The AED Superstore Weblog

Get Pinned!!!

How would you like to recognize those who take that extra step to become certified in CPR/AED, CPR/AED/First Aid, or that special someone who went above and beyond the norm? Well now you can! AED Superstore is proud to introduce 5 enamel-filled Award Pins. Two have been designed to recognize graduates of CPR/AED classes, two for CPR/AED/First Aid, and one has been designed to recognize a responder to an actual emergency.

The"CPR/AED Certified" & "CPR/AED/First" Aid pins are ideal for instructors of preparedness classes who would like an affordable award to present to those who complete the course and get certified. The "Rescue Hero" pin will be a much-appreciated keepsake for lay or professional responders.

Make your students feel special, and recognize the efforts of all who try to make a difference! Quantity discounts available. Order more and save $$$!

2010 International Consensus on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care Science With Treatment Recommendations

Click here for the link to view the text or download a PDF copy..

More breaking news....Links to official CPR Guidelines 2010 resources released

At this writing Guidelines 2010 has been made official and links to information are below.

 

Please note the AHA link is not yet active, but we encourage you to bookmark both and check back often.

 

AHA Guidelines

ERC Guidelines

 

Breaking news! New CPR Guidelines 2010 released by the AHA.....video summary is here!

The American Heart Association has released the 2010 Guidelines for CPR. This video has an overview of the changes.

 

 

More to come....

The NEW American Heart Association Instructor Network web site goes live October 4!

As a CPR instructor you're probably familiar with the American Heart Association's Instructor Network. It's a web site that offers news, forms, class organization tools, and forums for instructors who teach the AHA curriculum. If you've never used this invaluable site before you should give it a try. It sure makes class administration a lot easier and it helps you keep current on all the new trends happening in the field. Best of all...it's free!

 

On September 30, 2010 the current site will go down for "remodeling." When the new and improved site goes live on October 4, the AHA promises users an even better experience than before. We can't wait to give it a try!

 

If you're already a registered user of the Instructor Network site, the AHA is asking you to download forms and materials you think you'll need during the down time so you'll have them if needed. Instructor lists and the Class Connector will also be temporarily unavailable during the upgrade.

 

The new site's web address will be www.ahainstructornetwork.org.

Companion Pet Resuscitation

Would you, without hesitation, perform CPR on a family member?

A recent Associated Press-Petside.com poll detemined "that 58% of pet owners would be at least somewhat likely to perform CPR on their pet in the event of a medical emergency." An interesting concept, don't you think?

CPR on animals is basically the same as it is on humans, it's just the difference in size and anatomy that matters. You would still give rescue breaths and perform "chest" compressions. Many CPR instructors have included Companion Pet Resuscitation in their repertoire for pet-owners or others who care for animals.

The poll also ascertained that few pet owners are prepared for pet emergencies in their home, with just one-in-five having a pet first aid kit on hand. Most, however, said they would do whatever they could to help their family members who happen to be animals.

At the AED Superstore we haven't forgotten Fido or Fluffy! Check out our pet CPR and pet First Aid products, like CasPeR the CPR Dog manikin by Simulaids, Life/form's Advanced Sanitary CPR Dog manikin, the Pet First Aid kit from First Aid Only, and the Pet First Aid and Disaster Response Guide.

Accidents can and do happen. Make sure you're prepared if Spot or Snowball need your help!

New CPR Saves Lives

It seems almost weekly we are hearing more and more reports for the recent "hands-only" CPR technique. There have been several articles where the responder has used this method with success.

The latest AHA addendumto their 2005 CPR Guidelines recognizes the efficacy of CCR (Chest Compression Resuscitation), or "hands-only" CPR, when applied to a witnessed collapsed victim who is non-responsive and not breathing.

Several agencies have been teaching this method exclusively, while others demonstrate it in conjunction with the traditional method of CPR training. The original recommendation was for a "witnessed" collapse, where the responder knows how much time has elapsed from collapse to initiation of CPR. When the collapse is not witnessed, it is hard to determine how long the victim has been unconscious, and therefore, rescue breaths may be crucial.

We can see, almost certainly, that the AHA will incorporate the hands-only technique in their CPR guidelines when they meet again in 2010. We will keep you updated on the recommended 2010 AHA CPR Guidelines when they have been finalized. 

Stay tuned!

Strangers more likely to perform CPR--friends and relatives are less likely

We found an interesting post over at The Straight Dope that really surprised us. They chewed on some research results involving resuscitation statistics that reveal strangers are more likely to perform CPR on you than someone you know would.

Conventional wisdom held (without any basis other than it sounded "good") that strangers were less likely to perform CPR on others. We thought the reasons included the unknown medical history of strangers, unknown airborne and bloodborne pathogens you could be exposed to--stuff like that. It goes along with the American Heart Association's "hands-only" CPR program that addresses this.

It turns out rescuers panic more when they know the victim.

What's the moral of their blog post? 

"...if you're planning on having a heart attack, I recommend you arrange to have a trained stranger on hand who can start CPR immediately upon your collapse."

Click the comment link below and tell us your thoughts!

Stayin' Alive

When the AHA changed its CPR Guidelines in 2005 to increase the rate of chest compressions to 100 compressions per minute (CPM), it was found that many responders had difficulty grasping just exactly how fast that is.  "The most common error is to push too fast," according to Alson S. Inaba, a pediatric emergency physician at Kapiolani Medical Center in Honolulu.  When he asks CPR class members to demonstrate 100 CPM on a manikin, the usual rate is 120-150 CPM, which is much too fast to allow the chest to fully recoil (also part of the new recommendations).

One day, while Dr. Inaba was listening to a recording of the Bee-Gees 1970s disco hit "Stayin' Alive", and acting on a hunch, he timed the song's rhythm and found it was exactly 100 beats per minute.  He now uses that song during CPR training, and the students consistently deliver chest compressions in the range of 99, 100, or 101 CPM.  "Most people know the tune, and it sticks with them" says Dr. Inaba.

He now uses the song in all his CPR classes and has shared it with other CPR instructors.  According to Dr. Inaba, "Hollywood couldn't have written a better script:  'Staying Alive' describes the AHA mission and reminds us what we're trying to achieve with chest compressions, and the song was number 1 in 1979 when AEDs first came out."

Just as a side note:  There is another song with the same tempo that could be used in keeping pace with the proper compression rate, but the title may not be quite as appropriate.  That song is Queen's "Another One Bites the Dust."

Training! Training! We've got training!!

     The AED Superstore proudly announces nationwide CPR/AED and First Aid Training designed to fit your schedule and your budget!  Courses are being offered through the Emergency Care and Safety Institute (ECSI), a nationally and internationally recognized organization.  ECSI's goal is to provide the highest quality training available to laypersons and professionals at the lowest possible prices.

     ECSI offers a variety of training courses, including CPR, AED, First Aid, Bloodborne Pathogens, Oxygen Administration, and related health and safety areas.  In addition, training to address your personal or staff needs is available upon request.  ECSI's training materials have been approved by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) and the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP).

     Need flexibility?  There are three types of training offered:  Classroom instruction, online study, or a blend of both.  Classroom instruction is taught by accredited EMS professionals who want you to succeed.  Classes include textbooks and skills testing for certification.  Online study allows for learning at your own pace and on your own schedule.  The online course provides the technical information required for eventual certification, or can be used as a refresher for those who have previously attended training.  Blended courses begin with the independent online portion followed by the hands-on classroom and skills testing for final certification.  Each course includes approved medical content (textbooks or online course content), user-friendly learning materials, skills testing and course completion certificates.

     Just a little info regarding the various courses offered by ECSI:  CPR and AED courses teach breathing and chest compression techniques for use in cardiac and other rescue emergencies.  First Aid instruction covers topics from bleeding control to seizures and is perfect for those desiring first aid training without the CPR/AED components.  Bloodborne Pathogen training is designed to meet the current OSHA requirements for proper disposition of blood or other potentially infectious agents.  Also includes supplemental information on airborne pathogens.  Oxygen Administraion details the use of oxygen in emergency situations.  This class covers the components of oxygen systems, types of delivery devices, and teaches the importance of safety, storage, and maintenance.

     Classroom courses require a minimun registration of ten students and may be formed and scheduled as needed.  Online training is available individually.  Prices include all printed course materials and are valid in most areas of the United States.  For course details, scheduling, and pricing information, call us today at 1-800-544-0048 and speak with a pleasant, friendly, knowledgeable member of our staff.