How to Save a Life

I opened up my Google home page this morning and noticed the "how to" for the day was this. How appropriate. A couple weeks ago it was "How to land an Airplane". The Captain and I are covered.

I have to maintain certain certifications as a nurse, and in a small town hospital, you need to maintain many more. I am certified in Basic Life Support, Pediatric Advanced Life Support, Adult Cardiac Life Support, and the Neonatal Resuscitation Program, and have recently added ACLS instuctor. It is exhausting. AND most of the nurses I work with have more certifications than that! Usually these re-certifications come up every two years - and folks, this is my year. I have practiced resuscitating "Annie" (adult manikin), "Junior" (child manikin) and "Baby" (you got it). I have had my share of simulated chest compressions.

It's a good thing to know. And for those of you (myself included) who get the heebie-geebies thinking about giving actual "mouth to potentially bloody, smelly, dirty, emesis filled mouth" - I wouldn't worry about it too much. It's all about the compressions, Baby* (or Annie or Junior) and the AED (automated external defibrillator). So you want to give good high quality CPR. Here are a few songs to put on your CPR playlist.


or if you are one of those glass half empty people....



I think I like Staying Alive. But I do like the guy getting groovy with it in the gray pants right in the middle of the screen on the last video. Not sure that is proper technique - but think it should be. : ) So, go forth and save... or not? Seriously, watch the "how to" video, or go take a class - you just never know.

*By the way, with neonates, ventilation is key to successful resuscitation. Patty taught me that. Thanks Patty!