AHA pushing for CPR in Middle School

[akflightmedic]

OK. So you're willing to spend millions, potentially billions on something that is not all that useful?



Actually it's between 3 and 9 million people. However, let's look at the numbers that actually matter: the survival rate to discharge from cardiac arrest. I'll even give you the benefit of going with the higher end of the average (8%). The best estimate for sudden cardiac death out of hospital in the US is somewhere in the neighborhood of 300,000. Using some very basic (and admittedly oversimplified) regression, under your plan you're willing to inconvenience and add an additional expense to the roughly 200 million drivers in the US- along with the increased costs of government record keeping, enforcement and recourse when people don't comply- to maybe bump the survival rate a fraction of a percent of 24,000 or so cases a year.

It's a nice idea, but it's not economically or practically feasible.

Thank you for common sense and bringing it down to potentially verifiable data/evidence as opposed to what feels good.

 

[usafmedic45]

And the fact that hands were commonly stretched over the head, not out to the side...but it evokes more emotion when it is out to the side a'la cross fashion and gives millions upon millions yet another false image to play with. Who cares about historical accuracy, it is all about the image baby!

It really depends on whether you are going for a quick death or prolonged and rather dramatic suffering. Sorry...I do a presentation on the pathophysiology of crucifixion for conferences. It's just a very interesting topic (and no, the irony of a Jew lecturing on how crucifixion works is not lost on me).

 

[usafmedic45]

Thank you for common sense and bringing it down to potentially verifiable data/evidence as opposed to what feels good.

Eh, someone needed to do it.

 

[medicRob]

OK. So you're willing to spend millions, potentially billions on something that is not all that useful?

I think that is where the problem is, you are seeing this as if I had laid some big plan or am going to go to congress with this, when in fact all I was stating was that I would like to see it, nothing more than something that would be nice, feasible didn't really enter into the picture, as it was just a passing thought.

Actually it's between 3 and 9 million people.

I based my comment on 1,000,000 as a baseline as I don't really know how many milions there are with a drivers license in the US.

It's a nice idea, but it's not economically or practically feasible.

Thus the reason I said, "I think ", "The Government Should".

Also, no one said anything about the DMV having to host the program. It was more or less a thought that individuals would have to seek out a CPR class in their community
and present their card to the DMV before a license would be processed. Again, it was just a passing thought.

 

[usafmedic45]

I based my comment on 1,000,000 as a baseline as I don't really know how many milions there are with a drivers license in the US.

Actually the 3-9 million is 1-5% of the current US population, not the number of drivers.

I think that is where the problem is, you are seeing this as if I had laid some big plan or am going to go to congress with this, when in fact all I was stating was that I would like to see it, nothing more than something that would be nice, feasible didn't really enter into the picture, as it was just a passing thought

Point taken. I was just pointing out the flaws.

 

[Sasha]

I don't think it should be a driver's license requirement, but it's pretty much a requirement to take a health class during some point in your primary school career, it should be taught then. I learned CPR in 11th grade health sciences, also basic first aid.

They teach you how to procreate, how to contracept, why not how to potentially be a step in the attempt to save a life?

 

[Anjel]

I don't think it should be a driver's license requirement, but it's pretty much a requirement to take a health class during some point in your primary school career, it should be taught then. I learned CPR in 11th grade health sciences, also basic first aid.

They teach you how to procreate, how to contracept, why not how to potentially be a step in the attempt to save a life?

I learned intubation in my MFR class in highschool lol Just how to do it. Not why, contradictions, or anything like that.

I'm thinking that should of been left out. lol

But yea I agree teach cpr in phys ed once a year or something. Get it out of the way.

Look at my avatar. If you make everyone in the country know cpr and make them feel like a hero. I'll bet that happens lol

 

[exodus]

Honestly, who cares if they take the class as a joke. If they pass, they pass the class, if they fail, they fail the class. Students still pass sex ed and most count it as a joke!

As long as they know how to do it, chances are, they will. What 13/14 year old doesn't want praise from saving someones life?

 

[Anjel]

Honestly, who cares if they take the class as a joke. If they pass, they pass the class, if they fail, they fail the class. Students still pass sex ed and most count it as a joke!

As long as they know how to do it, chances are, they will. What 13/14 year old doesn't want praise from saving someones life?

I took sex ed very seriously. Especially when we got the glow in the dark condoms and practiced in the dark to race and see who could put it on the banana faster. Or when we wore the beer goggles and tried to do it.

 

[rescue99]

http://circ.ahajournals.org/cgi/reprint/CIR.0b013e31820b5328

I wish they did this when I was in school. I'm telling you we have a selfish sadistic society but it only takes one bystander that knows sufficient CPR to aide in transfer of care. But I talk to my 13 year old brother that's in 7th grade learning CPR in health but see's it as a joke. I mean I know he doesn't understand the magnitude of learning CPR at his age. I just presented this here because I need some help of really getting the message of how serious learning CPR is to him. I know that being an EMS professional it should be easy to do so, but when i try to present it from my angle it still doesnt quite get across to him

CPR is easy enough to do at the age of 10-13 but, physical and emotional capabilities vary so widely in this age range. My experience has been that the ability to effectively do compressions with any consistency is about 8th grade. I would not underestimate a kid's ability when it comes to outward behaviors. If he's learned the mechanics, the rest will kick in soon enough and sooner if he needs to act upon what he learned in health class :>)