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IMPLEMENTING A CLASS OF BASIC FIRST AID/CPR CERTIFICATION FOR NEW PARENTS AT BUTLER MEMORIAL HOSPITAL

Prepared for: Family Services S !ervis"r B #ler$ Pa %&''%

Prepared by: C(ris#i Re##i) T(e Pe**sylva*ia S#a#e U*iversi#y May +$ ,''-

Dear Ms. West:

Enclosed is the analytical report you requested. The report, titled Implementing a class of Basic irst !id"#$% #ertification for &e' $arents at Butler Memorial (ospital,) includes a *rief description of the pro*lem, the research I completed, criteria used to e+aluate the hospital,s potential solutions, and a final recommendation that aims to *est ser+e your hospital as 'ell as ne' parents. I *elie+e you 'ill find the conclusions of this report to *e helpful in ma-ing your final decision regarding the implementation of this much needed class.

The main o*.ecti+es in esta*lishing this course for ne' parents include Informing on current #$%/related statistics Instructing of *asic first aid procedures 0*taining #$% #ertification

While conducting my research, I referenced .ournal articles relating to the importance of -no'ing #$%. I studied se+eral cases 'here the lac- of -no'ledge in #$% cost many li+es of children and adults. !dditionally, I researched BM(,s current programs designed to help ne' families and funding options if the class is accepted. I hope you find this report helpful for future decisions BM( ma-es 'hen considering classes for ne' parents.

1incerely,

#hristi %ettig

cc: 2en Defurio, 3ice $resident and #E0, Butler (ealth 1ystem

4 TABLE OF CONTENTS

E.ECUTI/E SUMMAR0

I/

INTRODUCTION Pr"2lem P r!"se a*3 Limi#a#i"*s

1 1 1

RESEARCH PLAN AND METHODOLOG0 Gra!(s

CPR STATISTICS

%'

CPR5RELATED DEATHS/ IN6URIES

%%

CONCLUSION

%7

WOR8S CITED

%+

5 INTRODUCTION

Pr"2lem !t this time, Butler Memorial (ospital offers ne' parents se+eral classes to ta-e in preparing for their ne' arri+al. There are optional 4ama5e, $arenting, and Breastfeeding classes designed to assist *oth parents *efore, after, and during pregnancy. (o'e+er, there is not a class strictly designated in the teaching of *asic first aid and cardio/pulmonary necessitation6 a crucial *it of -no'ledge that e+eryone, especially ne' parents, should -no'.

Without a class specifically intended for informing ne' parents on ho' to sa+e their ne'*orn from such things as cho-ing, it increases the ris- of the *a*y not sur+i+ing. This pro*lem can simply *e a+oided *y administering a Basic irst aid"#$% #ertification class that 'ill aid parents in ma-ing the right life/changing decision if such a possi*ility 'ere to e+er arise.

P r!"se a*3 Limi#a#i"*s The purpose of this report is to analy5e 'ays in 'hich BM( can impro+e the allotment of ne' parent informational aids and o+erall, reduce the ris- of improperly administered #$% or first aid. My report 'ill in+estigate possi*ilities

6 of such a class *ased on statistical e+idence, and 'ill also gi+e BM( se+eral 'ays in 'hich to fund it. !lthough it cannot *e made mandatory requirement for all ne' mothers and their hus*ands"significant others to *ecome #$% certified and trained in *asic first aid *efore their discharge from the hospital as they do 'ith the um*ilical cord cleaning"remo+al and nursing, the encouragement to ta-e a class that could help sa+e their child,s life 'ould *e a tremendous step in the right direction.

7 RESEARCH PLAN AND METHODOLOG0 !s you are a'are, BM(,s 4ama5e classes are di+ided into a couple of months, 'hereas the $arenting class is *oth initiated and concluded in a *rief three hours. !s I,m sure you can agree, more parents 'ould acti+ely participate if BM( could put together a #$% certification"Basic irst !id Training in one night. 0r, another possi*ility: to offer it *efore discharge from the hospital. The #$% #ertification"Basic irst !id Training #lass, if held in a one three hour e+ening, should co+er first, the certifications of cardio/pulmonary resuscitation *y a #$% certified instructor. 1econdly, the class 'ould co+er the *asics of first aid. Then, lastly, a discussion group for all of the parents to ha+e time to tal- one/on/one 'ith the instructor so they feel confident enough in -no'ing 'hat they,+e learned and that they,+e learned it correctly.

The ne7t su*.ect is funding. I -no' that the classes BM( offers are organi5ed and run *y you and your staff mem*ers through a non/profit organi5ation. I am also a'are of that the donations you accept, along 'ith indi+idual class fees, help to assem*le all of the class essentials. The only difference the #$% #ertification"Basic irst !id Training 'ould ha+e is the cost for the certification6 'hich for me at the Butler %ed #ross irst !id and #$% is 89:. !nother possi*ility is to ha+e corporate sponsorship from top *a*y companies such as $ampers, ;'ho I -no' BM( uses in the &eonatal #are <nit= >er*er, or e+en ?ohnson,s. I thin- the corporate sponsorship route 'ould *e +ery *eneficial to *oth the hospital and the company. &ot only 'ould BM( get the #$%

8 #ertification"Basic irst !id Training #lass paid for *ut the company sponsor 'ould get great recognition as 'ell6 especially from the parents attending the class. The cost of the certifier or trainer) 'ould also ha+e to *e put into consideration. 1ome possi*ilities are to ha+e one of BM(,s +ery o'n #$% certified and first aid -no'ledgea*le staff mem*ers teach. This could *e a nurse,s assistant, nurse, or e+en an EMT. !s for student costs, it 'ould depend entirely on ho' much the teacher 'ould cost. (o'e+er, if the corporate sponsorship 'as accepted, then the class fee could *e donated to BM(,s !u7iliary organi5ation.

The a*o+e graphs sho' the percentage of sur+i+al for four circumstances6 &o Treatment, #$% Initiated, >i+en Defi*rillation, and >i+en !#41 ;!d+anced #ardio+ascular 4ife 1upport=. The data concludes that the +ictim,s chance of sur+i+al 'hen not administered #$% increasingly drops e+ery minute until e+entual death. The longer a +ictim goes 'ith no o7ygen to the *rain, the more *rain damage 'ill occur e+en if they are resuscitated. The graphs are one more reason that pro+es the importance of learning #$%. !nyone can *e a *ystander, at any gi+en time.

10 CPR STATISTICS I,m sure you,re 'ell a'are of ho' con+enient and helpful the staff of BM( is to a ne' mother,s needs in learning to properly care for her ne'*orn. I thin- that *ecause o*taining a #$% certification cannot *e made a mandatory requirement upon discharge from the hospital, that ne' parents should at least *e taught the real facts and statistics a*out ho' learning #$% can change a person,s life6 and not .ust on infants *ut adults as 'ell. They should -no' that an emergency 'ith an infant such as their o'n ;aged @/A= is more li-ely to in+ol+e a *reathing pro*lem, and that se+enty/fi+e percent of all out/of/hospital cardiac arrests occur in the home. They should also *e made a'are that effecti+e *ystander #$%, pro+ided immediately after cardiac arrest, can dou*le a +ictim,s chance of sur+i+al, and #$% may *e necessary for children during many different emergencies, including accidents such as near/dro'ning, suffocation, poisoning, smo-e inhalation, electrocution in.uries, and suspected sudden infant death syndrome ;1ID1=. Most importantly, they should *e told that a*out 9:@,@@@ deaths occur 'ithin the first hour of the onset of symptoms, and 'ithout o7ygen, permanent *rain damage or death can occur in less than eight minutes. ;1tatistics from redcross.org= If parents don,t -no' ho' to properly administer #$%, chances of them sa+ing their *a*y are slim.

11 CPR5RELATED DEATHS/ IN6URIES E+ery parent should -no' ho' and 'hen to administer #$%. When performed correctly, #$% can sa+e a person,s life *y restoring *reathing and circulation until ad+anced life support can *e gi+en *y medical care pro+iders. This proposed course should not only teach ne' parents #$% and *asic first aid, *ut also inform them of the importance of it *ased upon current e+ents in+ol+ing #$%. ?ust recently, it 'as pu*lished in the !tlanta ?ournal of a 'oman,s .ourney across !tlanta, >eorgia spreading the importance of #$% to people across the country after her se+en year old son,s death. The sad part a*out this story is that the little *oy 'as only playing *ase*all in his front yard 'hen suddenly he got hit in the chest and collapsed. !lthough the paramedics arri+ed .ust si7 minutes after the *oy,s fall, they still couldn,t get his heart going. This heart*ro-en mother has *een offering free classes in #$% and teaching people ho' to use an automated e7ternal defi*rillator, a de+ice that could ha+e sa+ed her son,s life. ;!tlanta ?ournal= This goes to sho' that #$% isn,t only used for cardiac arrests. It can happen to anyone, any'here, anytime. !nother story, on the positi+e side, in+ol+ed a ?ohn . 2ennedy (igh 1chool student 'ho sa+ed his father,s life. ?ustin ?ac-son 'as a*le to administer #$% to his father, 'ho 'ent into cardiac arrest .ust a fe' 'ee-s after ?ustin participated in a #$% class at school. ;#all B $ost #le+eland, 0hio= E+ents such as these are happening e+ery'here, and unfortunately not all of them end up 'ith a sa+ed life as it did for the ?ac-son amily. !nother e+ent 'as that of a mother needing CDD assistance 'ith her lifeless ne'*orn. The mother, 'ho did not -no' #$%, frantically called CDD after

12 her t'el+e/day old *a*y stopped *reathing, turned purple, and started foaming at the mouth. The CDD dispatcher told the mother ho' to properly administer #$%, and after t'o attempts, the *a*y 'as re+i+ed. ;Boston >lo*e= This is yet another e7ample of 'hy it is important for ne' parents to learn #$% and 'hy BM( should offer this class. &ot only this, *ut parents should also -no' *asic first aid including6 ho' to control *leeding 'ith pressure, the (eimlich maneu+er, ho' to properly flush *urns, ho' to respond appropriately to poisoning, and ho' to recogni5e a serious head in.ury such as a concussion or sei5ure.

13 CONCLUSION The sad thing is not e+ery parent is #$% certified or -no'ledgea*le of *asic first aid. This matter really does not cross the ma.ority of parent,s minds, especially during their hospital stay after they,+e gone through e7cruciating la*or. !fter all that hard 'or-, all parents 'ant to do is rela7 and spend quality time 'ith their precious *a*y. It,s understanda*le that this is one of the greatest moments in a parent,s life, and their top priority is their ne' addition. But the truth of the matter is ne' parents are constantly 'orrying a*out the most unimportant details 'ith their *a*y such as 'hy is my *a*y so *aldE 1hould he ha+e a pacifierE 1hould 'e s'addle herE 1hould 'e ma-e e+eryone 'ho +isits ta-e off their shoes, and 'ash their handsE We all do it. But 'hat ne' parents 1(0<4D *e concerned a*out is the fact that they ha+e a ne'*orn and not the slightest *it of -no'ledge a*out #$% or *asic first aid. 4et me reassure you that there are appro7imately 9FF *a*ies *orn per minute, G.G per second, and t'ice as many parents that need to learn ho' to properly ta-e care of them if a critical situation 'ere to e+er arise. It is a necessity that e+eryone -no's and understands #$% and *asic first aid, especially ne' parents. Becoming #$% certified and first aid a'are gi+es the a*ility to assist in sa+ing someone,s life until medical pro+iders arri+e. I -no' BM( has al'ays *een +ery loyal to the Butler community. 1o, I,m as-ing you, as a concerned resident, and mother, please ta-e my proposal into consideration. Because the truth of the matter is, you ne+er -no' 'hen you may need to sa+e a little one,s life.

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Wor-s #ited

Hideman, D.!. ;DCCG=. Guidelines for Pediatric Life Support, British Medical Journal, Vol. 308 Iss. 6 !0, p".#3! Tomlin, !. ;DCCI=. $ parent%s "uide to &edical e&er"encies' (irst aid for )our child, Li*rar) Journal, Vol. #++ Iss. #+, p". #,, 2napp, ?. ;9@@G=. -ole of Pediatricians in $dvocating Life Support Training Courses for Parents and the Public, Pediatrics, Vol. 114 ss.!, pg.1!"! 1tand/alone document, no author identified, no date: %etrie+ed &o+em*er DD, 9@@:, from http:""'''.redcross.org #handler, B. ;9@@:=. Mo& &a.es defi*rillators a cause after son%s death, she spreads /ord on need, use and 0P-, 1he $tlanta Journal2 0onstitution , pg. ? .D !nonymous. ;9@@9=. 3i"h school student sa4es father /ithin /ee.s of learnin" 0P-. 0all 5 Post 6e/spaper. 0le4eland, 7hio, pg. #G Busac-, M. ;9@@:=. $ telephone helper tells of ##%s aid to an infant dispatcher8 sa)s e9plained 0P-, Boston Glo*e, pg. B.G Theodorou, !., >uiterre5, ?., Berg, %. ;9@@J=. (ire attri*uta*le to a defi*rillation atte&pt in a neonate, Pediatrics 3ealth Module, Vol. ##+, Iss.3, $art D. pg. FII