On Tuesday, February 26th, we had a paramedic named Isabel and an EMT named Jordan come into our school and teach us about hands only CPR. They brought human upper body mannequins. They were made for a real life simulation. First, they showed us how to check to see if the person needed CPR or not. You rub their sternum really hard and if they showed it hurt that means they are still okay. Then they showed us the proper way to hold our hands one on top of the other, then how to press down on the body. You have to keep your arms straight because if you bend them you are not giving the force needed to pump. It is good if you hear the ribs “pop”, that means you are pressing hard enough. Your hands should come off the body completely to ensure blood enters and exits the heart properly. If you just keep pressing and you don’t remove your hands it will never bring blood back into the heart. A sponge is a good example of this, if you keep pushing, water just keeps leaving. But when you remove your hands completely it brings water back into the sponge. They even taught us a song with a beat to keep time when pushing. The song was “Staying Alive”. You should check out the video at this link American Heart Association HANDS ONLY CPR Video.
After we were finished with the simulation, Isabel and Jordan took us out to their ambulance. Inside they had all sorts of medical equipment that they would have in an emergency room. In the compartments on the outside of the ambulance they had tools, stretchers, air tanks, and much more equipment that saves lives.
I am glad that Jordan and Isabel came because they helped show us how to save lives and it was really fun.
Austin, Eighth Grade Student