First major call

[traumateam1]

So you don't check the carotid? Is there a benefit to checking the radial in this instance over the carotid? I would think you would pick up a central pulse better than a peripheral one.

Carotid pulse usually means a systolic of at least 60mmHg
A radial pulse usually means a systolic of at least 90mmHg

Yes, I know in cases of like PSVT a radial pulse doesn't guarantee a systolic of 90mmHg, but generally.

So I guess by checking the radial pulse and feeling a pulse, then you are ensuring compressions are deep enough to provide a systolic of 90mmHg (roughly)

 

[marineman]

It's of no benefit as far as I can tell but I check both at the same time.

 

[mycrofft]

Coding in a unit..

There've been times in the back of a packed ambulance the only thing I was next to was the feet. I refrained from reporting the pedal or tibial pulse because it was unnecessary.
In fact, back to subject, my first certified homicide was like that. Three care givers in a Caddy and I was last man in/lowest certificate.

 

[BEorP]

Carotid pulse usually means a systolic of at least 60mmHg
A radial pulse usually means a systolic of at least 90mmHg

Yes, I know in cases of like PSVT a radial pulse doesn't guarantee a systolic of 90mmHg, but generally.

So I guess by checking the radial pulse and feeling a pulse, then you are ensuring compressions are deep enough to provide a systolic of 90mmHg (roughly)

There is no reason to be checking pulses during CPR. It means nothing.

From the 2008 guideline publication:
"In the past sternal compression force was gauged as
adequate if it generated a palpable carotid or femoral pulse.
But a venous pulse may be felt during CPR in the absence of
effective arterial blood flow."

 

[mbcwgrl]

My first trauma death came when least expected... Looking back it was a little humerous... I was working on a transfer car taking grandma to the doctor... (thankfully grandma was not with me at the time) I was driving by myself down a busy hwy when all of a sudden everyone in front of me slammed on the brakes and skidded to a stop. Traffic continued to move very slowly and when I approached the reason for the sudden stop in traffic I noticed a police car pulled over in front of a jeep with the hood up on the jeep. I initially thought to myself... "HMM thats silly, why would the cop pull in front of the disabled vehicle" As I got closer I noticed he was blocking a lane of traffic. Again I thought " HMM thats silly, why would he block a lane of traffic during rush hour... What a jerk!" Well that was my last thought before pulling over jumping out to find a semi truck in front of the police car and a body behind the semi truck. The cop approached me and yelling "The body is over there and I dont know where the driver is." Again... Never been on a trauma DOA in my life so I yelled back at the cop, " Find the F***ing driver so we dont have 2 bodies!" I went over to the "body" to find the cop covered him up. I uncovered him and found him face down, however he was laying on the back of his head. I reached down for a coratid pulse using the spine for reference. I relized soon after that he had an internal decapitation and there was blood running down the hwy. I couldn't see any open fx or major trauma (minus the decap) I sure as hell wasnt going to roll him over. I didnt want to see what the other side of him looked like. I called in an ALS unit and they pronounced him DOA. The cop evidently went up to the medic and told him I took care of it and I pronounced him... Thats a no no! I didnt do that... I just said I wasnt going to do CPR. I found the driver for the cop. Evidently this guy didnt want to live and was willing to ruin someone elses life as well by jumping in front of a semi truck.

2 weeks later on Christmas Eve, I was working for another agency (on an ALS ambulance this time) and ran on a guy splattered all over the hwy via semi truck... Guess it was my lucky holiday season...

 

[tydek07]

40yr old, Hit by train while driving his tractor across the tracks. Pt ejected >10ft from tractor. Found pt laying face down gasping for air. Put on back board and began assisting respirations during transport. The medic RSI'ed the guy and then intubated him. Pt had broken ribs, broken arm, unstable pelvis, lacerations everywhere, and internal bleeding. He was fighting for his life during the entire transport.

Its been awhile since that happened, and that was within the first 2 weeks of me working as a basic... so really had no clue on what the medic was doing at the time haha.

But the good thing is..... the pt is up walking around today!