| BLS CPR Save
On Saturday, July 16th, the BLS crew from Rescue Station 4 and Engine Company 4 were called for a reported unresponsive patient. The dispatch notes indicated a male subject was unconscious in his car port, but was breathing. The crews arrived on scene and were met by a family member who frantically reported that the patient was no longer breathing. Providers rushed to his side and quickly eased him from the chair he was seated in to the ground. A quick scan revealed that he was indeed not breathing and CPR was initiated with one crew member providing compressions and another providing ventilations. The AED was brought to the patient's side and the pads attached as other members of the crew readied the stretcher. The AED indicated 'shock advised'. The patient was defibrillated and CPR resumed. CPR continued as the patient was loaded onto the stretcher and into the ambulance. One additional analysis from the AED indicated that a shock was again advised, and the patient received defibrillation once more. CPR continued throughout transport with one crew member providing compressions and another providing ventilations with a BVM device. No advanced airway, IV or ECG monitoring was available. The patient was transported to the Freestanding ED, and upon arrival was noted to have a weak, though regular pulse. He was still not breathing on his own.
At the Freestanding ED, he was stabilized and transported to Mary Washington, where he underwent cardiac catheterization. He was found to have a complete blockage of the Left Anterior Descending coronary artery, which is also known as "The Widow Maker". After an 8 day course in the hospital, the patient was released to home.
The Rescue crew consisted of: Kris, Rich, Arthur and Tom (Smith).
As a CPR and EMT-B Instructor, it gives me more motivation for the students to drive home the point that GOOD BLS and GOOD CPR can have a GOOD outcome.
Job Well Done. |
