Basics Of Emergency Care And Life Support Skills

Basic Life Support

Strategies to Improve Cardiac Arrest Survival

Cardiac arrest can strike a seemingly healthy individual of any age, race, ethnicity, or gender at any time in any location, often without warning. Cardiac arrest is the third leading cause of death in the United States, following cancer and heart disease. Four out of five cardiac arrests occur in the home, and more than 90 percent of individuals with cardiac arrest die before reaching the hospital. First and foremost, cardiac arrest treatment is a community issue - local resources and personnel must provide appropriate, high-quality care to save the life of a community member. Time between onset of arrest and provision of care is fundamental, and shortening this time is one of the best ways to reduce the risk of death and disability from cardiac arrest. Specific actions can be implemented now to decrease this time, and recent advances in science could lead to new discoveries in the causes of, and treatments for, cardiac arrest. However, specific barriers must first be addressed. Strategies to Improve Cardiac Arrest Survival examines the complete system of response to cardiac arrest in the United States and identifies opportunities within existing and new treatments, strategies, and research that promise to improve the survival and recovery of patients. The recommendations of Strategies to Improve Cardiac Arrest Survival provide high-priority actions to advance the field as a whole. This report will help citizens, government agencies, and private industry to improve health outcomes from sudden cardiac arrest across the United States.

Basic Emergency Care: Approach to the Acutely Ill and Injured

Developed by WHO and the International Committee of the Red Cross, in collaboration with the International Federation for Emergency Medicine, "Basic Emergency Care (BEC): Approach to the acutely ill and injured" is an open-access training course for frontline healthcare providers who manage acute illness and injury with limited resources.BEC teaches a systematic approach to the initial assessment and management of time-sensitive conditions where early intervention saves lives. It includes modules on: the ABCDE and SAMPLE history approach, trauma, difficulty in breathing, shock, and altered mental status. The practical skills section covers the essential time-sensitive interventions for these key acute presentations.The BEC package includes a Participant Workbook and electronic slide decks for each module. BEC integrates the guidance from WHO Emergency Triage, Assessment and Treatment (ETAT) for children, WHO Pocket Book of Hospital Care for Children, WHO Integrated Management of Pregnancy and Childbirth and the Integrated Management of Adult/Adolescent Illness (IMAI).