As I sat in my PALS course this morning, I heard the following announcement : new guidelines for PALS will be released next month. It turns out that I took the last course being taught under the current guidelines - meaning that when I take my recertification in 2 years many of the algorithms will have changed. In the health care world, I realize that change is inevitable. However, I sort of wished as I sat there that I had waited one more month to take the class so as to have the most up to date information.
Always on the prowl for a downsize, I gazed at my course materials and realized that when I finished the class they would be effectively obsolete. Given my past history, I normally would have saved these study guides under the guises of "keeping them for reference". This is ridiculous reasoning as I have never, in fact, looked back at any of my other life saving technique literature. And so, I stepped out of the van and tossed the books into my recycling bin. Then I headed to the Eubanks Family Stacks and located my BLS and ACLS manuals. Since the American Heart Association revises all of these materials every 5 years, these guides are obsolete as well. To the blue bin they went!
Before any of you fear that I will no longer be prepared to save your life, let me reassure you. Most of the skills are as easy as A, B, C - airway, breathing, and circulation that is!
Good for you Amy. I wanted to comment to let you know I have been reading everyday. Hey, speaking of saving lives -- Reed and I have been talking about infant CRP now that Chase is ready to start finger foods. I took CPR a LONG time ago -- say, high school when I was becoming a lifeguard. How important is it or can I just ask the ped to show me a few pointers?
ReplyDeleteThanks J0 - and I'm glad you are still reading. The road is long and the comments in general are getting few and far between!
ReplyDeleteAs for CPR (you put CRP in your message which I chuckled about since it reads crap) I think it is a good idea. I believe that they have simplified it immensely. The finger food step is a big one. And choking is not uncommon. I'm all for the general public being educated and life saving!
Thanks Amy, yes, every time I ahve taken this in the last few years there has been a change or 2 at least!!! I guess, I too can go through my manuals and toss them! It's always a good feeling to get rid of one more thing!!!
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