March 31, 2006
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CPR
Pretend you are the first person to arrive at an accident. Pretend you know how to perform CPR. Pretend that as you walked up, you see the person lying on the side of the street. The man has been thrown from the car. He is severely injured and he is bleeding badly. He is also bleeding out of the mouth. You know he needs CPR.
Would you perform CPR to help save his life?
Comments (265)
yes
without hesitation
yes.
Yes, in a heartbeat!
I’d give a tentative yes to that one. But can one really say in the moment of panic? It would be the right thing I believe.
Yes.
top 10
Yes. Absolutely. (And I am certified in CPR. Just a tidbit of information.)
Yes
of course
thats pretty much a no-brainer…YES
Absolutely!
yes, I would…
(Might want to pop one of those 650$ a month preventative AIDS pills first though – did anyone else read about those on MSNBC wednesday?)
Hi Dan,
I surprise myself…Yes.
Candy
No! *cringes* I’ve been in that very situation, Dan…..well it was a motorcycle not a car, and it was on my lawn, and there was blood coming from his mouth……he had a pulse (that i checked and it was there) and no….I didn’t….couldn’t perform CPR. I just began shaking and panicking…….and couldn’t physically/mentally help. I lost it…..and performing CPR didn’t even come to my mind at the time. *cries* I thought blood from the mouth meant internal injuries??? Could CPR sustain the life of someone spewing blood from their mouth?
WOOT!!! Kelly is the first comment on your site!!! ^^^^^^
I’ve been wondering why there is so much traffic on my site….*giggles* it’s from your ugly feet blogring. To funny!
Absolutely!
But of course.
Yes. You can use the nose instead of the mouth.
Everybody is saying yes…..now I’m feeling like a horrid person. *cringes*
If I knew how, yes.
If I knew how, yes.
No! *cringes* I’ve been in that very situation, Dan…..well it was a motorcycle not a car, and it was on my lawn, and there was blood coming from his mouth……he had a pulse (that i checked and it was there) and no….I didn’t….couldn’t perform CPR. I just began shaking and panicking…….and couldn’t physically/mentally help. I lost it…..and performing CPR didn’t even come to my mind at the time. *cries* I thought blood from the mouth meant internal injuries??? Could CPR sustain the life of someone spewing blood from their mouth?
If they have a pulse, you shouldn’t have performed CPR anyways. CPR is for when they stop breathing and there is no pulse. I would have turned him over on his side though, stuck my finger in his mouth to pull some of the blood out – wouldn’t want them to choke on it or anything. and at the same time, dial 911 and they’ll talk you through anything you need to do and keep you calm
Yes,that is if I didn’t faint first. I faint at the site of blood. Mine and anyone elses
If someone comments and has actually been in the situation and has performed CPR then I’ll feel even worse……but I think it’s easy to just say “Yes!” unless you’ve actually been there.
ilsurvive,
You’re probably right, it is definately easier to say “yes!” until you are in that situation. I guess we all say yes because we would want someone to do that for us if we were the ones in the accident. I haven’t been in this exact situation, but I was with my friend who had a sezuire/hemmorage type of thing just a few weeks after she had an abortion, and I was able to keep my cool then. It was all my guy friends who were freaking out. I barked orders at them, kept her on her side so she didn’t choke on her puke, kept her tounge down with my finger, and kept her as still as possible until the ambulance got there. I think I could handle a bloody mouth.
Oh good….just saw the copy/paste of my comment with their response….CPR wasn’t necessary in my situation then….. he was already on his side…….a retired police officer pulled up at that time (my neighbor), called 911, he was dead by the time the police and ambulances arrived….. the police officer who was there with me for most of the time (retired/neighbor) didn’t attempt CPR either…..just kept checking the guys pulse…..
RYC: Really? What did YOU do???? Will you tell us eventually??? When you post your next entry of the day????
Actually recent studies have shown that assisted breathing is no more effective at saving a person’s life than just chest compressions alone.
Yea, it doesn’t suprise me that the guy died before the ambulance got there… Blood coming out of the mouth is pretty much a sure sign of internal bleeding, and despite your best CPR efforts, if he doesn’t get to the hospital pronto, there is nothing anyone can do to help him, and most often, even the doctors wouldn’t have been able to do anything.
Yes.
Actually recent studies have shown that assisted breathing is no more effective at saving a person’s life than just chest compressions alone.
That’s very true. And actually, they encourage you to do chest compressions more so than breathing for them when you take a CPR class, because you’re not breathing oxygen in their mouths when you do it, and it can, in some cases, have a negative effect – but chest compressions are like man made shock paddles and can be much more helpful at saving a persons life if their heart stops.
Thanks Izly for all your reponses to my comments! *smiles*
Dan RYC: Pffffft! But i want to KNOW!!!!! You MUST tell me!
without a doubt
We pretend alot here.
Yes I would.
Yes of course
I totally agree with ilsurvive. I don’t think anyone would know how they would react in a situation. IF it were my husband or children…YES, I definitely would….otherwise….I just don’t know. I suppose if it were a life and death situation and I was the only one to save a person…..maybe so. Now…..here’s the question…what if the person had AIDS, would these people be so quick to say yes they would?
If he needs it, yes. If he was thrown from a car – don’t move the patient, guys. Don’t move him.
nope. Not even EMT’s are required to do that. They have a device that is used to protect their mouth while giving CPR….they are required to use it every time…blood or no blood. Sound cold? I have a child to raise. Which btw… if I saw a child in need of CPR….no hesitation at all. Children are less likely to have HIV or Hep C.
Yes, I sure enough would!
As to the HIV question, that should be why the combo pill they have out that has been shown in 9 out of 10 monkeys who were then infected with both monkey and human DNA and never got the virus after taking this pill, should not cost 650$ a month.
yes
I want to say yes but I’m afraid in the actual moment, I probably wouldn’t. But I would be on my phone calling 911 and if after a moment I gathered my senses, I’d go to my car and get the plastic grocery bag, put a hole in it, and use that to protect me from his blood….
I don’t think I’d hesitate on the scene, but just reading about it, I honestly hesitated.
Maybe they should sell those things EMTs use so we can all put them in our FirstAid kits in our house and in our car so that if we ever need to help someone by giving them mouth to mouth, we can, with less worry.
RYC: Good example of how unjustified out fears can prove.
If I was trained in CPR, then I would be reserved (scared out of my mind), but I’d do it.
However, if his ribs are broken…it might not help him any. I’d probably also have some type of tube that would offer protection from HIV and other diseases….
…i’m just paranoid like that…..
Of course!
I’m really not sure about the whole breathing thing, tube/plastic bag with a hole in it/emt device thingy or any of that, because you’re not breathing oxygen for them. So, mouth to mouth, I don’t think that helps, and they actually discourage that at CPR class these days.
However, chest compressions, making sure he doesn’t choke on his blood, checking for internal bleeding and seeing if anything’s broken while calling 911, that I would definately do in a heart beat, for anyone. I don’t think I’d be worrying about HIV if a person were dying on my front lawn.
YES
Yes. But actually I don’t know any first aid – I should learn…
I’d love to say YES, but I know I would be super scared. My first reaction would be…isn’t there someone else who knows how to do it?? haha….but I would in the end. It is someone’s life we’re talking about here!
No, simply because I wouldn’t want to move him. I really would not want to adjust him after he has already been serverely injured. Of course, I’ve never been in this situation… so who knows what I would really do.
To save a life? Yes. I would.
I hope that I would. I pray that I would. I have faith that I would.
Without a doubt. I used to be CPR certified but kinda let it lax. But I definitely would.
yes
I like to think I’d qwalk up to him, and check his breathing and heartbeat (the first steps of CPR). If his pulse is not going, then I’d definitely try to do chest compressions. Unfortunately I’m not sure if I can say I’d do mouth-to-mouth, if his mouth is bleeding. I know the chances are low, but the first thing that comes to mind is HIV and other deseases that can be passed on by blood. Your obligation to give someone CPR ends when your helping them puts your own health at risk.
There is also the fact that, if he is bleeding severely AND is not breathing and has no pulse, then the chances of his making it are pretty slim, even if I do give CPR.
If I commented on the last three posts (’cause I missed them earlier) do you still read them? Or should I not bother? (Well, this time I already did, but for future reference
yeah man, unless I had a thought about him having AIDS (which probably wouldn’t come until later)
I would hope so…
i really don’t know. first of all, i would make sure help is coming. then i would make sure his body is not broken anywhere then i would look for maybe a plastic bag & slit a hole through the middle & use that to protect my own self while i do cpr. isn’t there a samaritan law to protect ppl who stop to help? b/c sometimes ppl can make situations worse & then lawsuits b/c we are the nation of lawsuits!
God bless the poor man….. but no… I would not. Not unless I had a spacer or something….
Dial 911 and see what they have to say before jumping to AIDSlicious conclusions.
yes, . Hi dan and good morning! have a good weekend.
Well in Mexico, I wouldn’t hesistate. They are not as litigious as we are in the US.
In America I would first have to be a licensed Paramedic, then I would have to get him to sign a consent waiver and notify the nearest emergency care facility… or else I would be in danger of being sued for my trouble.
Actually I probably would take the chance in America too, becaue I am a Christian and we are taught that our own welfare doesn’t come first or at other’s expense.
Before preforming CPR, though, the neck should be stabililzed as well as possible since he was thrown from a car – there could be spinal injuries.
L,r
Were you referring to the AIDS scare? Well, that would be a concern, but I guess I would have to go ahead anyway. A resussitube would be a great thing to have handy.
L,r
Yes, and I have a special mouth gaurd in my glove box for times like that.
I don’t know why anyone WOULDN’T be certified in CPR. It really amazes me how stupid some of these people are.
Blood is tricky. If the person’s blood is infected and you have the tinest sore in your mouth you too could become infected.
yes
Despite the fact that I could get sued, despite the AIDS scare, I’d do it anyways. I know it sounds easy to say that, but what if it was your bestfriend laying there, or your parent, or a sibling, or your husband – you wouldn’t hesitate for them so how do you justify hesitating for a total stranger? Isn’t that pretty unethical and hypocritical?
I don’t know to be honest.
yes of course, but i’d use my mouth guard due to the blood and threat of exposure to any blood borne pathogen
hypothetically yes
Contrary to most of your wonderfully Summaritan readers, Theo, my answer would be a definite no.
The risks are too high, the reward not sufficient. CPR only saves 3-5% of the people it is performed upon. Of those that live, many suffer irreparable brain damage (of course, this point is neither here nor there).
As small the chances are that the victim has HIV/HepC, I would not risk becoming forever infected, debilitated, and suffer certain death for a 3% chance that I may turn him into a vegetable for the rest of his life.
This is coming from a 4th year medical student. My capacity to help the world would be far better fulfilled alive and healthy.
The science is…. the odds of surviving a traumatic cardiac arrest from blunt trauma (ie, different than a heart attack or similar medical event) are pretty close to zero… that is not to say, a lay person should not do what they could (Opening the airway would be the most important thing to do)… but one must consider the risks and the benefits of such matters.
having never been in that situation, i cant say… i consider myself the kind of person who would, but looking at ilsurvive’s comment, i wonder if anyone would…
generic answer: yes
yes, but I would have to use a barrier… Which I’m going to get one to keep in my car. I am CPR certified… but there’s no way I’m putting my mouth over a stranger’s. Especially if they’re bleeding.
Yes but of course I would try to wipe off as much blood as possibel. IF I could I would also try to find some sort of barrier to protect me. Good question
honestly i probably wouldnt…well…it depends if i was actually there i mean i suppose i would but im not sure.
if he was like exploding blood from the mouth then he would probably die anyway…
WHAT IF HE HAD AIDS?
ohhh…
since we dont know him we could never know if he had AIDS.
what what!
oh wait…you could get something to protect yourself…
but wait if you where walking down the street i mean …why would you have one?
Oh man.
I don’t know. AIDS and HIV are real. You said to pretend he’s bleeding out of his mouth.
If I knew he didn’t have AIDS, I would.
If I was hesitant, I would wait for help to arrive and keep pressure on his cuts and perform the non-mouth part of CPR and pump his chest.
Well I say ‘yes’ now, would just have to be able not to panic in that situation. I get stressed out really easily but when a true crisis happens, I get very calm… so it’s odd, can’t say for sure. I hope my answer would be ‘yes’.
i wanna say yes…. but at that moment of panic… i might need cpr myself!
Hmm… just read seanscheng’s comment. Didn’t think about the odds of survival/AIDS factor, that’s depressing. Gonna go take a shower now.
Yes-I am a certified medical first responder… Then again, I also have a mouth guard in car for CPR so I would be more protected.
I might try to wipe some of the blood away, but, yes, of course. Especially if he was hot and then, once resuscitated, fell in love with me. Like a reverse Sleeping Beauty moment with a lot more blood and guts. But, hey, the original Grimm’s version of that story did have a lot more blood and guts!
is that even a question?
oh and btw… there are such things as good samaritan laws to protect you in the event that you administer CPR and then are sued… They protect you from legal liability as a first responder as long as you act in good faith, are not negligent, and act ONLY in the scope of your training.
Yes. (but I would hope that I had my kit with me that had a mouth shield in it so I could use it. It is a plastic piece that you use to prevent actual contact with the other person and/or their fluids)
[I am certified in CPR and I do have a kit that I carry with me...]
face shield! It’s called a face shield. (I looked)
Yes. Many blood-born diseases would be destroyed by saliva.
Honestly, it would be a little difficult because of the instinct of self-preservation and fallen selfishness. But I think I could, by grace, overcome that and help out.
It is dangerous to perform CPR on one who is bleeding out of there mouth. You do not know if they are infected, and if you continue to perform CPR you break what is called “contact procautions.”
here it is:
- CPR saves lives about 5% of the time.
- The risk of contaminating your body is too great
- I, despite the fact I am trained in it, would not do CPR unless I had protection.
BTW- She is VERY right.
If they have a pulse, you shouldn’t have performed CPR anyways. CPR is for when they stop breathing and there is no pulse. I would have turned him over on his side though, stuck my finger in his mouth to pull some of the blood out – wouldn’t want them to choke on it or anything. and at the same time, dial 911 and they’ll talk you through anything you need to do and keep you calm
In a heartbeat.
Well… you aren’t suppose to do anything if blood is in that area… or you risk getting infections and such… I always carry a little thin plastic mask in my wallet… so if I cleared out his mouth first, I probably would…
yes i would …
Urch, everyone is saying yes, but I’d say no. I mean, I feel so bad saying it, but in that situation I would just be panicking. I am pretty much going with what ilsurvive said, even though I personally have never been in the situation. I can’t even perform CPR in any case (or I don’t have any certification or whatever, and I don’t exactly know how).
I would do whatever I could to help save his life.
All should be done to save a life, dan… although I am uncertain as to whether or not the use of CPR is appropriate in this situation….
Most definitely, I know CPR, its a reaction that just takes over when you see someone in trouble.
Have a wonderful day
Michael
Oh…. i dunno.Propably not knowing me. I dont lie about a situation like this….. i would go get help from someone else. No. I would not perform CPR
NOPE, BETTER HIM THEN ME
if i knew how maybe…things like that make me sick and i usually 9 times outa 10 faint or vomit….if i could get over it for a second then i would try
i just read some of the comments and they are all making good points….he would probably die n e ways or could have a serious disease…so i dont know…i may try to do something else or have 911 help me until help got there themselves
YOU ALL WHO ARE TALKING ABOUT AIDS ARE THINKING CPR JUST MEANS THAT YOU”RE DOING MOUTH TO MOUTH.
CPR IS A VARIETY OF THINGS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO MOUTH TO MOUTH & CHEST COMPRESSIONS.
IN THIS SITUATION YOU SHOULD CALL 911 AND TRY TO MAKE SURE HE DOESN’T CHOKE ON HIS BLOOD That is if he has a pulse and is breathing. If he’s not, he’s most likely already dead – bleeding out of the mouth pretty much means irreperable internal bleeding, i.e. imminant death. The only other things that make you do that are a weird disease that I can’t remember the name of, and TB.
yes, but i’d wipe the mouth first
JEEZ alot of ppl leave comments
and call for an ambulance
IZLY: quit trying to make OUR desisions.There not yours! there our opinions. quit trying to make it sound like we can just answer yes. we need to give serious thought
RYC: “IZLY: quit trying to make OUR desisions.There not yours! there our opinions. quit trying to make it sound like we can just answer yes. we need to give serious thought”
Who is trying to make decisions for anybody? I’M not. I am simply trying to put it into perspective. Everyone who is talking about the AIDs thing is acting like the only thing you do with CPR is mouth to mouth, and that’s just not true, and people need to know that.
I’m not trying to make it sound like people should just answer yes. I think that, if people really think about it, they would say no. If you give it serious thought and put it in proper perspective, the answer is No, you shouldn’t perform CPR on him.
Don’t jump on people that you assume are being bitchy. I’m just trying to show the reality of the situation and show another perspective.
The more challenging question is “Would you give CPR to George W. Bush if he were the victim?”
The more challenging question is “Would you give CPR to George W. Bush if he were the victim?”
HAHAHA! Isn’t that what he’s trained his dogs to bark if he chokes on a preztle for?
If you have an OPEN sore on your mouth or even in your mouth and the victim has Hep C, Aids, or any other form of infected blood, YOU INDEED open yourself up to contracting whatever they have, YES.
It’s easy to say we would do it for a stranger, the harder question is would you do it for George W. Bush or Pat Robertson, etc. ANYONE can save a stranger.
Yes
If you have an OPEN sore on your mouth or even in your mouth and the victim has Hep C, Aids, or any other form of infected blood, YOU INDEED open yourself up to contracting whatever they have, YES.
or even a cut from potato chips you ate or anything like that too, doesn’t just have to be a sore.
and would I perform CPR on GW Bush if he needed it… touch question. The moral/ethical side of me says yes, but there’s part of me that thinks if I didn’t I’d be doing the world a favor.
yes
According to my American (as opposed to swedish) Red Cross training (and subsequent certification) I would do the following:
CHECK: check the scene for any impending danger and to ensure that yourself (rescuer) will not injured.
CALL: Either have another bystander call 9-1-1 or call yourself. You will not be able to perform CPR forever and those few seconds to call will be better for the injured then your attempts at permanant CPR
CARE: administer care to the injured. If this means CPR then by all means do it! Whip out your protective CPR device and rubber gloves and get to work! You didn’t get American Red Cross First Aid and CPR training for nothing you idiot!
I dont know
I know I would do CPR.. I would want someone to do CPR on me!
Christina
I don’t know. You [almost] always act differently than you think you would in a scary, adrenaline pumping situation like the one you have mentioned.
no.
Wouldn’t you need to get the blood out of him first, if the air passage is blocked by blood?
If blood blocking passageway is irrelevant, then yes.
That would depend. If he is actually breathing, then no, of course not. The first priority would be to stop serious bleeding. If he’s bleeding from the mouth, the bleeding is internalized and he’s probably screwed- there’s not much in the way of first aid that can be done for that. I’d just go with the training steps I’ve received. Check response, check breathing, check bleeding, check shock, check for fractures, check for burns, check for head injuries. Treat them in the same order, though somebody who is not breathing and who is spurting arterial blood is probably screwed.
Of course! But I also have a little keychain that holds a CPR mask.
She’s baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack!
I don’t know how I would react in that kind of situation. I don’t think I would be calm enough to do it. The fact is nobody knows how they would react unless they are actually faced with the situation.
yes
Yes! No, matter who it was.
YES, I WOULD!
WOULD YOU?
MORNING DAN!
DEBBIE
AKA SPARKLE
eek…idk if i could if blood was coming from the mouth. id need one of those air thingys to hook up to their mouth. most people who are certified have these.
yes, Iwould clean the blood first with my sweatshipr or shirt…….
Totally.
Absolutely.
I’m going to be a life guard this year at a near by water park, so I possible would do so.
it’s been a long time since i’ve done cpr so i would probably have to remember how to do it before i tried to save his life.
well if i knew cpr? maybe.. seeing that i work at a pool i should know it.. but since im not a life guard im not required lol.. so maybe when i learn i would use it.
i have no idea what i would do in this situation. and since i don’t know cpr yet i’d probably be pretty useless. but i don’t think the whole aids thing would honestly be running through my head if i was standing in front of a hurt like that. are you folks serious?? that is so sad. i guess they really are the “untouchables” of our time.
Absolutely! I am a nursing major.
Yes. I’m CPR and First Aid certified and ALWAYS have my kit with me which includes face masks and gloves to prevent transfer of bodily fluids. Everyone should keep at least a small first aid emergency kit in their car regardless of if they’re certified or not. Even if they aren’t someone could show up at the scene who is and could help.
no… you could contract HIV.
If a person wouldn’t give George W. Bush mouth to mouth if he needed it, yet they are for the death penalty, isn’t that sort of being stupid? Two faced if you will?
Ridding the world of REPEAT murderers etc. is wrong, but killing George W. Bush is ok? – seems a bit stupid …doesn’t it?
*are NOT for the death penalty.
#1 thing they teach in all CPR classes is YOUR safety first.
You shouldn’t put your mouth on someone who is bleeding, not knowing if they have any type of diseases.
If I had a mouth guard…I would perform CPR….but otherwise no.
now if he/she wasn’t bleeding from the mouth, I personally would take the chance without a mouth guard…but with blood spewing out…No.
also…for those of you who took CPR would know…that when people start to breathe on their own and regain their pulse, they tend to throw up…..just a “food” for thought, no pun intended…well maybe i did intend the pun
Lots of pretending going on.
I hope so. But I have a very bad habit of panicing and fainting in the midst of unpredicatable and unforseen circumstances, so I’d likely just be useless and another patient for the paramedics to deal with.
I have a cpr mouth guard in my car for such emergencies – its a good thing to have around.
If a person wouldn’t give George W. Bush mouth to mouth if he needed it, yet they are not for the death penalty, isn’t that sort of being stupid? Two faced if you will?
Ridding the world of REPEAT murderers etc. is wrong, but killing George W. Bush is ok? – seems a bit stupid …doesn’t it?
If anyone, including idiots like GW, needed mouth to mouth, I would do it, though I can’t say there wouldn’t be a voice in my head saying “you’d do society a little favor by not helping”. Despite that, it would be killing him to just walk away, in my opinion, and I would do all that I could because despite his flaws, he’s a human being, and life is a precious thing. You can’t judge if a person lives or dies just because they don’t live their lives in a way you agree with. Not for me to decide.
I am not for the death penalty either. Two wrongs do not make a right; and there are worse things than death that murderers, rapists, and child molesters deserve.
If anyone is not for the death penalty and wouldn’t help GW if he needed it, would be a hypocrit.
Without hesitation.
Yes…if i know how to do…haha^^Wish you and your family have a joyful fun good weekend Dan : )
Yes
yes. with tongue.
I think I’d do it without thinking, and afterward I’d probably think to myself “crap, i hope he doesn’t have anything (aids, hep, stds, etc)” Then again, I might panickand not thin about performing it….
my first reaction is to say yes but its so much easyer to say that now then to say it when your looking at a person with blood coming out of their mouth. concidering CPR can also be done through the nose, i might try that. i’d also make sure that medical attention from professionals would be arriving shortly.
Sure. Why wouldn’t I?
Although I wasn’t addressing a specific individual when asking the whole George W. question, I agree, if you’re not for the death penalty, it would be very hypocritical to NOT give mouth to mouth to a dying man.
If a Christian calls George W. an idiot, are they “judgmental?” or does that only apply when they call a Democrat an idiot? – Just a curious question asked w/ utmost respect.
Hmmmmmm……..I’m STILL waiting Dan!!!!! I really NEED to know what you did in order to go about my day, happily!!!!! *smiles*
You get some funny comments…today was the first time that I ever read through every single comment that you got……People go back and forth/argue right here in your comments…interesting.
*giggles* someone else actually joined your “ugly feet” blogring!
I would try. Having never been in that situation, I don’t know how I’d react… In theory I would. But I panic during a math final. I’m not sure what seeing someone spewing blood from their mouth would do to me.
I would find something (quickly) to cover any bloody area and do it. If I didn’t have anything, I would chance it.
Okay stop with the morbid questions!
J/K
If a Christian calls George W. an idiot, are they “judgmental?” or does that only apply when they call a Democrat an idiot?
I supposed it would be considered judgemental, sure, but if you can back it up… maybe not. It kind of depends. If there is a basis for calling him an idiot, I don’t think it’s “judgemental” because it order for it to be judgemental in the “bad” way, it has to be based on little to no information and unsupported; e.g. my father in law called me a manipulative conniving bitch for no reason other than he was angry at me for doing something that actually saved him a lot of legal trouble that is judgemental. Another good example is my in-law grandparents who think I am the Anti-Christ because I’m not religious as they would like me to be… that’s also judgemental. I’m not a Christian, but I think if you call anyone, democrat, republican, whatever, an idiot without any basis of proof/fact that they are an idiot, then you’re being judgemental… but that’s just my opinion.
Yes- you know I used to have a mouth cover thingy in my purse for just this scenerio- don’t know where it is now…
Of course
Yes, but I’d use a mouth shield.
has anyone told you yet that you’re awful morbid today?!?!?!?!
In a heartbeat.
you fucking a I Would
No, because you’re not supposed to. In the CPR class I took, one of the first rules was to steer clear of any blood or other bodily fluids on the scene. You’re supposed to call for help and wait for paramedics to arrive. The dude could have AIDS for all you know.
HAHAHA! Isn’t that what he’s trained his dogs to bark if he chokes on a preztle for?
That’s funny!!
I have assisted with CPR a few times (I was a CNA). It never changed the outcome…the person died every time. The older a person gets, the less chance they have of living through trauma. CPR is almost a pipe-dream. but I would not put myself in danger to save someone in this situation.
thankfully i’ve never been in the situation to have to decide, but i hope i would be able to keep a cool head and do what i could.
(i’m not an expert or anything; i just learned this in my first aid class.) you don’t have to use the mouth; close it & use the nose if there’s blood. it doesn’t work as well as mouth-to-mouth, but it is still effective.
oh yeah, or you could use a plastic bag to be more efficient.
YES I have to…I’m certified.
yes
how could I even live wtih myself if I didn’t?
yes…? it’s just blood. i’d risk getting aids to save their life. i’d feel bad if i was like, “oh no, he might have aids”, and then him ending up not having aids, or any other std.
i’m a lifeguard and obliged and trained to do so. even without, if i knew how i would.
Definitely. What good is knowing CPR if you don’t use it when you have the chance.
RYC: Maybe I inspired some thought yesterday!
Um…I’d stop, kneel down and yell “Are you ok, are you ok….HELP” in my most sarcastic voice I have. That’s all I remember from CPR class in high school. Evidnently I knew it at one point, I have a couple cards that say I do atleast.
If I knew how, I would.
not sure…probably not! If it was someone I knew maybe.
I’d like to think that I would, but I can’t tell for sure. Im not really bothered by blood though, so it might not be an issue.
-Jared
Yes! Most people who are CPR certified also will carry masks with them. They are masks you can place over the vicitms mouth to avoid bodily fluid contact during CPR….just telling you that because it sounds like that was where your hesitation would lie in performing CPR. Probably the general population doesn’t have this, but healthcare professionals and those who are certified regularly take that into consideration and many carry it in the glove box of the car.
yes..i couldnt live knowing that he had died just because i didnt perform cpr
Yes
thinking about it “no” but if it happens, “yes.” It would be my reaction to only help. Anything that will help this person to survive. Its like asking, “will you have sex with him?” If i think about it, no, but when it happens, it happens….hahaha!!
Sadly, I would be very hesitant to provide CPR to a person who was bleeding from their mouth. The very first thing that I learned during my recent CPR certification/re-certification course was that you must never come in contact with a person’s blood without protection, ever, even if they are in need of CPR and are bleeding from the mouth, as in your example; In fact, my instructor brought up exactly this situation.
Even with a breathing barrier you would not be safe from the blood within a person’s mouth, and you do not know whether or not they have a disease. Touching blood with your hands, which is still not reccomended, is a great deal different than allowing it to enter your mouth, or remain around the edges. I’d feel horrible about it, but, taking my own health into mind, I would instead call 911, look for plastic gloves in my car, and apply a certain amount of pressure to any areas where bleeding is occuring, that I don’t feel is the result of an internal injury, which pressure may worsen.
Of course, as someone mentioned earlier, if the man had a pulse then you should not be performing CPR anyway, as the chest compressions could cause them further damage, or even induce spasms, irregular blood-flow and, in extreme cases, death.
But, as someone else also mentioned, it’s really difficult to say what you would or would not do in an emergency situation like this; sitting around and speculating won’t lead to much. I’ve had to excercise my knowledge of CPR, rescue breathing, and choking victim — unconscious — skills before, or more than one adult, and it’s really a miracle that I even remembered my training. During these tense situations it’s very easy to lose your nerve and get caught up in doing what you can, which can lead to mistakes that you can’t afford.
Stephen
Yes, through the nose.
Yes, if you didn’t you’d be guilty of negligence.
Unfortuantly yes, because it’s pains me to see an innocent person suffer.
I agree w/Ilsurvie, I’d ike to say yes, but I don’t know.
no question… and no hesitation… absolutely YES… It’s the only thing to do…
definately.
when you give CPR you generally want a breathing barrier.
YES, because it could be me and i want someone to do it for me.
and also, no, you do not have to give cpr in the situation if you feel uncomfortable, or no one knows that you know CPR, unless you are an instructor, then you can be sued.
I would have to say no unless I had the proper mask….SORRY!
yes, thats why they created and made it mandatory to have safety mouth pieces with a one way valve. And, if you’re a known health worker and don’t help someone at a sight immediately, there are consequences.
>Yes, bar nothing. If they aren’t breathing, then assited breathing. If the heart is stopped, they get the whole kaboodle.
Peace
Heck yeah! If you’re there and you didn’t do anything then you are responsible for that person that dying there. Whether you know that person or not, you are responsible for the person dying there when you first step into the area.
For those of you that are scared, or whatever the case, to do anything to save that person’s life, look at it from this point of view: What if YOU were that person on the side of the street DYING or what if that person on the street dying was one of your FRIENDS or FAMILY MEMBERS? What would you do now? Are you just going to let your fears take you over and kill one of your friends or family members?
Even if you don’t know that person dying, you ARE responsible for them dying because you just sat there and did nothing. If you didn’t do anything to save that person, you’ll never know how that person will affect you. You’ll never know if that person can actually change your life for the better. It can also change it for the worse when you start thinking about how you could have saved him/her and you didn’t do anything to save them.
Everybody we come across in our lives will affect us in one way or another and NOTHING in our lives is accidental. Everyone and everything in our lives that we come across happens for a reason.
Also remember that there is more than just one thing that you can do to save that person’s life.
*I PROBABLY WENT OFF THE SUBJECT AND IF I DID, I APOLOGIZE, BUT I SURE HOPE THAT I DIDN’T*
“Definitely. What good is knowing CPR if you don’t use it when you have the chance.
RYC: Maybe I inspired some thought yesterday!
Posted 3/31/2006 at 2:21 PM by angela10281″
HECK YEAH!
I agree, you learned CPR so that you can save someone’s life when the time should come.
if I had a plastic bag to rip open, to use a barrier between my mouth and his, to prevent blood born pathogens and whatnot
otherwise no
not with the blood there. not gonna happen. i work in a donation center and the number of people we tell weekly that they have Hep C or HIV is crazy. and its usually the cleanest and the most normal looking people who have it.
i am CPR trained, but the first thing they teach you is to “First do no harm” this includes to yourself.
I would call 911 first and then perform CPR while waiting for them to arrive. Absolutely. Even running the risk of HIV, hepatitis, and all that nasty blood stuff, I would absolutely risk my life in an effort to save someone else’s. It’s just the right thing to do.
no, the main reason because he could have torn his spinal cord.. and to elevate the head while performing CPR could snap his spinal cord and kill him..
i would comfort him though and tell him help is coming
Yes, but I wouldn’t give him mouth-to-mouth. Research has shown that CPR with mouth-to-mouth is barely better than CPR without mouth-to-mouth (just chest compressions). I wouldn’t have a problem with getting my clothes bloody, but it isn’t worth the risk of diseases like HIV or whatever else the stranger might have for such a minor advantage.
If you are certified in CPR, aren’t you required to help?
Definetly.
yes
on second thought,…maybe not.
I would probably not be able to do it.. you just never know.. it’s too risky…
reed44: it’s interesting to note that w/in the past 10 years Hep C virus spread like fire. Part of it is due to an increase of drug use through needles and the other is ppl getting tatoos in unclean places, they think just because the needle is clean they don’t need to worry about the ink, but in some parlors, the INK is also contaminated, therefore spreaking the VIRUS.
*spreading
uh, anyone who wouldn’t because of touching blood would be pretty shallow…. of course I can say that because I have no idea how to perform CPR…..
I’ve actually been there as a nurse. Haven’t had anyone with blood but I’ve been urinated on while straddling a big man that we couldn’t get out of the bed to the floor, I’ve had dialysis fluid run out all over me when I had to unclamp and let the fluid run out to be able to get good compressions and I’ve had someone vomit while doing the breathing part of CPR…won’t go into any further details on that one….so yeah….I’m pretty sure I’d do it. (I do carry a shield with me at all times b/c of the vomit thing but that won’t protect you from all those other nasty bodily fluids….yuck.)
The post by Izly reminded me of one time in a public place a woman just passed out and the crowd around me was getting mad b/c I didn’t start CPR even with me telling them that she had a pulse and was breathing….that was kinda scary.
I probably would if I thought he needed it to save his life. Though there is a fair chance I would get totally wigged out and be completely useless.
However being thrown from the car and the bleeding from the mouth would suggest internal injuries.
I’m going on the limited medical knowledge that Life guarding teaches.
I’m not registered/certified, but if I was, I probably would. Why shouldn’t anyone, unless they faint at the sight of blood or don’t know how?
Eva.
Of course I would…I’m going to be a paramedic. I guess I would have to. I would do it even if I weren’t headed towards that as a career though… I mean… it’s a person’s life… =)
Heck yes.
usually when someone is bleeding from their mouth don’t they still have a pulse?………..so they probably wouldn’t need cpr……..also if someone had internal injuries which makes people bleed from the mouth, couldn’t you mess them up worse inside w/ cpr? you know like when you push on their chest?
i’m
i was gonna say……i’m not sure about any of this i was just wondering……….and the computer went and posted my comment WHILE i was typing! oh well
I hope I could
Yes, I would.
A person’s life is worth more than a little blood in your mouth. That would just be selfish and horrendous.
Without a doubt! I know there are a lot of health risks to me like HIV/AIDS, but if I can save a life, it is worth it to risk getting a disease. Besides, there are actually CPR masks available that make it possible to give CPR without actually coming into contact with the persons mouth, or in this case the blood coming out of it. I am certified, thank God I haven’t ever had to use it, but I made up my mind when I got certified that if something like that happened, I would perform CPR anyway.
i’d try and help him but probably wait around until someone else did it
Yes. I am protected by the Samaritan’s Law (title check?) that if he sustains injury during my intervention, I am not held accountable, so nothing should stop me from trying to help someone in need.
[ariana]
lol ive always avoided your site when i see it in featured, i dont know why, its great. (it was nothing against you i think i was feeling stupid and you seemed too smart for me or something…)
Answer to your question: NO! of course not all the germs i would get from mouth to mouth…. lol i was joking – i do what i have to, and we humans are born with a natural instinct to protect the survival of our species, so id go with my instinct.
nb: the only reason i wouldnt do cpr is if i didnt know how – i would be afraid to kill the person or something. so in this case, if i knew how then straight to it.
I would like to think that I would preform CPR but you really don’t know untill you have been in that situation…to be totally honest…I think the first thing that I would do is call 911 and then I could follow the instructions that the person gave me…if it included CPR then by all means I would do that…
No. Mouth bleeding indicates damage to his internals. Pressing on his chest would not be wise if he has broken ribs, the ribs could puncture his heart, lungs and other vital organs. I would summon an ambulance filled with EMTs. They have the equipment.
I have no idea how I would react but hopefully I would say yes, I beleive the life of another human being would rise above my own squemishness.
Yeah
I’ve never come upon that situation. But I would like to think that I would do it, if it ever came to it. I have stopped at accidents before because no one else was helping and assited. But I’ve never had to perform CPR on a person who was in need of it. Though I have practiced on a live person before. But yes if there was blood coming out of the mouth the first thing that anyone should is check for a pulse, and then roll them over and get the blood out of the mouth as much as possible. And then perform CPR if needed. Choking on their own blood is certainly not gonna help you.
No — If it didn’t work, I could be dealing with a lawsuit.
Absolutely, I’d do anything I could to help him.
oh come on. do you know how many diseases are transmittable through blood? i’d probably just steal his walle and bounce.
I would probably do it without even thinking….. it never occurs to me that there could be extenuating circumstances later… my compassion would override any fears.. It has in the past. I act without thinking all the time… that is just me.. ~Phyllis from Oz!
I say yes now, but I don’t know if I’d have the same frame of mind if I were in the situation.
But by all means, I would try my best.
i would….
but i heard somewhere that if you do, and the person ends up dying still or later on the family can sue you. do you know if there is any truth to that?
there have been incidents where people have been trying to provide assistance to someone in an accident, those people helping have been sued for malpractice by those ungrateful bleeding bastards. so no. in some cases yes. but most, no. and they were only trying to help.
I am lucky that I learned CPR in Co-op last year & even though I know all the procedures, I wish I will never have to use them. It’s easy for one to say that they will perform it without any hestitation, but when it comes to arriving at a scene when someone is injured, it won’t be easy. But yes, I will still perform CPR because I know that the guilt will drive me insane if I didn’t do anything about it. We were told that we have a choice at circumstances like this when the injured is bleeding. Apparently there’s another way of performing CPR. It doesn’t have to be mouth to mouth and whatnot. I won’t go into the process of explaining how to do that since I’m too lazy.
I have to think cuz he is BLEEDING out his mouth.If he has any diseases there is a chance i could get it.But i would do it anyways.Just make sure to get myself check out for my safety.
yes i would!
Of course. That’s what the little mouth guard things are for that I carry around with me since I got CPR certified. Hurrah for protection.
You are the primary reason I no longer look at the Featured Content List.
yes
xoxo
If blood freaks you out so much that you don’t wanna give someone CPR, I’d be careful to not go skiing…a nosebleed might be the end of your sanity. Yes, I would do it.
No, I could get a disease…and no I dont feel guilty for thinking that way. It just isn’t sensible to put ones self in the position of ingesting the bodily fluids of another person. Doctors wouldn’t do that….neither would I. Plus, as a few people have pointed out, CPR isn’t always the most effective thing to do in this case….i wouldn’t touch them just for fear of damaging their spinal column.
hell no i would let him die
No.
hello all… like my pic?
come to my site
bleeding from his mouth?
what if he has diseases …
i would call 911 and let them handle it.
Of course.
Let me ease your mind ilsurvive. I had a friend pass away in her bed a few months ago. Her daughters boyfriend tried to give her cpr and she threw up in his mouth. Some people get freaked out and you just do the best you can.
Now knowing what I know I still would give it my best shot. So yes God willing.
yes
I if could, most definately.
Yes.
No, I wouldn’t.
without even thinking about it.
YES PROB
I would leave him alone, and not touch him. I would pray for him, asking God to heal him in the Name of Jesus Christ, to give him strength and correct any serious physical ailment that is endangering his life. I would give him a boost, by saying “Raise to life, In the Name of Jesus Christ”. Too many people who have the certificate to give CPR are really murderers, I believe, for the prospect of killing the accident victim by submitting too much pressure and extended shoving into the victim’s chests: to allow death so that someone else can have their donor body parts for sale. Onoe time, I was a victim. I thought to myself as I was being given CPR, on and on, “Hey, what is going on, here?” The ambulance attendent was aware that I was OK at that point, but it went on and on. It hurt badly, and later, too. Leave the bloody victim alone.
no, cause he’s been THROWN FROM A CAR. you’re not supposed to touch him because he might have a broken back. i especially wouldn’t touch him if i didn’t see what happened.
also, you could blow blood into the lungs.
it would be a circumstance where you should wait for professionals to arrive.
you have to know your limits, and make a decision based on what’s best.