15
Jan, 2021

‘Eternally grateful’: Nebraska journalist shares how CPR saved his infant son

Only a few weeks into life, baby Cameron had a cold. At first, it seemed like the stuffy nose all children get, but then Cameron stopped breathing and his parents Bill and Kym Schammert had to perform CPR on him. The scary situation lasted only five minutes before Cameron began crying, a sign that he was again breathing.

“We’re still trying to process everything,” Schammert told TODAY. “We’re blessed that this is the outcome that we got.”

Schammert, an evening news anchor for 10/11 News in Lincoln, Nebraska, shared his story with his social media followers and on air. He wants others to understand the importance of knowing CPR.

“If one parent or if one grandparent sees our story and says, ‘I need to re-up my CPR training.’ ‘I need to look into classes’ … Then it’s all worth it,” he said. “Because then maybe we’ve changed someone else’s life.”

Stuffy Nose Leads to a struggle to Breath

Cameron was born on Dec. 23, 12 days before his due date. Both Kym and baby were healthy. The first week of January, Kym noticed Cameron had a stuffy nose and wasn’t eating as much so she made a doctor’s appointment.

“He was getting a little sniffly. It sounded like he had some gunk in his nose,” Schammert explained. “It just progressively got a little worse during the morning. Nothing alarming.”

As Schammert put Cameron in the car to visit the pediatrician, he looked at Cameron and knew something was very wrong.

“I saw him turning purple. I had to do a double glance,” he said. “This wasn’t how our Cameron normally looks and so we pulled the car seat back out, and we were just in our driveway.”

Schammert called 911 and the dispatcher calmly talked them through performing CPR on Cameron.

“We didn’t know what to do,” he said. “She immediately asked if it’s possible he’s choking on anything, which we didn’t think was possible. But it’s really important to check for that. And he wasn’t. So, the next thing she had us do is lie him flat on his back and she guided us through CPR.”

Kym started by covering Cameron’s nose and giving him “two breaths and 30 rapid compressions in the middle of his chest.” Schammert took over after a few minutes. Soon after, his parents heard the sweet sound of relief when Cameron wailed.

“I told the dispatcher, ‘He’s crying. I think that’s a good thing,’” Schammert recalled. “Then the paramedics showed up and they whisked him away.”

They first went to a local hospital where doctors performed a viral load test to see if Cameron had the flu, COVID-19 or RSV among other viruses. He tested negative for those and doctors sent him to Children’s Hospital and Medical Center in Omaha. There doctors performed more tests to discover what virus that caused the illness. They never determined what virus it was, but they did notice from chest X-rays that Cameron had bronchiolitis, leading to inflamed lungs.

“He got some mucous that he couldn’t expel and that is why he stopped breathing,” Schammert explained.

But he quickly bounced back.

“Doctors were amazed at how he was doing, kind of remarking on just a normal baby boy,” Schammert said.

He soon returned home.

“For the last week, we’ve had him home and have not noticed anything wrong. We’ve been doing a lot of … sucking out snot from his nose to make sure there’s no more mucus,” Schammert said. “We are just we’re blessed to have a perfect, healthy baby boy — something that a week ago I couldn’t have imagined.”

CPR SAVE LIVES

Schammert and his wife learned CPR during baby classes at the hospital before his older son was born.

“We learned it. It’s important. But we never thought we would use it,” he said. “We didn’t practice it and we forgot it.”

Caryn Steeland, a clinical nurse specialist at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital in Grand Rapids, Michigan, who did not treat Cameron, said that it’s important for parents to know CPR.

“What we know is that most cardiac arrests happen outside the hospital setting. Only about half of the people that have cardiac arrest outside of the hospital setting actually get immediate help via CPR,” she told TODAY. “When we do CPR, it can double or even triple the chances of survival.”

Children and infants frequently stop breathing because of a respiratory infection leading to respiratory arrest, “a fancy term that we use to say someone’s no longer breathing adequately on their own and that led down a path to the heart stopping,” she said.

While various hospitals include infant and child CPR training in their baby classes, Steeland said. People can also visit the American Heart Association to learn more and said they even have a DVD class that comes with an inflatable dummy for practice during the pandemic. The American Red Cross offers CPR and first-aid classes and even has an app that walks people through CPR while calling 911.

Dr. David Markenson, chief medical officer for American Red Cross Training Services in Littleton, Colorado, said parents, grandparents, older siblings and caretakers should learn CPR.

“While needing to know the skills of CPR and first aid, hopefully, will be an extremely rare event for a parent, it is still one that if you don’t know what to do, can have a very bad outcome,” he told TODAY. “Learning CPR and first aid is simple, and we recommend that all parents learn CPR.”

The organization recommends that people involved in an emergency situation recall three steps:

  • Check
  • Call (911)
  • Care

“Calling does two things. One: It gets further help going,” Markenson said. “Two: Many, if not most dispatchers in the United States are trained to tell you what to do if not trained and to help you remember if you’re trained because it is a high stress time.”

The Schammerts feel grateful for the calm instruction from the 911 dispatcher that contributed to their son having such a good outcome.

“Without the woman on the other end of the phone guiding us through CPR as we were panicked and confused — that had no idea what to do — our child might be dead today,” he said. “We are eternally grateful for her and for all of the dispatchers on a daily basis who answer calls like this and talk people through what really is the toughest times in their lives.”

Benefits Of CPR Training In The Workplace

CPR training can be a lifesaving skill when used properly at work.

Every year, more than 350,000 instances of cardiac arrest occur outside U.S. hospitals, according to the American Heart Association. These medical emergencies can occur anywhere from private homes and business premises to public institutions, and even while commuting via car, bus or train. A company’s greatest asset is undoubtedly its employees. This is why employers need to do everything in their power to create a happy and safe working environment. While having an efficient human resources department will undoubtedly contribute towards a constructive workplace, investing in CPR and general first aid training for employees can be equally as beneficial. Indeed, there are numerous benefits to providing emergency training to the workforce.

It’s a Lifesaving Skill

On any given day, approximately 1,000 Americans experience sudden cardiac arrest. According to the latest statistics released by the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation, only 10 percent of these people survive. The most valuable benefit that can be gained from CPR training in the workplace is the fact that precious lives can be saved. An employee who knows how to perform CPR and use an automated external defibrillator (AED) can mean the difference between someone living and dying during a medical emergency. Having someone on-site to perform CPR or use an AED can keep a patient in cardiac arrest alive until professional medical personnel arrives on the scene. An onsite AED can actually turn out to be a great investment, especially if you opt for an affordable and user-friendly model that requires virtually no maintenance.

1.) Fewer Workplace Accidents

Each year, more than 5,000 Americans die from work-related injuries, according to the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics. Additionally, injuries in the workplace cost U.S. companies about $62 billion every year. A decrease in workplace accidents is one of the most notable benefits of first aid and CPR training in the workplace. When employees undergo first aid training, they are also equipped with valuable knowledge that will allow them to be more safety-conscious. This increased level of safety awareness will lead to reduced reckless behavior and a greater respect for health and safety protocol. During CPR training, employees will also learn about the possible causes of cardiac arrest and the long-term impact it may have on the body. Although the intention is to educate rather than to instill fear, the automatic response is to avoid such situations at all costs.

2.) CPR Skills Can Be Used Anywhere

CPR training will never be exclusive to the workplace. In fact, training employees to perform CPR and use an AED provides them with a life-long skill that can be used regardless of where they find themselves in life. When they embark on a first aid course, they will also learn a host of other vital techniques, including dealing with fractures, cuts, burns, allergic reactions, insect bites and stings and strains and sprains. All of these skills can be of great value should an emergency situation arise at work, at home or in public. Even if an employee does not show a keen interest in acquiring even rudimental first aid skills, they will undoubtedly be glad they have them once an emergency situation arises. CPR abilities can also be utilized anywhere in the world, making it a very handy skill to have for employees traveling for both business and leisurely purposes.

3.) Creates a More Positive Working Environment

Every working environment, whether it is an industrial workshop or a medium-sized office, has the potential to be the setting of a medical emergency. Creating a safe working environment can benefit both the organization and employees in numerous ways. Staff members that are permanently stressed out about potential medical concerns may find it increasingly difficult to concentrate on their tasks. However, just knowing there are trained staff members on standby to perform potentially life-saving first aid does wonders for staff morale, which in turn boosts productivity as well.

4.) Patients Recover Faster

The sooner CPR is administered after cardiac arrest sets in, the greater chance the patient has to recover. If a patient receives CPR immediately after going into cardiac arrest, chances of survival increases exponentially, while the toll the trauma takes on the body is also considerably less. The longer a patient remains in cardiac arrest, the greater the risk of permanent damage to vital organs is. In order for the tissues in the body to stay alive, oxygen-rich blood needs to be circulated through the body. Approximately four minutes after blood flow stops, the brain can become damaged. Irreversible damage can occur when there has been no blood flow for more than seven minutes. In order to give a patient the best possible chance at recovery, CPR has to be commenced within four minutes of a person going into cardiac arrest. Having someone in the workplace that can perform CPR makes this possible.

5.) Employees Feel Valued

Employees who feel valued by their employers will be considerably more willing to give their best to the organization than those who feel unappreciated. In fact, feeling underappreciated is one of the top reasons employees want to resign from their jobs, according to Business Insider. Thankfully, there are many ways in which an employer can show their appreciation for their workforce. One of the most effective ways is by making the health and wellbeing of the staff a priority. By providing first aid and CPR training to staff, an organization shows that it cares about the wellbeing of its employees. Apart from employees feeling valued, the organization itself can also benefit from being proactive in terms of first aid training. It will, for instance, earn a good reputation among customers, investors and the general public for its hands-on approach to corporate responsibility.
CPR is a valuable skill to have in the workplace. Even if the need to use it never arises, it will put the minds of the workforce at ease to know that there is someone nearby who can perform potentially lifesaving first aid.

11
Dec, 2020

Who is the girl behind the face of CPR?

She is the face that many have kissed during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training and she has saved millions of lives, but who is she and what is her story?

She is known by many names – L’Inconnue de la Seine (Unknown Woman of Seine), the Mona Lisa of Seine, Resusci Annie, and The Most Kissed Girl in the World – and was a young girl whose body was pulled from the River Seine in late 19th century Paris.

She had no name, no history, and no story. But the pathologist who performed an autopsy on the body was so captivated by her beauty that he had her face preserved as a plaster death mask.

In the years that followed, copies of the mask were sold throughout bohemian Paris.

It was thought that she had died by suicide, but over the years, many stories have emerged of her being murdered, or eloping to Paris from Liverpool with a wealthy suitor.

In 1956, it was discovered that mouth to mouth breathing could maintain blood oxygen levels in a non-breathing victim, leading to the development of CPR.

When a member of the American Heart Association’s CPR committee saw that students practising CPR on one another risked causing rib fractures and pain, he approached a doll maker Åsmund Laerdal to create a realistic training model.

While contemplating the design, Laerdal remembered a mask on the wall of his grandparents’ house and decided to make it the face of his new resuscitation training aid, Resusci Anne.

It is estimated that Resusci Annie has likely helped more than 500 million people to train in CPR, saving around 2.5 million lives.

The line “Annie are you okay?” – used to check for a response in the patient – features in Michael Jackson’s Smooth Criminal, after the singer was inspired by his own CPR training.

These days you can be captivated by her beauty in resuscitation training rooms around the world, but there is one other place you can see her, say Loke and McKernon. The Lorenzi model makers in Paris, who produced L’Inconnue’s original death mask, continue to produce copies four generations on.

A linked editorial discusses the ethical questions raised by historical events and asks was the unknown woman of the Seine morally wronged?

At the time of her death, putting bodies on view and circulating death masks were customary practice. But they’re ethically troubling now. Should we be concerned about this circulation of her image without anything resembling consent?

4
Dec, 2020

Why People Fear Performing CPR on Women

Women are less likely than men to receive CPR from a bystander. But why?

The reluctance, new research suggests, maybe fueled by worries of being accused of sexual assault or doing physical harm. Knowing people’s secret fears is the first step to dispelling them, experts say.

The insights come from a new survey of 520 men and women who were asked to rank potential reasons someone might not want to provide bystander CPR to a woman, based on the sex of the rescuer. The survey built upon previous findings from the same research team that had respondents use their own words to describe why someone might hesitate to provide lifesaving care to a stranger.

The new survey compiled the open-ended responses into themes, which respondents were asked to rank. Both men and women said the biggest reason male rescuers would refrain from giving CPR to a woman was fear of being accused of sexual assault or inappropriate touching, whereas the biggest reason a female rescuer might not provide assistance was fear of harming the victim. Less often, respondents said a male or female rescuer might have a misconception that women don’t have cardiac arrests or think a woman was being overdramatic.

The research was presented earlier this month at the American Heart Association’s virtual Resuscitation Science Symposium. It is considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.

“Hopefully, this information can be used to help us eliminate the biases that people may have,” said Shelby Shelton, a professional research assistant at the University of Colorado Department of Emergency Medicine and one of the investigators.

More than 350,000 sudden cardiac arrests occur outside the hospital each year, according to AHA statistics. Though the vast majority of these occur at home, about 19% in adults and 13% in children happen in public. Bystander CPR can double or triple a person’s chances of survival if started immediately.

But women are less likely to get such help. A 2018 study published in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes found 45% of men received bystander CPR compared with only 39% of women. Men had 23% higher odds of survival than women.

“Everyone deserves to get CPR and a chance at a great outcome when they collapse in public,” Shelton said. “We want to encourage strong public education around that core message.”

In the new study, researchers were surprised to find that men and women shared the same perceptions of what might deter a rescuer, said Dr. Sarah Perman, the study’s senior investigator and an emergency physician. She is an associate professor of emergency medicine at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. Respondents were asked how they perceived others might feel giving a woman CPR, rather than about their own feelings, to remove any reluctance to answer honestly.

Framing the question that way “could help uncover those hidden fears that people may have,” said Dr. Ashish Panchal, a professor of emergency medicine at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, who was not involved in the study. “And if we have a better idea of these underlying, hidden feelings that people might feel uncomfortable talking about, it gives us a better idea of how to train people.”

For example, he said, “the probability of injury from bystander CPR is really, really low. Knowing the perception is there that helping someone might hurt them, we now know we have to combat this.”

Likewise, said Perman, people need to be assured it’s OK to touch a woman you don’t know if you are helping someone who might otherwise die. “A woman at the gym or the grocery store who is in medical distress is clearly a scenario that warrants public assistance,” she said.

This type of data also could be useful for training 911 dispatchers, Panchal said. “These are the people who are giving instructions that guide people to perform CPR in real time. If they understand the fears people have, they can help to dispel those fears as they are guiding someone on the phone about what they need to do.”

23
Nov, 2020
hands-only-cpr

Hands-only CPR

Hands only CPR was encourage by the American Heart Association and released its 2020 emergency cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) guidelines on October 21, 2020.

Of the 356,461 out-of-hospital cardiac arrest cases in the US in 2019, the survival rate was merely 10.4% because of a lack of high-quality CPR and access to an automated external defibrillator (AED). This device administers an electrical shock to normalize and restart heart rhythms and is designed for use by the public. I am certain that local statistics are similar to US ones, so we must promote awareness and training in CPR and make AEDs more generally available.

During this pandemic, the public can still provide CPR by using a hands-only method and an AED while awaiting an ambulance. Remember that both the rescuer and the victim must wear face masks. No rescue breaths are given at any time during hands-only CPR. First Support CPR and First Aid Training offers CPR classes for certification and recertification.

20
Nov, 2020

Updated AHA CPR guidelines address overdoses, technology, cardiac arrest recovery

The American Heart Association’s 2020 guidelines add a sixth link to the cardiac arrest chain of survival and offer new strategies for increasing rates of lay person CPR

The American Heart Association’s regular revisions to its CPR and emergency cardiovascular care guidelines have included changes to epinephrine, therapeutic hypothermia, and compression-to-ventilation ratios over the years. Learn more about the AHA Guidelines for CPR and ECC 2020 updates with:

DALLAS — The American Heart Association (AHA) has released updated CPR guidelines for 2020, which address the management of opioid-related cardiac arrest, the use of digital technology in facilitating cardiac arrest response, social disparities in rates of bystander CPR and post-hospital recovery as part of the cardiac arrest chain of survival. 

The new guidelines were published Wednesday in the association’s Circulation journal and outline a total of 491 recommendations for first responders and lay rescuers. In a press release, the AHA highlighted new suggestions for raising awareness of the importance of bystander CPR. 

The American Heart Association has released its updated 2020 CPR guidelines in the journal Circulation. The new guidelines include 491 recommendations, including recommendations about responding to opioid-related cardiac arrests, encouraging lay person CPR in populations with historically low bystander CPR rates and using digital technology to facilitate CPR response. (Photo/American Heart Association)

The AHA recommends encouraging lay person CPR by underscoring that the risk of causing harm to the patient during CPR is low, and by focusing efforts on socioeconomic, racial and ethnic populations that have historically seen lower rates of bystander CPR. The AHA also stated that CPR training should address gender-related barriers in order to improve bystander CPR rates for women. 

The use of mobile technology by emergency dispatch systems to alert trained bystanders to cardiac arrests near them can also increase the rates of bystander CPR and AED use, according to the AHA. The association also released a digital resuscitation portfolio, a new online program for continuously improving CPR training programs, developed in collaboration with Area9 Lyceum and RQI Partners. 

“In this time of physical distancing, resuscitation education and training delivery must evolve,” said RQI Partners CEO Clive Patrickson, Ph.D., in a statement. “The American Heart Association digital resuscitation portfolio uniquely and efficiently delivers effective CPR quality improvement and leads healthcare organizations on an immediate journey to high-quality and verified CPR competence to maximize lifesaving outcomes.” 

Other changes to CPR guidelines include two new opioid-associated emergency algorithms for first responders and lay rescuers to respond to cardiac arrests caused by overdoses, and new data on pediatric CPR and resuscitation of pregnant patients. The association has also added a sixth link to its cardiac arrest chain of survival addressing the need for continued treatment, monitoring and rehabilitation for survivors after they leave the hospital. 

“The 2020 Guidelines represent a synthesis of important science that guides how resuscitation is provided for critically ill patients,” stated Raina Merchant, M.D., M.S.H.P., FAHA, chair of the American Heart Association Emergency Cardiovascular Care Committee and associate professor of emergency medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. “As the science evolves over time, it’s important that we review it and make recommendations about how providers can deliver high-quality care that reflects the most updated and state-of-the-art information.” 

The AHA’s CPR guidelines are typically updated every five years and have transitioned to a new online format for continuous evidence evaluation since they were last updated in 2015. The full updated guidelines are available online in the Circulation journal with additional resources available on the AHA website. 

For an introduction to the 2020 updates watch this video. 

20
Nov, 2020

How-to guide for CPR in space may help treat astronaut cardiac arrest

Simulating a medical emergency on an aircraft in microgravity

Alexis Rosenfeld/Getty Images

Nobody has experienced cardiac arrest in space, yet. But with plans to send humans back to the moon within a few years and on missions to Mars down the line, the chances are it will happen at some point.

A new study led by Jochen Hinkelbein at the University Hospital of Cologne in Germany provides the most comprehensive guidelines yet on how to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in space.

“This is a critical work on a medical emergency that mercifully has not occurred yet during space flight,” says …