Nicole VanNoie submitted 2017-07-07
To be prepared, this is the end goal of all the education received in health care. Pacific Medical Training offers education in the simple steps of Basic Cardiac Life support in a variety of formats. They can educate anyone on simple life saving measures that can save someone’s life in an emergency. I have maintained my Basic Cardiac Life Support training since 2006. I am currently a community nurse, and have been for 4 years, which means that I am not in a typical healthcare setting. My patients are frail and ill with many different health complications, I know that with my Basic Cardiac Life support training I can perform life saving measures anywhere. This is reassuring because of the severity of my client’s conditions. It can be very stressful caring for such complicated and sick patients, but is humbling to know that I am capable of helping with their health care needs. It is out of a sense of duty and the fulfillment I have in serving others in the healthcare field that I have chosen to continue my education. As I pursue my Master’s to be a Family Nurse Practitioner I will continue to maintain my Basic Cardiac Life support and depending on my future role I may expand to Advanced Cardiac Life Support or even Pediatric Advanced Life Support.
While I have never had to use Basic Cardiac Life support, I know that if I do I am prepared. As a registered nurse, I enter a room observe and assess the patient. With my formal education, I am prepared to identify the abnormal findings and initiate a health care response based on the preparations I took to be in this role. There are predictable and unpredictable scenarios. The abnormal assessment findings can warn me of what is going to come next. I initiate the health care response because without correction these abnormal findings will continue and increase in severity and lead to deadly complications. A fever, chills, congestion, redness and warmth can all lead me to suspect an infection left unchecked it can lead to sepsis and death. Rapid, irregular heart rate, chest pain, shortness of breath; this could be anxiety or it could be a heart attack. The patient goes unresponsive while I am present in the room. The next steps are critical in saving that person’s life. In a hospital setting a code would be initiated and a team of people with Advance Cardiac Life Support training would be called. They are only minutes away, but in that time, it is my responsibility to stay calm, prepare the room and initiate Basic Cardiac Life Support until they arrive because every minute counts. Once they arrive I am going to provide support to the team as directed. Not all health care settings are in the hospital. The patient goes unresponsive in a rural clinic setting and I am the only nurse present. I am still prepared thanks to Basic Cardiac Life Support training. I Stay calm, call for help and prepare the unconscious person in a supine position on a hard surface, start chest compressions 30 compressions to every 2 breaths. Remember I have the training, my adrenaline is pumping, I focus on the task at hand I am prepared for this!
Prepared is the most important thing I can be when unpredictable health care situations occur. Mentally, I need to stay calm and focused, and keep my Basic Cardiac Life support training current. Health care is always evolving so have the Basic Cardiac Life support techniques, being up to date in techniques and yearly practice makes me prepared to provide lifesaving care. Physically, I need to take care of myself. Basic Cardiac Life support especially cardio pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a physically taxing practice. If my body is physically fit and I am healthy I can provide the best form of these life saving techniques.
Now, put yourself in this scenario. You can be the lifesaving difference, for this patient or any person in need, thanks to your Basic Cardiac Life support. We can all be prepared for the unpredictable situations which can arise in any setting. Basic Cardiac Life support gives any person willing to learn the preparations to save lives. Be empowered, get educated, and promote Basic Cardiac Life support! This is a lifesaving practice that can be used in any setting, whatever your role is in healthcare I believe it is our responsibility to Basic Cardiac Life support trained there is no excuse not to be. These are simple steps that you can complete with your bare hands and the results are lifesaving.