Procedures Basic Life Support (BLS)

Sumber: A-MED Ambulance Service (n.d.)

If a victim is found in a situation with an early assessment there is a disturbance in the airway obstruction, there is no breath and or no pulse, then the helper must immediately take action called the Basic Life Support (BLS). Basic life support consists of a number of simple ways that can help maintain one's life temporarily. Some of these simple ways are how to master and free the airway, how to provide breathing assistance and how to help drain blood to an important place in the victim's body, so that the supply of oxygen to the brain is maintained to prevent the death of brain cells. Assessment and treatment carried out on basic life assistance is very important to continue further exposure. This must be done carefully and continuously including the response of victims in the relief process. If this action is carried out as a complete entity, this action is known as Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation. 

Indication: 

1. Apnea 

Signs of apnea:

- There is no chest wall movement

- There is no respiratory air flow

2. Cardiac Arrest 

Signs of cardiac arrest:

- There is no pulse

- There is no breath 

Procedures: 

1. Make sure it's safe from danger 

- Self Safe

- Safe Victim

- Safe Environment

2. Check response or awareness 

- Call the victim*                           

- Pat the victim's shoulder*

* ➞ Done together

- Stimulation of pain: press the tip of the fingernail, rubbing the chest

3. If the victim has no response or is unconscious, immediately ask for help (Call For Help) 

Activate Emergency Management System (EMS): shout for help and ask to contact the Hospital Code Blue Team (if you are in a hospital environment).

4. Check the carotid pulse as well as check for breathing 

- Carotid and respiratory pulse examination time is less than 10 seconds.

- Respiratory checks include:

✓ Look ➞ there is or not a chest wall movement.

✓ Listen ➞ there are or not breath sounds.

✓ Feel ➞ there is or not a breath.

5. If the carotid pulse is not palpable and there is no spontaneous breathing, do Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation with a ratio of 30 for compression, 2 for ventilation as much as 5 cycles with a depth of 2 inches (5 cm), speed of 100 to 120 times for a minute. Do not forget to do ventilation should not use mouth to mouth directly, must use an intermediary for example using a barrier device.

6. Evaluation 

- Carotid pulse check and respiratory check for less than 10 seconds, if the carotid pulse is not palpable and there is no spontaneous breathing ➞ repeat Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation with a ratio of 30 for compression, 2 for 5 cycles of ventilation.

- If the carotid pulse is palpable but the breath is absent or not spontaneous, help ventilate every 5 to 6 seconds for 2 minutes (10 to 12 times for a minute).

- Re-evaluation, carotid pulse check and breathing check for less than 10 seconds: If the carotid pulse has been palpable and breathing is spontaneous → do observations ➞ No.7 

7. Do observations

- Check the carotid pulse ➞ palpable pulse*

- Respiratory check ➞ spontaneous breathing*

* ➞ (Recovery Position) 

Make an observation until the helper arrives or the blue code team arrives.

From the summary above, it can be concluded that there are seven points in the basic life support procedure, namely make sure it's safe from danger, check response or awareness, call for help, check the carotid pulse as well as check for breathing, Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation, evaluation, and observations. 

REFERENCES: 

A-MED Ambulance Service. (n.d.). Training. Retrieved May 1, 2020, from https://marco-macera-xhl8.squarespace.com/training

American Heart Association (AHA). (2015). 2015 american heart association guidelines update for cardiopulmonary resuscitation and emergency cardiovascular care. Circulation, 132(18).

Pro Emergency. (2014). Basic cardiovascular life support (bcls). Jakarta: Pro Emergency.