Abstract
Due to the increase of accidents, incidences, and unexpected emergencies, knowledge of first aid, CPR, and AED skills is critical. It can make the difference between life and death and between complete recovery and permanent disability. Although numerous agencies such as the American Red Cross, American Safety and Health and Institute (ASHI), American Heart Association (AHA), and other organizations have trained millions of individuals in first aid, CPR, and AED, there is still a need to train more people especially the college age population. This chapter examines the need and impact of teaching first aid, CPR, and AED through blended learning in a college or university setting. Benefits of blended and online courses as well as strategies for setting up and teaching a blended learning course are provided.
TopBackground
According to Celik (2011), knowledge of first aid is important for every individual at every age. First Aid is the initial assistance given at the site of the accident before the arrival of an ambulance or professional medical team member (Celik, 2011). According to the Canadian Center for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) (2012), first aid is inclusive of the assessments and interventions that can be performed by a bystander, or the person injured, with the use of little to no medical equipment. First aid and its procedures and techniques (bandaging, resuscitation) are continually revised due to new and developing knowledge and relevant technological advances (Celik, 2011). Recent statistics indicate that driving-related accidents among young people are among the top ten causes of death worldwide, and the number of sudden illnesses due to accidents continues to increase (Celik, 2011). Accidents and injuries are very common among children and can often lead to negative life-changing consequences or, in extreme cases, death. According to the American Red Cross and the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) Organizations (2010), drowning is the leading cause of accidental death for children ages 1-4, 88% of cardiac arrest emergencies occur at home, only 6.4% of Cardiac Arrest Victims survive because people witnessing the incident do not know how to perform basic CPR skills, and over 200,000 people die of sudden cardiac arrest every year, and 50,000 of the 200,000 deaths yearly could be prevented if more people were trained in First Aid, CPR and AED.
Key Terms in this Chapter
AHSI: The American Health and Safety Institute.
Automated External Defibrillator (AED): A portable electronic device that analyzes the heart’s electrical rhythm and, if necessary, can deliver an electric shock to a person in cardiac arrest.
Emergency: A situation requiring immediate action.
Barriers to Act: Reasons that individuals give for their failure, fear, or hesitation to act in an emergency.
OSHA: Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Blended Learning: Integrate online with traditional face-to-face class activities in a planned, pedagogically valuable manner.
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR): A technique that combines chest compressions and rescue breaths to circulate blood containing oxygen to the brain and other vital organs for a person whose heart and breathing have stopped.
Check-Call-Care: Check the scene, call the local emergency number, and care for the conditions of the injured until emergency help arrive.
Emergency Medical Services (EMS) System: This consists of a chain of several medical links which are all depended on each other. Each link depends on the previous link for success because a victim moves through each link in a step starting with the actions of a responsible citizen responder and ends with the link where the victim is provided with rehabilitative or other care to restore their health.
ABC: Steps for checking a victim that include airway, breathing, and circulation.
Breathing Emergency: An emergency in which breathing is impaired; can become life threatening; also called a respiratory emergency.
First Aid: Initial care provided for an acute illness, sudden illness, or injury to preserve life, sustain life, prevent further illness or injury until more advanced care can be obtained or when advanced care procedures are not readily available.
Emergency Action Steps: Three basic steps one should take in any emergency.