The International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR) releases new guidelines for CPR and First Aid
New guidelines for CPR and First Aid released - what do they mean for you?
New guidelines for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and first aid were released recently by ILCOR, the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation, a body that reviews CPR and first aid every five years. What is the Canadian Red Cross response to these changes? How do these guidelines affect current CPR? When will new training begin?
The most important thing for Canadians to know right now is that the CPR they’ve been trained to perform is not “wrong.” The new guidelines reflect current scientific research and are a natural evolution of CPR since its introduction to the general public over 20 years ago. The new recommended guidelines are focussed on simplifying CPR even further, making it even easier to learn.
Over the next few months Canadian Red Cross will be working with the other national training agencies in Canada ensure consistency in how the new guidelines are interpreted and incorporated into first aid and CPR training programs. Canadian Red Cross was the only national first aid training agency from Canada represented on the First Aid recommendation committee.
In anticipation of the new ILCOR recommendations Red Cross has already embarked on a process of evaluating and revising its first aid and CPR programs. This revision process is expected to be complete by mid-2006. Red Cross will take the new ILCOR recommended guidelines into account as part of this review process.
In the meantime, Canadians should not get sidetracked. All Canadian Red Cross first aid and CPR courses will continue to be taught to the current standards. Early CPR remains one of the most critical factors in surviving a heart attack. The basic steps remain the same:
- Get help – activate your local EMS (emergency medical system).
- Start CPR to keep the blood flowing.
CPR is easy to learn and saves lives. Call your local Red Cross office today and get trained!
