You could help save a life if you spend just 15 minutes training in cardio pulmonary resuscitation (CPR). The Bermuda Hospitals Board (BHB) is providing free training in the modern technique of Hands-Only CPR.

The most recent studies in cardio pulmonary resuscitation show that constant stimulation of the heart muscle without adding breaths is an effective lifesaving technique. Findings have shown that people are more likely to perform the hands-only method – thus increasing the numbers of people who receive CPR as quickly as possible.

“The American Heart Association recommends that bystanders perform Hands-Only CPR on teens and adults who suddenly collapse. Bystanders have said they would be more likely to help using Hands-Only CPR mainly because they were not confident that they would perform the steps in conventional CPR correctly,” said Synda Cook Roberts, BHB’s Clinical Education Manager of Nursing Staff Development. “BHB is actually the official training centre of the American Heart Association in Bermuda so training with us gives participants information and techniques that have been proven safe, effective and that are backed-up by the most modern research findings,” she added.

Training for the Hands-Only CPR method takes only 15-minutes.

“We actually train to music,” said Kelly Pitcher one of BHB’s Clinical Nurse Educators. “The timing of the compressions works very well if you carry it out in sync with the beat of certain songs. Depending on the type of music you favour, we can usually identify a song you can play in your head as you do the chest compressions. The Bee Gees hit Stayin’ Alive works very well.”

Free sessions will be offered on Tuesday 18 September in the Resource Centre located on the Ground Floor of King Edward VII Memorial Hospital. The sessions will take place every 15 minutes starting at 8:30am and ending at 3:45pm. Participants will have to be able to kneel on the floor to carry out the training.

Registration for the training can be done by emailing coursereg@bhb.bm or by calling 239-1029 or 239-1821.

• Press release from Bermuda Hospitals Board