Basic Life Support for Student Nurses Basic Life Support for Student Nurses | Page 2

Basic Life Support - Australia & New Zealand Introduction In 2010-2011, the New Zealand Resuscitation Council (NZRC) introduced revised guidelines for Basic, Advanced, Paediatric and Neonatal Life Support based on the most recent international scientific evidence. The new guidelines were published in conjunction with the Australian Resuscitation Council (ARC). The implications for student nurses, who are primarily trained in Basic Life Support (BLS), has been to simplify the CPR technique and reinforce the importance of commencing chest compression as quickly as is possible (NZRC, 2011). The major changes to the NZRC/ARC guidelines are as follows (Laerdal, ND): ? Guideline 2 - Priorities in an Emergency This section now covers a range of emergency situations, such as collapsed and injured victims, and not just cardiac arrest. Guideline 3 - Unconsciousness This section now focuses on the breathing unconscious victim. Non-breathing unconscious victims are hereafter addressed under Guideline 8 (CPR) Guideline 5 - Breathing - References to signs of life have been removed as they are open to interpretation, and feedback suggested that the term ‘signs of life’ is confusing. - There is a renewed focus on ‘unresponsive and not breathing normally’ as indicators for resuscitation. Guideline 6 - Compressions - References to ‘signs of life’ have been removed to avoid confusion - There is a renewed focus on ‘unresponsive and not breathing normally’ as indicators for resuscitation. - If a rescuer is unable / unwilling to perform CPR, then perform compression only CPR - The pulse check had been downgraded as it is considered an unreliable indicator of the need for resuscitation - There is a new emphasis on maintaining CPR quality and a recommendation that rescuers change every 2 minute to decrease fatigue and maintain depth and rate of compressions - A new section has been added on the use of prompt devices in clinical use as part of an overall strategy to improve CPR quality ? ? ? Page 1