Would you administer first aid/mouth to mouth?

[Coldemort]

Was in the queue for tesco and suddenly felt extremely dizzy/light headed. I had a sit down and luckily it passed, but did get me wondering what would happen if someone fainted/passed out in front of you? Would you administer first aid yourself (not knowing the health condition of the person?)
Just a hypothetical moral dilemma!

[raviolidreaming]

I wouldn't do rescue breaths on a stranger even without a global pandemic.

[TinnedPearsForPudding]

No, compression only CPR is becoming recognised as efficient - it's to do with myocardial perfusion pressures (the heart actually gets more oxygen by not stopping compressions to "breath" and that the up / down on the chest pulls some air in & out)

[darceybusselllovesbrussells]

I'm a community AHP and the current guidance for us is chest compressions only. In normal times, if you don't have a one-way mask, it's also chest compressions only.
The M2M doesn't have a significant impact. Chest compressions are the most important.

[dairyfairies]

no (and not because of Corona). Any first aid course I attended taught chest compressions only iirc.

[Motorina]

CPR is aerosol generating. The current guidance is to place a mask on the patient, to catch any droplets that might spray out, and to do compression-only CPR. Ventilations are only to be done by people appropriately trained and in level 3 PPE (so FFP3 mask, visor, long sleeved gown.)

Info on the resus council, as linked to earlier.

[Spam88]

I'd administer whatever first aid was necessary/I was capable of. I'd take the tiny chance of me contracting covid and it being serious enough to be fatal, over leaving someone to definitely die. I'd hope that wouldn't be a difficult decision for anyone in good health.

Just to add to all the chest compressions only chat - my understanding from the paediatric first aid course i attended is that for children rescue breaths are essential.

[isadoradancing123]

No, not withoutta shield

[darceybusselllovesbrussells]

@Spam88 "as always during all CPR, the first priority should be personal safety" , that is from the Resus Council guidelines.
As I said, even in normal times, as a health professional, my BSL training doesn't recommend giving M2M unless we have a one-way valve mask. Right now, it's no M2M at all. You should not be putting yourself at risk at any time.

[Spam88]

Yes of course, what I meant was that just doing chest compressions for adults is sufficient because there's enough oxygen in the blood to keep them going for a while, but the same isn't true of children.

[Dyrne]

dairyfairies then you were taught incorrectly - current official guidance for first aiders is to give breaths where possible (under normal non-COVID conditions).

As other PP do, I carry around a one way valve mask with me so I can protect myself if needed. Pretty cheap to get online and you can get ones that fold up pretty well.

[Honeyroar]

I do a CPR refresher every year for work and for a few years we’ve been taught no mask no rescue breaths, just compressions.

[kissmysass]

I did an emergency first aid in the workplace course with St John's Ambulance last year and we were taught to give emergency breaths and as well.

[kissmysass]

I meant rescue breaths * apparently I've got the word emergency in my head too much.

[ChrissieKeller61]

Find a defibrillator ASAP don’t fanny around ... most supermarkets have them, if not library’s I think our village pub has one

[Honeyroar]

Do they really teach to do rescue breaths without protection? I’m quite shocked. It used to be like that at our work a decade ado, but now it’s an absolute no no. Someone doing CPR caught something, can’t remember what anymore, but that’s why procedure was changed for us.

[GingerLemonTea]

HCP here & No, unless it was a family member.

[Honeyroar]

And yes, get a defibrillator if you possibly can.

[Voice0fReason]

My understanding is exactly as Lougle described.
Chest compressions are the most effective way of keeping oxygen going to the brain so just do that.

[Floralnomad]

I’m also an ex nurse and I wouldn’t do any rescue breaths unless it was a child , wouldn’t even cross my mind with an unknown adult . Realistically if someone has arrested in a public place they have a small chance of survival anyway ( resus rates are pretty low in hospital let alone out of a medical setting) so no way would I risk catching something , chest compressions would have to do .

[Purplewithred]

Ambulance volunteer here and would not give rescue breaths bareback to anyone, coronavirus or not.

And the priorities are 1) call ambulance/for help 2) chest compressions 3) defib in that order. Don’t delay calling for help for anything, don'tstop chest compressions to get a defib.

[WyfOfBathe]

I would definitely give first aid including CPR. Would probably only give rescue breaths to a child (even pre-covid). The chances of coronavirus increasing the risk of death - of either of us - compared to not doing anything are minuscule.

[Dyrne]

Honeyroar not necessarily without protection. Not sure about the official curriculum, but all recent first aid courses I’ve been on there has been a sensible conversation about the increase in things like hepatitis etc, and how a sensible part of every personal kit is a mask for rescue breaths and gloves for handling. All workplace kits have to have gloves; they don’t need a mask which has always surprised me but you can get them for so cheap they’re usually thrown in with “standard” kits people can buy.

But yes, generally it’s drummed in to get a defib ASAP for an adult, prioritise rescue breaths for a child.

I think it’s important to remember that for first aid courses aimed at the general public its best to be as simple as possible. You don’t want to try and teach different things for different scenarios; which then leads to panic and faffing as someone tries to remember which option might be more appropriate. If you blanket teach rescue breaths and chest compressions for everyone (plus defib), with a reminder of personal safety and a steer towards buying a mask for £1 to stick on your key ring; then you cover the range of scenarios.