partner hit the lady with probably 400 joules the unit swayed... I reached out and touched a bit of metal trim on the cabinets... my other hand landed on the back of the paramedic.. and all I remember was finding myself sitting on the bench next to the gurney with the paramedic!

The guy giving respirations said we both just sorta sat down.
No harm done to us though.
The lady didn't make it, but she had been down at home for a bit before we got there anyway.

sorry... I got all excited at reliving the memories....

we were required to learn how to do both in health class but i'm not certified

They are forever changing it, The latest thinking is that you give no breaths whatsoever, just chest compressions, the idea being that thier is allready oxygen in the bloodstream, you just need to get it around.
Ive a feeling though that its partially based on reducing the dangers of mouth to mouth contact with a disease riddled stranger.
Nothin worst than somebody else spurting sick into your lungs.

I brought a fella back to life 3 times whilst waiting for the ambulance, (20 minutes!), he died in the end though, too badly damaged, what you dont expect though is the guilt, like you where partially responsible for the person dying, even though you did you best to try keep him alive.

I just went through a recertification today at work.

The 'rescuer' CPR focuses on compressions over ventilations.
The latest standards are: (for rescuer cpr)
adult & child (8yo and older) - 30 compressions to 2 breaths for 1 & 2 rescuer cpr
small child & infant - 30 compressions to 2 breaths for one rescuer, 15 compressions to 2 breaths for 2 rescuer

I've been doing this stuff since 1976 and both the Red Cross and the Heart Association here in America, keep changing things almost every stinkin' year.

If they'd just settle on one method they'd make it less confusing for the lay person... who is their target student typically... they want more lay people to know cpr.

I've done CPR 4 times, all successfully

It's a hell of a workout, I was sooo sore the next few days; you're using muscles you don't normally use, plus all the adrenaline rushing through your body. It's like a blur.