It’s Not Just the Tools—It’s Trust and Understanding

This is the second Blog related to the posting of THE BIG MISTAKE – Blog where the main driver was that all the experts made a Big Mistake thinking that Automated External Defibrillators (AED) were so easy to use compared to manual defibrillators that the public would start using them if an AED was easily accessible. Well, that was a major error, while thousands and thousands of AEDs have been purchased and placed in public buildings and businesses, not only are lay-rescuers not using AEDs they are rarely even starting CPR before First Responders arrive.

The Real Barrier: Fear, Not Equipment

So, what is the problem? Bystanders of afraid!  They don’t want to do the wrong thing or cause further injury or get in trouble or sued. They need to fully understand the our Good Samaritan Law protects bystanders from legal action.  Everyone bystanders, First Responders, and medical healthcare professionals must get permission from the patient to assist them – it is called “Consent”.  If the patient is unconscious it is called “Implied Consent” and the courts awesome that somebody who is sane and injured would want help, so if the patient is unconscious, it is ok to call for help and start treatment as soon as possible.

Why Every Second Counts: CPR Buys Time for the Brain

When the heart stops beating and is no longer making a pulse, blood stops circulating to the brain and the brain will irreversibly and permanently die start to die within five minutes – long before 9-1-1 Emergency Services arrive. CPR or even more simply Chest Compressions will artificially squeeze the chest and the heart and cause  blood to circulate to the brain.  On TV drama’s it often shows CPR waking up the patient and saving their life – this is not true.  CPR chest compressions will simply keep blood circulating, and it will help keep the brain alive, but the patient will not wake up. It should give you confidence to by doing chest compressions you are keeping the brain alive until the patient can be defibrillated to restart their heart.  If CPR is not performed, even if the patient is “Shocked” with the AED, they will not survive because the brain is dead.

Not All Organs Are Equal: The Brain Dies First

One of the realities is that people need to understand is that different tissues and organs die at different lengths of time.

  • Skin and muscle: up to 1 hour
  • Vital organs like the liver and kidneys: maybe 20 minutes
  • The brain: begins dying in just 5 minutes

That’s why CPR must begin immediately — to keep oxygenated blood circulating to the brain.

From Bystander to Lifesaver: Take Action, Even if It’s Scary

The focus is on the public – the bystander to Become a willing bystander™ and even though the situation is very emotional and upsetting they still need to start compressions.

Do It Hard, Do It Fast: How to Perform Effective Compressions

People often worry about how hard to push during CPR. The answer is: hard.

  • Compress fast: around 120 beats per minute(2 compressions per second)
  • Compress deep: don’t be afraid to push down firmly — shallow compressions don’t help.

Don't Let Fear of Injury Stop You

People are afraid of breaking ribs – what if I break a rib or something. In reality the ligaments that attach the ribs to the sternum can tear and you might feel or hear the clicking sound of the end of the rib brushing against the side of the sternum. The patient is already in cardiac arrest — you can’t make it worse. If you don’t do CPR, the patient will die. Broken ribs are survivable. Cardiac arrest is not — without action. What about the 30 compressions and 2 breaths? Since 2010, the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada has said:

“If you are unable or unwilling to do mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, then don’t — just do compressions.”

This is called  Hands-Only CPR, and it’s  highly effective. The body already contains about ten minutes of oxygen in the blood, and chest compressions will circulate it. Your Hands Are the Pump. When you press down during CPR, you eject blood from the heart. When you release, the heart refills. This cycle:

Eject Blood → Refill with blood → Eject blood → Refill with blood

...is exactly what keeps the brain alive. Even the lungs get some passive air exchange through this movement. You are artificially pumping the heart  — and helping the patient survive. The goal now is to help people become WILLING Bystanders and start CPR without hesitation. You spend most of your time with family, friends, coworkers, neighbours — people you care about. If someone collapses, chances are it’s someone you know

Final Word: Don’t Be Afraid to Help

Don’t be afraid to Become a Willing Bystander™. You could be the one to keep someone’s brain alive until help arrives. Please watch this short How CPR Actually Works (and Why IT Saves Lives)