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This could help save a life

(31 Posts)
trisher Fri 06-Mar-20 18:05:32

Today I learned something completely new to me. Most of us have seen the adverts for CPR and know the "Staying Alive" rhythm. But did you know there is a slight modification for a woman? If she is wearing a bra it must be cut or removed before you start or the underwriting could cause significant injury. Please pass this message on to everyone you know. It's a life saver.

GrannyLaine Tue 10-Mar-20 12:27:21

I absolutely agree dizzyblonde You clearly know what you're about.

trisher Tue 10-Mar-20 12:57:34

dizzyblonde can I ask if any of the people you have performed CPR on were wearing an underwired bra?

dizzyblonde Tue 10-Mar-20 16:05:01

Oh yes, I’ve probably performed CPR on at least a 100 plus people in the last ten years so it would be unusual if none of them was wearing an underworld bra. Obviously we fairly quickly strip them but initially it’s on the chest while the equipment is readied.
I was under the impression your original post referred to bystander CPR where it is even more important to disregard what the person is wearing. Few members of the public would be happy stripping a woman to the waist and would indeed find it difficult and time consuming to do thus reducing the already slim chance of success even more.

trisher Tue 10-Mar-20 17:44:53

Would you like to say how many were women and how many survived dizzyblonde?
Incidently I tried feeling for my sternum whilst wearing an underwired bra. It was difficult to find. The spot where one should be pushing is where the wires meet. Very difficult to feel anything and I suspect almost impossible to know if you are applying enough pressure because you are feeling the wires and not the body. possibly one of the reasons women don't survive cardiac arrests, CPR doesn't work properly for them.

dizzyblonde Tue 10-Mar-20 17:55:51

I wouldn’t know the demographics, I would imagine it’s probably 60% men. I have to say I never feel for the sternum and never have. It’s very obvious on a real person where you have to put your hands, slightly more difficult on a child.

Under wires would make no difference to how far you push down, it is about a third of the depth of the body, you have to press hard to do that so a little thing like an underwire would not even feature.
Strangely enough most of my survival to hospital cases have been women although I’m not sure why.