Stayin' Alive - No more snogging?
 

So the British Heart Foundation are launching a campaign fronted by Vinnie Jones to encourage people to concentrate on chest compressions rather than the full "kiss of life" where they aren't fully trained in first aid and CPR.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-16222183

Apparently chest compressions whilst thining of the Bee Gees hit "Stayin' Alive" would allow the correct rate of about 100-120 compressions a minute. That is quite a rate when you think of the average persons resting heart rate.

I understand that Stayin' Alive has been a preference in the States for their training aid. But realistically, how many of us know it well enough that we'd use it as an aid in a time of stress. Any make no mistake, if you are doing CPR, or just compressions it's a stressful experience.

For a while now in the UK many agencies had hit on the children's song "Nellie the Elephant". I suspect most of us do know the basic phrase of that. And indeed the first line fits very well with the 15 compressions that used to be required for adult CPR, for both timing and number of strokes. So just repeat the phrase to get the current 30 compressions and then 2 rescue breaths for adult CPR. So why are we not remaining with Nellie for the UK?

The other concern is that it is not just the rate of compressions that influences effectiveness. It is the depth of compression. 5-6cm or about 2 inches. Research seems to indicate that the poorly trained who rely on songs for guidance will be too shallow and thus blodd will not properly pump.

The key thing here is to encourage a bystander to get involved and do something. After all if a person's heart has stopped, then doing something is better than doing nothing. That person is after all dead if their heart has stopped.

Whilst this campaign is certainly worthwhile, in my view there is no substitute for proper first aid training, especially CPR. With AEDs (Automated Defribrilator's) becoming more widely available in public places some training on the use of those would be good too. Unfortunately CPR is rarely effective alone without defribrillation, but by performing compressions or CPR you extend the timescale for the medics to arrive.

Re: Stayin' Alive - No more snogging?
 

And for those who don't:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9m7tPikH0UA

Re: Stayin' Alive - No more snogging?
 

It should be taught in Schools so if anything happens they all would know what to do

Re: Stayin' Alive - No more snogging?
 

I should be mandertory taught in schools and companies,

Re: Stayin' Alive - No more snogging?
 

Agree 100%

Re: Stayin' Alive - No more snogging?
 

I now remember the breaths to compressions as " Chinese dentist" tooth hurty

2/30 :D and hope I never need it

Re: Stayin' Alive - No more snogging?
 

Don't be put of or upset about hearing a rib or breast bone crack either when you're doing it and depending on how long the paramedics take to arrive you really should think about attempting the kiss of life as the compressions are acting effectively as a pump only as long as there is oxygen already in the blood.