The new 2020 Guidelines - What to Expect?

2020 Guidelines are rolling out!!

If you are getting certified in basic CPR or BLS Basic Life Support for Healthcare providers, then you are in for a treat. The new 2020 Guidelines are finally rolling out. We are going to touch on a few of those changes here.

If you are constantly updating CPR certifications, you are going to see a change in the materials.

American Heart Association has already rolled out the BLS healthcare provider 2020 guideline materials and will be rolling out the lay responder HeartSaver materials in March 2021. The American Red Cross is a little further behind with rolling out some materials like the BLS now but the new guidelines for lay responder CPR will not hit shelves until later in 2021. I believe the last word received it would be fall of 2021 before the lay responder materials would be released.

What are you going to see as far as changes??? More people take the lay responder class than any other so lets focus on this.

**Latex free gloves should be utilized in all classes going forward. There are a growing number of people who are allergic to latex and materials and equipment should be outfitted with latex free.

** Stroke recognition by lay responders  - Red Cross Guidelines “ Lay responders should use the signs of facial weakness, arm weakness or grip weakness on one side of the body, or speech disturbance to recognize the signs of a possible stroke and call 9-1-1 or the designated emergency number as quickly as possible if any one of these signs are present”. Also, if trained to do so for prehospital care, take a blood glucose reading. For lay responders, supplemental oxygen should not be routinely used.

** Red Cross Guidelines for Chest Pain “While waiting for emergency services to arrive, lay responders should encourage alert adults experiencing nontraumatic chest pain to chew and swallow aspirin, unless that person has a known aspirin allergy or has been advised by a healthcare professional not to take aspirin.”

**The American Heart Association states that “we recommend that layperson initiate CPR for presumed cardiac arrest because the risk of harm to the patient is low if the patient is not in cardiac arrest.” The reasoning is that “new evidence shows that the risk of harm to a victim who receives chest compressions when not in cardiac arrest is low. Lay rescuers are not able to determine with accuracy whether a victim has a pulse, and the risk of withholding CPR from a pulseless victim exceeds the harm from unneeded chest compressions.”

With these minor introductory changes there are so many more with the science behind why we do the things we do. Many people who take CPR training each year often times bring up “why” with the new guidelines rolling out all instructors should have the information on “why”.  Don’t be afraid to ask questions to any instructor. They should have the science at their fingertips.

Stay tuned for other updated changes.  #beprepared

Barbara Jackson

Barbara Jackson worked through college as a non-traditional student earning her Master of Science degree in health science focusing in health education. Barbara then went on to set for her national credential exam in 2011 earning her CHES (Certified Health Education Specialist) credential as well as being a Licensed Training Provider. Barbara has found her calling as a teacher and began working as a volunteer with the American Red Cross and became a CPR instructor for the Red Cross in 2007, since this time she has earned her teaching credential for American Heart Association and National Safety Council. Barbara is also an adjunct instructor for Arkansas Tech University teaching Responding to Emergencies: Comprehensive First Aid/CPR courses.

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2020 Guidelines are rolling out!!

If you are getting certified in basic CPR or BLS Basic Life Support for Healthcare providers, then you are in for a treat. The new 2020 Guidelines are finally rolling out. We are going to touch on a few of those changes here.

If you are constantly updating CPR certifications, you are going to see a change in the materials.

American Heart Association has already rolled out the BLS healthcare provider 2020 guideline materials and will be rolling out the lay responder HeartSaver materials in March 2021. The American Red Cross is a little further behind with rolling out some materials like the BLS now but the new guidelines for lay responder CPR will not hit shelves until later in 2021. I believe the last word received it would be fall of 2021 before the lay responder materials would be released.

What are you going to see as far as changes??? More people take the lay responder class than any other so lets focus on this.

**Latex free gloves should be utilized in all classes going forward. There are a growing number of people who are allergic to latex and materials and equipment should be outfitted with latex free.

** Stroke recognition by lay responders  - Red Cross Guidelines “ Lay responders should use the signs of facial weakness, arm weakness or grip weakness on one side of the body, or speech disturbance to recognize the signs of a possible stroke and call 9-1-1 or the designated emergency number as quickly as possible if any one of these signs are present”. Also, if trained to do so for prehospital care, take a blood glucose reading. For lay responders, supplemental oxygen should not be routinely used.

** Red Cross Guidelines for Chest Pain “While waiting for emergency services to arrive, lay responders should encourage alert adults experiencing nontraumatic chest pain to chew and swallow aspirin, unless that person has a known aspirin allergy or has been advised by a healthcare professional not to take aspirin.”

**The American Heart Association states that “we recommend that layperson initiate CPR for presumed cardiac arrest because the risk of harm to the patient is low if the patient is not in cardiac arrest.” The reasoning is that “new evidence shows that the risk of harm to a victim who receives chest compressions when not in cardiac arrest is low. Lay rescuers are not able to determine with accuracy whether a victim has a pulse, and the risk of withholding CPR from a pulseless victim exceeds the harm from unneeded chest compressions.”

With these minor introductory changes there are so many more with the science behind why we do the things we do. Many people who take CPR training each year often times bring up “why” with the new guidelines rolling out all instructors should have the information on “why”.  Don’t be afraid to ask questions to any instructor. They should have the science at their fingertips.

Stay tuned for other updated changes.  #beprepared

Vlad Magdalin

Passionate reader | People person | The one behind All dad jokes