6 ms·

I didn't know about the low success rate of CPR, but I have been very well aware of the potential damage. When I was a paramedic (as an alternative to military

I didn't know about the low success rate of CPR, but I have been very well aware of the potential damage. When I was a paramedic (as an alternative to military service) I once had to perform CPR to an old lady and I heard her rips crack. One of the worst experiences in those 9 months...

markoman 3y ago
You're kinda burying the lede here... Was this woman resuscitated by your efforts and do you know how long she survived afterwards?
- lotsofpulp 3y ago
  *and with what quality of life did she survive? If I am 85 years old, maybe it is better for me to move on.
- EA-3167 3y ago
  CPR + Old Lady + Not in a hospital = Almost certainly didn't survive, or live well if she did.
  - mikepurvis 3y ago
    Yeah, that's what I got from lifeguard training. The best chance of doing anything positive with it is going to be on an otherwise young and healthy person whose heart stopped due to a very unusual trauma. And CPR and artificial respiration is never a miraculous eyes-opening recovery like in the movies— it's pretty much just putting oxygen in the brain to buy a few extra minutes for the ambulance to arrive and take over.
  - spacechild1 3y ago
    Correct :-(
    - EA-3167 3y ago
      I'm sure you did everything you could, the sad fact of life is that eventually it ends.
- spacechild1 3y ago
  Ah, sorry! I heard afterwards that she was declared dead when she arrived in the hospital...
lkbm 3y ago
I was taught that if you aren't breaking ribs, you're doing it wrong.
- karagenit 3y ago
  I don’t think that’s right. Sometimes the cartilage will break which can sound similar, but broken ribs is a serious condition that can lead to internal bleeding and such. > Broken ribs are present in 3% of those who survive to hospital discharge, and 15% of those who die in the hospital https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cardiopulmonary_resuscitation https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cardiopulmonary_resuscitatio...
  - lkbm 3y ago
    Ah, this was something like ten years ago, so it seems likely that I'm misremembering. Thanks for the correction!
- contingencies 3y ago
  I was taught you are supposed to break the cartilage.

markoman 3y ago

You're kinda burying the lede here... Was this woman resuscitated by your efforts and do you know how long she survived afterwards?

lotsofpulp 3y ago
*and with what quality of life did she survive? If I am 85 years old, maybe it is better for me to move on.
EA-3167 3y ago
CPR + Old Lady + Not in a hospital = Almost certainly didn't survive, or live well if she did.
- mikepurvis 3y ago
  Yeah, that's what I got from lifeguard training. The best chance of doing anything positive with it is going to be on an otherwise young and healthy person whose heart stopped due to a very unusual trauma. And CPR and artificial respiration is never a miraculous eyes-opening recovery like in the movies— it's pretty much just putting oxygen in the brain to buy a few extra minutes for the ambulance to arrive and take over.
- spacechild1 3y ago
  Correct :-(
  - EA-3167 3y ago
    I'm sure you did everything you could, the sad fact of life is that eventually it ends.
spacechild1 3y ago
Ah, sorry! I heard afterwards that she was declared dead when she arrived in the hospital...

lkbm 3y ago

I was taught that if you aren't breaking ribs, you're doing it wrong.

karagenit 3y ago
I don’t think that’s right. Sometimes the cartilage will break which can sound similar, but broken ribs is a serious condition that can lead to internal bleeding and such. > Broken ribs are present in 3% of those who survive to hospital discharge, and 15% of those who die in the hospital https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cardiopulmonary_resuscitation https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cardiopulmonary_resuscitatio...
- lkbm 3y ago
  Ah, this was something like ten years ago, so it seems likely that I'm misremembering. Thanks for the correction!
contingencies 3y ago
I was taught you are supposed to break the cartilage.