IBMS Congress

www.ibms.org

Basic Life Support Training

Basic life support is the ABC of life saving. It involves airway management (A) and the provision of respiratory (B) and circulatory function (C) for the unconscious casualty. This is supported by an introduction to the use of the automatic external defibrillator (AED).

Airway management covers simple means of opening and maintaining a clear airway (A). This is followed by the use of mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, using adjuncts such as the facemask to reduce infection risks, to provide respiratory support (B). Circulatory function is maintained by efficient chest compression (C).

Why bother with training in basic life support? The simple answer is that these easy to learn methods are lifesavers. People collapse for numerous reasons and many die unnecessarily because those around them do not know how to carry out these simple manoeuvres. It is a sad fact that the UK is bottom of the EU league of survival rates from sudden collapse and cardiac arrest in a large part due to this lack of knowledge of basic life support methods.

The AED is included in this training package, as they are becoming increasingly common in public places such as conference centres, shopping precincts, airports etc. They are simple and safe to use with little training being required. The use of early defibrillation in conjunction with basic life support has been shown to improve considerably the survival rates of casualties suffering sudden cardiac arrest.

The training sessions, there are two on Monday/Tuesday at 11.30 and 15.30 plus one on Wednesday at 11.30. Each session lasts about two hours and will give all those attending the opportunity for hands on practice in basic life support techniques and the use of the AED. Successful completion of the session will earn CPD points, five for participants and three for audience members, there is no formal booking system but places are limited so make sure you arrive on time to claim you place.

Basic Life Support techniques are worth learning, the life that you save could be one that is important to you.