LEARNING TO SAVE A LIFE – ISSUE NO. 271

Many of you work in a hospital and are in the right place in case of a health related emergency during work. Suppose you are outside of the hospital and someone shows signs of a cardiac arrest. Would you know how to identify these signs or how to administer CPR if that person is not responding? According to the American Heart Association, 88 percent of cardiac arrests occur at the victim's home. Many of those victims appear healthy with no heart disease or other risk factors. Last week, Healthmark employees received training in CPR. For some employees it was the first time they received the training and for others it was a refresher course. I had taken the same course a few years ago and I must admit it was necessary to repeat the course. Some of the information I had already forgotten and I feel better after completing the course again. I can assure you from personal experience that your first reaction will be hesitation and shock in a time of crisis. The more you are trained in CPR the easier it will be to react in a crisis (that's the theory, but I hope not to find out). If you have not learned CPR, I highly recommend taking a course. Make sure your family has also learned CPR and know where the household first aid kit is located. If you have small children, talk to them about how to call 911 during an emergency. After all, the life you save may be your own.