Red Cross clarifies CPR
Lynn Norwood: Media

giving inaccurate

information on newest method
By Scott Nicholson
nicholson@wataugademocrat.com

The local chapter of the American Red Cross is encouraging people to be up-to-date on cardiopulmonary resuscitation techniques.

Lynn Norwood, director of health and safety services for the Watauga Red Cross, said recent national media coverage had touted the advent of “compression-only” CPR.

The idea was promoted because people who weren’t trained in CPR were often reluctant to act in an emergency, and others were inhibited by having to put their mouths on a victim and breathing into their lungs.

Norwood said while the information was accurate, it might give the erroneous impression that the compression-only CPR was the “new” or approved standard, when in actuality it’s at best a tactic used in certain situations when there are few other options.

CPR involves continuous chest compressions alternated with rescue breathing in order to help oxygenated blood flow through a victim’s body until medical help arrives on the scene.

Based on research, the American Red Cross supports compression-only CPR as an acceptable alternative when a responder is unwilling, unable, untrained or unsure how to perform full CPR or when an untrained bystander has witnessed the sudden collapse of an adult.

Norwood said the Red Cross and the American Heart Association take similar positions on the issue, though different terminology is used.

The Red Cross uses the term “compression-only CPR” while the American Heart Association uses “hands-only CPR,” but the technique is the same. It means performing continuous chest compressions, at the rate of 100 compressions per minute, without rescue breathing.

“Compression-only or hands-only CPR is still not the preferred method,” Norwood said.

“The only reason it is being mentioned is a promotion to try to get people normally reluctant to do CPR to at least do something.”

The technique is not recommended for infants or children, or in situations when the adult’s collapse has not been witnessed.

Norwood said witnessing the collapse means there’s a chance to circulate oxygenated blood through compression, but if the victim has been down for some time then the blood will not carry oxygen.

“If you attend a CPR class, you will be trained in full-cycle CPR,” Norwood said. “The compression-only is not being taught in classrooms, but it’s on videos sent out by the state office.”

Major talk shows and network news shows talked about hands-only CPR when it was promoted last month, but Norwood said some people might not understand the technique is not the preferred method. “People think it’s the new CPR but it’s not,” she said. “We’re not saying that it’s incorrect, but that it’s incomplete. It’s just the preferred alternative to doing nothing in certain circumstances.”

Both the Red Cross and American Heart Association hope that compression-only CPR will save lives by encouraging untrained bystanders who witness the sudden collapse of an adult to get involved and have someone call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number and then start performing chest compressions until help arrives or the adult shows obvious signs of life, including breathing and movement.

Those who take CPR training for certification to meet state and federal requirements, or civilian responders in workplaces who have a duty to respond and those caring for infants and children, will still need to take training that includes full CPR.

The local chapter of the American Red Cross offers frequent CPR classes, with classes scheduled for Apr. 17, 18, 26, 28, and 29. For more information, visit www.wataugaredcross.net or call (828) 264-8226.