I was teaching a course on basic emergency life skills last night and unlike many times before, one thing crossed my mind with rescue breaths. Chest compressions are the most important aspect of CPR and within 5 minutes of collapsing, there is enough oxygen in the blood stream anyway. There are a few hands-only CPR adverts, most notably from the British Heart Foundation featuring Vinnie Jones (and his son). Although I teach both hands-only CPR and how to perform rescue breaths, I receive the same responses over and over again in all age groups. I assume that the majority of my clients are straight, or in the closet. Only if the person is "hot" attractive (opposite sex) - like the typical lifeguard scene That is so gay That is disgusting. Only if there is Personal Protective Equipment Going to get sued, if they die. So they end up perhaps calling an ambulance, doing nothing else and the person dies. But they don't get sued. I want to know whether gay/lesbians feel the same way as point 2 - as in giving rescue breaths to the opposite sex is weird. I know that hand on heart, a lot of people would agree with point 1 and would only do it in this situation as peer pressure around your friends can take over. Points 3 and 4 apply to everyone including me and all my friends as diseases can be spread easily. Point 5 I have encountered many times and as far as I'm aware, in Britain, there has never been a successful claim against someone doing CPR with the intention to resuscitate a dead person (or animal).
I've never had to perform CPR on an actual person, however from the medical emergencies that I've had a hand in giving first aid, the training I had kicked in, and if I'd had to give that girl rescue breaths or CPR (She was having a seizure from a bad reaction to her medication) I would have in a heartbeat, no pun intended. If someone's life is in my hands, I would do everything I could to help them until help arrived, as I was trained to do. And for the record, the official Red Cross CPR guidelines are still 30 compressions and then 2 breaths. The hands-only CPR thing is mainly for untrained novices to be able to do something in a cardiac emergency instead of nothing. As for getting sued, I don't know about the UK, but in the United States there aware Good Samaratin laws which shield a person from being sued if they were acting in good faith to save the person's life.
I was trained in CPR both with breaths (with protective equipment) and compression only as part of my law enforcement training; hotness/sex had absolutely nothing to do with it. I'd feel weird doing it at all because it would be on a stranger who immediately needs it, but it's about saving lives. In that crucial time interval, nothing else matters but that person's continuing to have oxygen pumped through their body. About getting sued, we in the USA have something called the Good Samaritan laws which shield helpful citizens from legal retribution for trying to save somebody. (ninja'd by Gaytheist ) For first responders like EMTs or police, they are obliged by the policies of their profession to render aid, and as such are protected by qualified immunity from being sued for CPR. So when somebody collapses and is treated correctly, there's no problem.
Yeah, I don't know CPR But I would certainly find touching mouths with someone I do not find attractive repulsive.
It can actually be dangerous to do it on somebody you don't know, that's why you can get these plastic mouth shields (I've got one that looks like this) so the danger is basically eliminated. Doesn't make it not gross, but again, literally life and death. :/
I work in x-Ray in a hospital so we have special masks for rescue breaths. It's more for hygiene and safety than anything. I think point two ridiculous though. Regardless orientation or the persons gender, the important thing is to try and save the persons life. Anyone who would stop to think about that over saving a life, I would say, is a somewhat shallow person. Happy days
I would not let someone die just because they are not attractive or I don't have PPE. I have learnt basic CPR from my mom but have never had to use it - aside from checking someone's pulse and putting them in the recovery position. But if I was the only person who could help someone then I'm not going to flip around complaining that it's 'gross', imagine how that would make the person feel, that PPE means more than their life.
I'm a nursing student, so it's pretty much going to happen someday. While I'll be in a healthcare setting and I won't have to do the rescue breaths, I think about it being in public. Well no - I don't love the idea of having to lock lips with some lady or some very unattractive man.... But I'll do it! I'm not about to let them die. Also, I keep a CPR mask on my keychain/in my bag at all times. It's more for safety - who knows what someone has!
That was sad to read... I wouldn't hesitate to do CPR to anyone, regardless of gender, physical appearance or even if he or she is dirty or smelling like hell. The last point of the list was just ridiculous... Besides it's not the right way to act. You need to get someone to call an ambulance, that's right, but then someone needs to do the CPR right away. In some countries it's even illegal itself not to help.
I am a terrible person because I don't feel morally obligated to help, and, in an emergency, I probably wouldn't. Having said that, I haven't ever been in a position where I needed to do CPR, so, I don't know what I'd really do. Also worth mentioning that if it was a relative or a friend I'd naturally do everything I could do save them.
Imagine this scenario: You are lying on the pavement dying, and someone just stands there doing absolutely nothing to help, you somehow survive and a few days later you see that same person, what exactly would you say to him/think of him?
"Well, it's not like you had to help me, so it's okay, I'm not mad. I probably wouldn't have done a lot to save you, either. My individual existence is meaningless, and although I would've been gravely disappointed by no longer being alive, in the grand scheme of things, it wouldn't have made a difference — except I pollute more alive than dead." I'm not saying that people shouldn't help out people in need — altruism is beautiful. I'm just saying that I don't think it is a moral obligation, as in you have to do it or you're a bad person. Ergo, I definitely don't think it should be legally required. TL;DR: I'm an egoist and as such only my life and those in it are important to me.
I've known the theory since primary school. I've never had to do CPR on a real person. I have this ridiculous fear that I'm going to break their ribs. I was told that people would just be grateful to be alive. So there's that. "icky" would be the last thing on my mind. I probably wouldn't hesitate to help a stranger unless it puts my life in serious danger and/or greatly inconveniences myself. So I'd give it a go unles I think I'm gonna get electrocuted or something along those lines! I guess now is a bad time to joke about the railroad safety I've had drilled into my head. I'm an empathic sadist. FML. It's basic responsibility to understand what to do when things go wrong with a masochist. I know what to do in a variety of situations. It would feel like a waste if I didn't use that knowledge to help somebody else.
If it was someone I cared about I'd definitely help. But, if it's some random stranger then I guess it will depend on the situation. I might help or I might leave the scene and not even call the ambulance. The worst for me would be to help and then get dragged to court and the police because reasons. My well-being is above everything else, so it will definitely depend on the situation. As an individual I don't feel any moral responsibility to give any help at all to anyone. We all have an expiry date. For some that date is sooner than later, but we all end up dead anyway.
I had CPR and other life-saving training in high school and I would never hesitate to save someone if they needed help. I don't care if they have herpes or are "ugly" (which I find ridiculous) It's a person dying in front of your eyes! Just do something for crying out loud! I find it ridiculous that you can get prosecuted when you actually do something...? Do people actually sue those who help? Please tell me. I heard of two children ages ~10 who saved their dads life by performing CPR while waiting for the ambulance. That goes to show just how much a few hours of CPR training can help.
