As most of you with a recent CPR certification know, the American Heart Association released some important changes to the 2010 Guidelines for CPR and ECC. The AHA reevaluates these guidelines every five years based on new peer-reviewed evidence in resuscitation studies to ensure the best techniques are used.
The biggest change was in the BLS sequence, which changed from A-B-C to C-A-B. Chest compressions start sooner to force existing oxygenated blood through the body. During that time, another responder can prepare a pocket mask or BVM with oxygen to deliver the rescue breaths. This may also allow time to prepare an AED as well.
Action Training Systems incorporated these new guidelines into our EMS Training: Emergency Medical Responder (EMR) series title called Resuscitation. Here are some of the production team’s behind-the-scenes shots from Resuscitation.
We shot the main CPR setup in Buckley, WA with Officer Adam Garrett with Buckley Police Department. EMT Miriam Cooper played our bystander who happened upon our victim, retired firefighter John Justice. We filmed in an alley just adjacent to the fire department and nearby police station. The shoot was supervised by Buckley FD instructor and ATS technical advisor Angela Riggsby.
Our responders Dwayne McGehee and Justin Torres arrived from City of Buckley Fire Department to demonstrate our two-rescuer CPR technique.
The 2010 AHA Guidelines also made some subtle changes to chest compression rates and depths. Previously, the AHA recommended a rate of approximately 100 compressions/minute. Now, the 2010 guidelines recommend at least 100 compressions/minute. The compression depth of 1.5 (4 cm) to 2 inches (5 cm) for adults has also changed to at least 2 inches (5 cm).
Since John was alive and well, we decided to save our compressions demonstration for a dummy. Our cameramen Sjon and Peter captured the demo at Pierce County Fire District 5 with Andrew Cochrane, Ryan Gorcester and Alex Langlow.
The dummy didn’t seem to mind and only responded with a satisfying “click” upon each compression.
The compression depths for pediatric patients changed slightly in 2010 as well. Previous guidelines recommended a compression depth of approximately one third to one half the anterior-posterior diameter of the chest, but the new guidelines recommend at least one third the anterior-posterior diameter of the chest. The new guidelines also include an approximation of that depth as 1½ inches (4 cm) for most infants and about 2 inches (5 cm) for most children.
We shot this pediatric CPR scenario with North Kitsap Fire & Rescue’s Trevor Glebe and Steven Green, who make regular appearances in the EMR series. Our patient actor, Bryce Delmendo, kept laughing, although we reminded him he was supposed to play dead. It was hard for the guys to keep a straight face, too.
The production team had a great time working through the CPR and AED procedures with our local EMS departments. Check out the Resuscitation title on our EMR page to view a quick demo of the program.
What do you think about the changes to the AHA Guidelines?
