We see this as a vital skill that students must have in case of an emergency.
Mrs Helen Notley from the Royal Surf Life Saving association visited St Joseph’s during Term 2 to teach the students basic resuscitation skills.
We do this, as we see this is ‘real education’ that could become a lifesaving skill for our students.
Research from Flinders University (2013) states that, “Bystander CPR actually improves the patient’s life. The premise that doing something - even if it is not perfect - is better than doing nothing when it comes to resuscitation.”
During the lesson Mrs Notley taught the students the same DRSABC CPR principals as adults, which are:
- Danger – ensure the area is safe for yourself, others and the patient
- Response – check for response
- Sending for help – call triple zero (000) for an ambulance or ask another person to make the call
- Airway – open mouth, if foreign material present, place in recovery position and clear airways with fingers
- Breathing – check for breathing, if the breathing is not normal, start CPR
- Compressions - Press midway along the ribcage. Aim for 30 compressions followed by two breaths.
The students were engaged in this session and understood the importance of learning this skill effectively.