M2m

[MedicPrincess]

Maria's http://http://www.emtlife.com/showthread.php?t=3062 thread made me think....and I thought we have discussed this, but I searched and couldn't find it so here it is...

Other than on an immediate family member, and you didn't have any of your toys you carry, Would you do MOUTH to MOUTH? Under what circumstances?

I'd have to say I wouldn't. I would ensure an open airway and do compressions. 'round here, it wouldn't be but a very short time for either EMS or Fire to arrive.

 

[Jon]

This is why I've got an "inflate-a-shield" on my keychain.

I'm not sure what I would do without it... if it was "someone I knew" then yes.... otherwise, well.... what do they look like, where do I find them, etc... (how good looking are they ) Honestly? This is where "profiling" comes into play. I don't know if I'd do mouth to mouth on a bum at the train station, but a well-dressed buisnessman/woman at my full-time job? I probably would.

 

[sara567]

wow, you are a better person than me, but i'll probably live longer.

if i don't know them...no mouth to mouth or mouth to mask. besides, AHA's new CPR protocols are telling laypeople to only do compressions, and even providers are 30:2 now. the airway isn't as big a deal as circulating blood.

 

[Tincanfireman]

I was thinking that "Save your Breath and Ride the Chest" might be a catchy way to put it
TF

 

[Jon]

wow, you are a better person than me, but i'll probably live longer.

if i don't know them...no mouth to mouth or mouth to mask. besides, AHA's new CPR protocols are telling laypeople to only do compressions, and even providers are 30:2 now. the airway isn't as big a deal as circulating blood.

I agree Sara.... To be honest, I'm not sure what I will do until I'm presented with the case... this is part of why I carry a "big" keychain pocket mask, not the little ones... mine is this:

http://images.google.com/imgres?img...+inflate+shield&svnum=10&hl=xx-elmer&lr=&sa=N
http://www.semredcross.org/edu/safety_products.html. Gee... seems like Laerdal discontinued it... bummer.

Anyway... this seems to be the best "bang for the buck" size-wize, IMHO... so I carry one almost all the time.

 

[emtbuff]

I know I carry a mask on my keychain. I also have a micro shield in my purse and a pocket mask in my car. I would agree that if the person was some one I knew I probly would do mouth to mask or mouth if neccessary. But if it wasn't anyone I knew I would use a mask but I would have to say it would probly be like Jon said about profiling a person. and if worst comes to worse I would just do compression and hold off on giving the breaths till the ambulance came and we could tube and bag em.

 

[fm_emt]

I'll do compressions and direct some hapless bystander to do the ventilations. problem solved. :-D

Or, go MacGyver on it - have someone go find a piece of plastic, and punch a hole in it. Sure, it's not a sterile way to do things and it's no one way valve, but it'll hopefully reduce the possibility of transmitting something you don't want just a little bit.

And I also keep one of the rescu-shield keychain things around.