The Mind Body Connection to Wellness

By SureFire CPR | Published: February 1, 2012

A favorite quote is given by Natalie Goldberg, “Stress is an ignorant state.  It believes everything is an emergency.”

 

While the premise is effective in making light about a chronic state of perceived stress, not all stress is bad.  In fact, we need some types of stress to remain in a state of wellness.  Taking that morning jog places stress on your heart, bones and muscles strengthening them. Providing the added benefit of clearing emotional stress at the same time for some people is also possible with exercise.

 

It is the emotional stress that wreaks havoc with most of us and the kind of stress referred to by Goldberg in her statement above.  This is the kind of stress that creates a shift in our physiology to the “fight-or-flight” status, releasing adrenaline, increasing heart and respiration rates and shunting blood to muscles ready to react.  Not a problem if the state of “alert” stress created is only short lived.  However, for those who perceive their life events as a constant negative stressor, remaining in this heightened physiological state can actually cause harm and illness over time.

 

Heart disease, obesity, high blood pressure, insomnia, mental disorders and additive behaviors are a few of the side effects found with long-term negative stressors.   Not everyone perceives the same events as stressful so the triggers may not always be easily defined.  In fact, many of us who think we have a handle on our life situations and are certain we are dealing with stress easily may one day awaken to chest pain or unexpected weight gain.  “Tension headache” is a common term used to define a recognized side-effect of long-term stress.

 

Finding ways to cope with stress is as individualized as the trigger itself.  Meditation and yoga may be just the thing for one person while an aggressive game of basketball may be the answer for another.  It is up to each of us to identify the cause of negative emotional stress and the intervention to correct it.

 

Easier said than done, yes?  There are options available to identifying symptoms of stress beginning with a regular physical evaluation from your physician.  Another consideration is to be prepared for events known to create stress.  Finding a loved one or stranger in a sudden emergency is not a situation anyone chooses to find themselves in.  However, life happens and so do emergencies as a result.  Fortunately, this very stressful event can be prepared for and skills obtained through qualified teaching professionals can be gained.  Basic life support and first aid training is available through Orange County CPR courses now available to the public.  Included for health care professionals is pediatric (PALS) and advanced life support courses (ACLS Classes in Orange County).

 

Taking advantage of these opportunities to prepare for the inevitable stressful events of life helps to diminish the side effects of long-term stress.  Finding your method for countering stress and taking courses such as those mentioned above is a first step to emotional wellness.

 

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Heart Healthy Habits

By SureFire CPR | Published: January 31, 2012

Sitting in a physician’s office receiving the same “lecture” on lowering cholesterol, increasing activity and (the worst of all) “knocking off just ten more pounds” is never a study in boosting one’s ego. In fact, for most of us who may be living a more sedentary lifestyle spent in front of a computer screen or TV, the dreaded annual exam can be downright scary!

 

Loving your body and caring for it with the same passion as you ingest that box of popcorn at the movies is something easily learned with just a change in outlook.

 

Valentine’s Day is coming up and expressions of love are on the minds of most. Why not give yourself a Valentine this year? Show yourself love by nurturing your heart with a few simple promises, small steps that show compassion to your body and strengthen your relationship with it.

 

Okay, that was a bit corny but its intent is sincere. Studies have been conducted and proof shows the importance of emotionally caring for your body, as well as physically caring for it. Practicing meditation to decrease stress, changing your evening walk to include hills, eliminating smoking and excessive alcohol use, modifying diet to include heart-loving Omegas and anti-oxidants are just a few things that can be done.

 

Medical professionals have created protocols to support and resuscitate the heart when it falls into distress or failure. ACLS and BLS training is given to healthcare workers for just this purpose. Supporting yourself through heart-healthy habits is your “protocol” for a healthier lifestyle and a very happy heart.

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CPR Certification – Makes Moral Sense and Business Cents.

By SureFire CPR | Published: January 31, 2012

In our job-scarce economy, employers with many qualified candidates applying for a position tend to look for special skills that set them apart from their peers. Especially in jobs dealing with the public,  Onsite CPR Certification is one of the steps you can take to set yourself apart from your competition.

 

While it goes without saying that being able to save a life rewarding in and of itself, employers target CPR certified candidates; it lowers their risk and potential liabilities if a customer were to have an accident or heart attack on their property. Knowing there are qualified employees on hand who are trained in life-saving techniques gives piece of mind to the busy executive.

 

A certification is also a must-have if self-employed and running a home-based business where classes or transactions take place on your property. Often times it is mandatory by law.  If after checking with your local and state authorities you find it is not, Orange County CPR Classes is still a valuable way to get trained in  saving lives and even attract at-risk clients, who will be assured knowing they would be in the care of a trained and responsible business owner.

 

From the large employer to the sole-proprietor to individuals looking for work in the public domain, obtaining CPR and first-aid training makes sense and makes cents for any retail-based business and job candidate.

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A Promise to Prevent Preposterous Paramedic Petitions for 2012

By SureFire CPR | Published: January 28, 2012

That was a mouthful of alliteration, a clever collection of words compiled to say, “Resolve to respect the 9-1-1 call and use of the emergency response system this year.”

 

Most likely, this isn’t an issue for the majority and the thought of calling 9-1-1 is prohibitive.  However, for some the question of when to call for medical help is paramount and under-use or inappropriate use of the 9-1-1 call occasionally occurs.  So when is the right time to call?

 

The answer really lies in the question.  Should there be enough concern to consider calling for an ambulance, you probably should call.  Better to err on the side of conservative action then take no action at all and find yourself the victim of a crisis.  Particularly is this true when responding to a witnessed event in which bystander CPR is required.  During such times, advanced preparation can make all the difference.  Courses are offered in community settings, such as the Orange County CPR Classes taught in southern California.

 

Even with the appropriate 9-1-1 summon, you can still follow a few simple guidelines below (consider them a New Year’s resolution to avoid the paramedic-predicament-plunder):

 

  1.  I promise to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth to the paramedic     when he asks me my chief complaint.
  2. I promise not to change my chief complaint when I talk to the nurse.
  3. I promise to avoid the “Big Dumb” – ie: calling again and again for the same stupid stunt I knew I shouldn’t have done…the FIRST time I did it.
  4. I promise to be nice to the paramedic the entire time he is caring for me – after all it wasn’t his fault I got injured in the first place and it isn’t his job to share in my pain.
  5. I promise to get out of the way when I see fire trucks, police cars or ambulances with lights and sirens blaring and NOT follow them just to see what happened.

And lastly –

 

I promise to thank the next paramedic / firefighter I see for the wonderful work they do to keep me and my loved ones safe, cared for and protected.

 

Bonus Resolution –

 

I promise to obtain my Basic Life Support Certification so I can be prepared in an emergency.

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

 

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Communities Seeing a Rise in In-School CPR Training Programs

By SureFire CPR | Published: January 24, 2012

When we talk about onsite CPR certification, we tend to think about how this technique can be useful in the workplace.  After all, offices, factories, and retail outlets all over the country have trained professionals come on site and teach CPR basics.

 

Yet another area that is seeing a surge in onsite CPR training is in schools.  In this example, a Missouri teen spearheaded an effort to get every freshman in her school trained.

 

This may seem strange at first: CPR is usually administered in the event of cardiac arrest – an affliction that, thankfully, does not plague young children or students.  However, there may be other opportunities when a bystander needs to step in and help save the life of a fellow student or teacher.

 

And more importantly, students can take this knowledge with them outside of school, where these skills can certainly be used in any public place.  According to the American Heart Association, bystander CPR can boost survivor rates two- to three-times over.

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Despite Advances in Technology, On-Site CPR Training is Still a Must

By SureFire CPR | Published: January 17, 2012

Recently we looked at how the American Heart Association is now advocating “hands-only” CPR in an effort to reach more individuals who normally would balk at mouth-to-mouth techniques.

 

This development underscores a larger, more promising trend: the proliferation of new CPR techniques and devices that will most certainly save more lives than ever before.

 

Take, for example, the Thumper.  It’s a device used by emergency responders that performs CPR while simultaneously breathes for the victim.  By doing so, it enables responders to engage in other life-saving activities.  This device recently saved the life of a 56-year old who had no heartbeat for 16 minutes.

 

The devices cost approximately $12,000 each and are slowly being introduced to emergency crews all across the country.

 

Of course, a majority of schools, places of employments, and other public places still lack such devices, further accentuating the importance of good, old-fashioned onsite CPR certification.

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Gathering the Good Samaritans (Part 3 of 3)

By SureFire CPR | Published: January 11, 2012

We are back to the playing field and the little athletes are just that…little.  These are children playing in little-league teams and not all parents are in attendance.  The same situation occurs and one of these little guys has just collapsed at your feet.  NOW what do you do?

 

So many questions – and here are a few more to consider:  What if the victim is a child and the parents are no where to be found?  What if the victim is drunk or otherwise incapacitated?

 

Implied consent is the answer.  Whenever the event occurs and the victim is unable to reasonably speak for himself or is a minor without parental presence, implied consent will support the actions of the rescuer:

 

“…if the patient is unconscious, delusional, intoxicated or deemed mentally unfit to make decisions regarding their safety or if the responder has a reasonable belief that this was as such; courts tend to be very forgiving in adjudicating this, under the legal fiction that “peril invites rescue”  (Implied Consent, lawdictonary.com website).

 

In the case of minors, it can be tricky but to error on the side of providing rescue is the best rule of thumb.  Should consent not be given by parents, the responder is not required to withhold rescue efforts as the parent‘s actions will likely be construed as neglect.  As a result, rescue efforts in these cases are covered by an implied consent by default.

 

There are areas in which the Good Samaritan Law only protects those who have received appropriate training from a certified health organization.  CPR Classes in Orange County provide such training, such as basic first aid and basic life support (BLS).  With statistics proving the positive outcomes of bystander CPR and with laws to protect those willing to provide rescue assistance in such an event, it makes sense to seek out and receive this valuable training.

 

You just might save a life.

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While New Device May Outperform Human CPR, Onsite Certification Remains a Necessity

By SureFire CPR | Published: January 10, 2012

In a world full of consistently bad news, it is always nice to highlight individuals who are doing good work, like a company based out of Redmond, Washington called Physio-Control.

 

Physio-Control has invented an automated CPR machine that can outperform humans, and as a result, help save more lives.

 

The machine, dubbed LUCAS-2, can perform compressions for a longer amount of time than a human.  This is important, because while human-administered CPR, when employed properly, can save lives, it is hard work; people get fatigued and can’t keep up.

 

Enter LUCAS-2 , which by using a piston-like mechanism can make CPR more efficient and in turn, can free up paramedics to take on other critical life-saving measures.  Simply turn on the machine and leave it in place.

 

That’s the good news.  The bad news is that cash-strapped municipalities can’t afford the machine.  And, that being said, bystander CPR is nonetheless extremely successful whenever employed.  Bottom line: you don’t need a LUCAS-2 to save lives, just onsite CPR certification.

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Gathering the Good Samaritans (Part 2 of 3)

By SureFire CPR | Published: January 4, 2012

It’s game day and your superstar is on the team sure to take the state championships.  Electricity fills the air as spectators fill in the empty spaces surrounding the field’s periphery.  Animated with the anticipation of victory, each team member takes position and the whistle blows for the game to begin.  It’s one of the best games of the season and the play of each team reflects the motivation to win with a little more aggression than has been seen all year long.  And then it happens…that one “hit” that sends both players to the ground right in front of where you are standing.  Shaking his head to clear cobwebs, the opposing team player stands up and meanders to the opposite side of the field where his teammates are motioning to him.  You glance down to the other player, the guy on “your team” and see he remains motionless, staring at you while he breathes rather heavily, obviously “his bell rung”.  Right there, in front of you, only a foot from where you stand.   But he still is not moving.  No one seems to know what to do.  What do YOU do next?

 

Offering assistance in this case seem to be the obvious “right” thing to do and one’s natural instinct is to immediately respond to an injury.  The appropriate action is not always clear, particularly when it relates to a non life-threatening event.  The case for “imminent peril” is not well defined in most instances and whether to assist an injured individual who appears to be breathing, perhaps awake and with a pulse, leaves the bystander questioning, “Now what do I do”.

 

Fortunately, the Good Samaritan Law can provide legal protection, particularly in states which have duty-to-assist requirements by law.  For those states not requiring assistance unless immediate threat to life exists, the boundaries are fuzzy.  Not always is assistance from an untrained healthcare professional with good intentions and instincts to “get him away from the scene of injury” the right action.  In fact, in the example of the injured athlete above, something as simple as moving the victim can actually cause more harm.  In a case such as this, the courts could actually rule that the victim was not in imminent peril with any assistance deemed inappropriate causing harm.

 

So how do you know when to assist and when not to?

 

If a responder begins rendering aid, he must not leave the scene until it is necessary to call for needed medical assistance, a rescuer of equal or higher ability takes over, or continuing to give aid is unsafe. The responder is not legally liable for the death, disfigurement or disability of the victim as long as the responder acted rationally, in good faith and in accordance with their level of training. (Rolfsen, ML 2007, Wikipedia)

 

A key phrase is “with their level of training”.  Courses currently being offered in California, specifically CPR courses in Orange County, provide the training required to recognize and respond appropriately to these situations.  This training gives confidence and invaluable skill to the bystander who witnesses an emergent event, bringing peace of mind.

 

Of course, everyone who has experience with a cell phone can utilize the 9-1-1 emergency response system which is always considered appropriate assistance under the Good Samaritan Act.  This is one very important step to providing assistance.  However there is more and obtaining consent may be another part of the process.

 

(To be Continued….)

 

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Southern California CPR Training and Certification

By SureFire CPR | Published: January 3, 2012

Classes in CPR and Basic Life Support (BLS) provide a level of training and instruction that is useful not only  for emergency professionals, but also for people in their everyday lives. Accidents and medical emergencies can happen in a flash, and when they do being prepared to offer first-hand help can make the difference between life and death.

 

Whether you are a healthcare provider, fitness instructor, teacher, or simply a layperson looking to add CPR or BLS to your skill set, there are a number of programs in Orange County and in the greater Los Angeles area that offer classes. If you are looking to offer your employees training, there are a number of opportunities for instructors to perform both onsite CPR Training and onsite CPR Certification at your place of business.

 

Along with CPR Training and Certification, there are a number of offsite courses available such as BLS for the Healthcare Provider, CPR, Automated external defibrillator (AED), and First Aid training, and Pediatric CPR and First Aid. For non-native English speakers, several Orange County CPR classes and Los Angeles CPR classes are conducted in Spanish and in Vietnamese.

 

Instructors for all CPR, AED, BLS, and First Aid classes are highly skilled with experience in emergency situations and are typically professional firefighters, paramedics, lifeguards, ER nurses, or EMTs. Because of their advanced training, these professionals can offer student services and instruction of the highest caliber.

 

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