VSLC adhere to European Resuscitation Council Guidelines on our First Aid and Lifesaving courses. We use European Resuscitation Council Guidelines because we consider them to be the most comprehensive source of evidence based, scientific guidelines available. On the 25th March 2021, the European Resuscitation Council published its latest guidelines, which replace the 2015 guidelines.
These new guidelines, produced by 12 different expert writing groups, reflect the changes in scientific evidence since the last guidelines were published in 2015.
Here are a few of the key points relating to basic life support and first aid that affect the guidelines we deliver. This list is not exhaustive but covers a few of the key changes. All of VSLC’s first aid and lifesaving courses have been updated to reflect these very latest changes.
- Emphasis on seizure as a symptom of cardiac arrest – “A short period of seizure-like movements can occur at the start of cardiac arrest. Assess the person after the seizure has stopped: if unresponsive and with absent or abnormal breathing, start CPR”
- Burns – “Burns should be immediately cooled in cool or cold (not freezing) water for at least 20 minutes.”
- Recovery Position- “For adults and children with a decreased level of responsiveness due to medical illness or non-physical trauma, who do NOT meet the criteria for the initiation of rescue breathing or chest compressions (CPR), the ERC recommends they be placed into a lateral, side-lying, recovery position”. The new guidelines clarify that the recovery position is for casualties with decreased levels of responsiveness due to medical causes, who are breathing normally – and not trauma patients.
- ‘Agonal Breathing’ is further highlighted as an indication of cardiac arrest.
- There is recognition that an improvised tourniquet can be beneficial if a manufactured tourniquet is not available.
- Cervical collars should not routinely be used by first aid providers.
The full European Resuscitation Council Guidelines, and the associated evidence, is available free of charge online.
To ensure we are always providing the best possible treatment, it’s vital that we follow the latest, evidence based guidelines.
To learn first aid and CPR in Vietnam, check out our public courses, or get a quote for a private course.
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