How To Prevent Needlestick Injuries in Health Care Settings
Needlestick injuries are preventable yet dangerous hazards in the medical field. A needlestick injury occurs when someone’s skin is punctured by a contaminated needle or sharp. Medical professionals face a higher risk of needlestick injuries as they might encounter used needles on the job. To prevent the risk of needlestick injuries, it’s important for healthcare […]
Saving Lives One Class at a Time: How to Become a CPR Instructor
Cardiac emergencies are an unfortunate reality: each year in the United States, over 356,000 individuals experience an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Chances are, you know someone who has or will experience a cardiac emergency. In these situations, CPR is the difference between life and death. The more people who know CPR, the more likely that victims […]
De-escalation Techniques: Tips for Managing Assaultive Behavior
When you are dealing with a patient who is hurt and scared, situations can intensify quickly. Knowing de-escalation techniques to maintain control and restore calm keeps everyone involved safe and ensures the patient receives necessary treatment as quickly as possible. Preparation and training is essential for effective management of assaultive behavior (MAB). It requires knowing […]
American Red Cross BLS vs. American Heart Association BLS
As a healthcare provider, getting Basic Life Support (BLS) certification is essential. BLS courses will give you invaluable knowledge from CPR to choking treatment. If you’ve looked into BLS certifications, you may have noticed there are two main programs: American Heart Association (AHA) Basic Life Support and American Red Cross (ARC) Basic Life Support. In […]
Types of Bleeding and How to Treat Them
Whether you’re a medical professional or a bystander, it’s important to know what to do in the event of major blood loss. Accidents happen and rapid treatment is key. If you’re equipped with knowledge of first aid and an understanding of the different types of bleeding, you’ll be better poised to intervene and help save […]
How To Safely Carry Someone Out of An Emergency Situation
If a fire starts or another emergency occurs in a hospital, patients and employees alike may need to relocate or evacuate. But what if a patient is unconscious, injured, or otherwise unable to move? If so, you might employ rescue drag and carry techniques. Why are patient carry techniques important? It’s more difficult than you […]
How to renew American Heart Association BLS certification
Has it been a while since you’ve taken a BLS certification class? It might be time to register for a renewal course! Renewing American Heart Association BLS certification is an important part of your development as a medical professional. Not only is it a great opportunity to brush up on your skills, it’s more than […]
California Wildfire Home Safety Checklist
How Common Are California Wildfires? At least 3,574 wildfires occurred in California in 2022, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE). These fires burned approximately 17,326 acres of land. What to Do Before a California Wildfire Separate your home from flammable materials. Create at least 30 feet of space […]
Essential Car First Aid Kit: 6 Items to Keep in Your Car’s First Aid Kit
Unfortunately, car accidents can happen anytime, anywhere. Having a car first aid kit is a good way to be prepared in case of an emergency on the road. 6 Items to Keep in Your Car’s First Aid Kit When assembling your car emergency supplies, it’s important to consider exactly what to put in a first […]
Do We Still Do Mouth to Mouth When Administering CPR
With the Covid-19 pandemic and an era of social distancing, it can be difficult to know what to do in a medical emergency situation. Whether we’re first responders or simply bystanders hoping to help, we want to help others while also minimizing the spread of illness. One common point of confusion is whether mouth-to-mouth is […]
What Are The Most Common Bloodborne Pathogens?
In any situation involving potential contact with another person’s blood or bodily fluids, exercising caution is paramount. This is because of the inherent risk posed by bloodborne pathogens, which are microorganisms capable of transmitting bloodborne diseases such as HIV and HBV. In this article, we will delve into what are the most common bloodborne pathogens […]
Protecting Yourself When Handling Contaminated Sharps and Needles Factsheet
Needles and other contaminated sharps can spread bloodborne pathogens such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV). If you handle contaminated sharps or needles at the workplace as a healthcare provider, it’s important to understand sharps precautions. Following protocol for safety with sharp objects will help reduce your […]
The Ultimate BLS Cheatsheet (+ Infographics)
When you’re preparing for the BLS certification exam, there are a lot of steps, numbers, and terms that you’ll need to keep track of. This handy BLS summary sheet can help you memorize everything and pass your exam with ease. *This guide is based on the American Heart Association 2020 guidelines. Always check to make […]
How To Use An AED in 7 Steps
In the event of a cardiac emergency, timing is everything. Intervening with an automated external defibrillator (AED) can save a victim’s life after cardiac arrest, but it is imperative that you act quickly. You don’t want to waste time trying to figure out how to operate the device––so it’s important to know what to do […]
PALS Reference Card: What Is It And How To Get One
Responding to emergency pediatric cases is, for many, one of the most difficult aspects of being a healthcare professional. Treating young patients can be challenging mentally and emotionally. As such, it’s important to have a strong understanding of pediatric life support skills so that you can act quickly and effectively in the face of these […]