Marine First Aid Level 4 (VTQ)
Course Content
- Course Introduction
- Human anatomy and physiology for immediate emergency care
- Safety and Calling for Help
- What3Words - location app
- Marine band radios
- Marine VHF Radios
- Common Coastal Water Dangers
- Common Fresh Water Marine Dangers
- Emergency Flares
- LED Flares
- The Coastguard
- The Air Ambulance
- Personal Location Beacons
- Accident Prevention
- Boat Safety
- Calling for help
- Water safety tubes
- Types of Blankets
- Emergency response for hybrid and electric boats
- First Aid and Safety Equipment\
- Initial Assessment and Care
- Basic airway management in emergency care
- CPR
- AED
- Administration of oxygen therapy
- Drowning
- Choking
- Shock
- Bleeding
- Catastrophic Injury
- Injuries
- Hypothermia
- Illness
- FIrst Responder - Management of injuries
- Prioritising first aid
- Pelvic Injuries
- Spinal Injuries
- Rapid Extrication
- SAM Pelvic Sling
- Box Splints
- Spinal Injury
- Stabilising the spine
- Spinal Recovery Position
- Introduction to Spinal Boards
- The spinal board
- Using the Spinal Board
- The Scoop Stretcher
- Using the scoop stretcher
- Cervical collars
- Vertical C-Spine Immobilisation
- Joint examination
- Adult fractures
- Types of fracture
- First Responder - Management of trauma
- Elevated Slings
- Lower limb immobilisation
- Elevation Techniques
- Helmet Removal
- Different Types of Helmets
- The Carry Chair
- Applying Plasters
- Strains and Sprains and the RICE procedure
- Eye Injuries
- Electrical Injuries
- Foreign objects in the eye, ears or nose
- Nose bleeds
- Bites and stings
- Chest Injuries
- Foxseal chest seals
- Abdominal Injuries
- Treating Snake Bites
- Types of head injury and consciousness
- Dislocated Shoulders and Joints
- Other Types of Injury
- Dental Injuries
- First Responder - Management of medical conditions
- Asthma
- Asthma Spacers
- When an Asthma inhaler is not available
- Accuhaler®
- Heart Attack
- Warning signs of cardiac arrest and heart attack
- Heart Attack Position
- Aspirin and the Aspod
- Stable angina
- Hypertension
- Pulse Oximetry
- Epilepsy
- Epilepsy treatment
- Meningitis
- Diabetes
- Blood Sugar Testing
- Poisons and Food Poisoning
- Shock
- Near and secondary drowning
- Cold water shock
- Allergic Reactions and Anaphylaxis
- Course Summary
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The 2015 Resuscitation Council Guidelines gave some pointers on delivering CPR. The optimum position for providing CPR is by the side of the victim, to allow for easier movement between the compressions and the breaths, but compressions can also be given over the head if the victim is in a confined space, for example, in the aisle of a plane or a bus, or it's not possible to get by their side. Fear of doing harm, tiredness and limited muscle strength frequently result in CPR providers failing to compress the chest deeply, as recommended. Following case studies, the 2010 recommendations is that adult chest compressions should be set at 5 to 6 centimetres. This remains the same in the new 2015 guidelines; however, it has been recognized that it can be very difficult to estimate chest compression depths and that compressions are often too shallow, and this is more harmful than doing compressions that are too deep. We, therefore, need to prioritize ensuring that adequate compression depth is delivered. Regarding the speed of compressions, there have been two studies with a total of 13,469 patients and it found that highest survival rates amongst patients who received chest compressions at a rate of 100 to 120 per minute. It was also found that where the chest compression rates were higher than 120 per minute there was associated decline in compression depth, so it's important not to exceed 2 compressions per second. The next important thing to remember is to minimize the pause in chest compressions. When delivering compressions, defibrillation shocks, ventilations, and AED units analysing the heart, all these can give pauses between compressions. These gaps need to be reduced to less than 10 seconds to maximize the amount of blood that is pumped around the body. It's important to communicate well between rescuers to ensure the interruptions are kept to a minimum when delivering CPR. It's just as important to allow the chest to recoil as it is to deliver the compression. It's common with CPR for people to lean on the chest and not allow it to fully come back to normal. Allowing complete recoil in the chest after each compression results in better venous return to the heart and improves the effectiveness of CPR. When delivering compressions, think about the recoil just as much as the compression itself; therefore, the compression time is equal to the recoil time. It has been found that compression depth can decrease in as little as two minutes. If there are sufficient rescuers, CPR should change to a second rescuer every two minutes, which will improve the quality of compressions. However, there should be no interruption in the chest compressions while changing to the rescuer. Finally, practice on a mannequin will help you develop your CPR skills. If you are at home and have no mannequin, practice on a toy or a stuffed bag to practice the compressions.
Optimising CPR Performance: Positioning, Depth, and Communication
Effective CPR performance is essential for maximizing the chances of survival in cardiac arrest victims. Understanding optimal positioning, compression depth, and communication can help improve CPR outcomes.
Positioning for CPR
Though the optimum position for providing CPR is by the side of the victim, compressions can also be given:
- Over the head in confined spaces, such as an aeroplane or bus aisle.
Compression Depth and Speed
To ensure effective CPR:
- Compress the chest to a depth of 5cm to 6cm.
- Perform compressions at a rate of 100-120 per minute.
- Avoid exceeding two compressions per second.
Minimizing Pauses in Chest Compressions
Keep interruptions to a minimum by:
- Reducing pauses between compressions to less than 10 seconds.
- Communicating well with rescuers during CPR.
Importance of Chest Recoil
Remember to:
- Allow the chest to fully recoil after each compression.
- Consider the recoil time as important as the compression time.
Changing Rescuers
To maintain optimal compression depth:
- Change rescuers every two minutes, if possible.
- Avoid interruptions in chest compressions while changing rescuers.
Practice Makes Perfect
Improve your CPR skills by:
- Practising on a manikin, toy, or stuffed bag.
- IPOSi Unit four LO3.1, 3.2 & 3.3
- IPOSi Unit two LO1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 2.1, 2.2 & 2.3