CHS36 Provide basic life support

Overview

This standard covers preparing for and providing basic life support. Note that this standard does not include the use of automated external defibrillators. Users of this standard will need to ensure that practice reflects up to date information and policies. Version No 1

Knowledge and Understanding

You will need to know and understand:

1. The anatomy of the respiratory system
2. The priorities in life support (ABC)
3. The time frame within which assessment of individual needs should be carried out and the life support response initiated in order to maximise an individual’s chance of survival
4. The information which may need to be recorded following the application of basic life support
5. The clinical signs of airway obstruction
6. What to do in the event of foreign body obstruction of an individual’s airway
7. The differences in techniques needed for ensuring an open airway on different types of individual
8. The factors to be taken into account in determining the technique that will lead to the best possible outcome for the individual
9. Why the head tilt techniques should not be used where neck or spinal injury is suspected
10. The different techniques used to ventilate an individual and when each should be used
11. The ventilation ratio and rate for different types of individual and conditions
12. The importance to outcome of the positioning of the individual and the person applying basic life support, including the specific positioning needs of pregnant women in the third trimester
13. The observations to be carried out to identify adequate oxygenation in different types of individual
14. The rate and depth of compressions needed for different types of individual
15. The compression to ventilation ratio in different types of individual
16. The procedure to establish the correct hand/finger placement for applying external chest compression
17. The differences between certification and diagnosis of death in accordance with best practice, and who is authorised to carry out these activities
18. Personal safety as well as general health and safety, and the range of situations and responses
19. Why a firm base is needed for chest compressions, and what action to take when one is not available
20. The different methods of chest thrusts and back slaps to use in the cases of children/young people and adults
21. The compression to ventilation ratio in one and two person Basic Life Support
22. The current European and National legislation, national guidelines, organisational policies and protocols in accordance with Clinical/Corporate Governance which affect your work practice in relation to providing basic life support
23. Your responsibilities and accountability in relation to the current European and National legislation, national guidelines and local policies and protocols and Clinical/Corporate Governance
24. The duty to report any acts or omissions in care that could be detrimental to yourself, other individuals or your employer
25. The ethics concerning consent and confidentiality, and the tensions which may exist between an individual’s rights and the organisation’s responsibility to individuals
26. The importance of gaining assent from individuals who lack capacity to consent

Performance Criteria

You must be able to do the following:

1. accurately and promptly confirm that the individual’s circulation and breathing has stopped and establish the need for basic life support
2. ensure your actions comply at all times with:
   1. established protocols and guidelines
   2. evidence based best practice
   3. your own scope of practice
   4. health and safety and standard precautions for infection prevention and control
   5. legislation
3. seek additional specialist support at the earliest opportunity
4. check and confirm that the individual is not breathing unaided and that resuscitation is not contraindicated
5. use relevant, safe techniques for clearing and opening the individual’s airway where appropriate
6. position the individual and yourself appropriately to apply external chest compression and/or ventilation safely and effectively taking account of:
   1. the individual’s condition
   2. the need for a sufficiently firm base to facilitate external chest compression
   3. the potential need to maintain compressions and ventilation for a prolonged period
7. use the appropriate ratio when alternating compressions with ventilation and comply with the correct rates and depths of each, ensuring compression is applied on the correct site of the individual’s chest
8. monitor and evaluate the individual’s respiratory function and the effectiveness of compressions and ventilation, responding promptly and appropriately to achieve the best possible outcome for the individual
9. cease the application of any techniques when the individual regains airway and circulation control and place the individual in an appropriate position to enable continued care according to condition
10. continue ventilation and compressions until:
    1. the individual shows clear signs of unaided circulation and adequate spontaneous breathing is established
    2. the individual is handed over to the care of others
    3. you become exhausted
    4. death is confirmed by an authorised practitioner
11. accurately and clearly report the actions you have taken, and the duration, when handing over to a specialist
12. reinstate equipment and materials to working status after use

Additional Information

This National Occupational Standard was developed by Skills for Health. This standard links with the following dimension within the NHS Knowledge and Skills Framework (October 2004): Dimension: HWB7 Interventions and treatments This standard has replaced Diab_HD5