CPR manikins assist in Gundersen Boscobel's training efforts

Earlier in 2017, a request was made to the Boscobel Area Hospital and Clinics (BAHC) Foundation to purchase three new CPR manikins:  two adult models and one infant. The manikins were needed to improve Gundersen Boscobel's facilitation of training for CPR, ACLS and PALS education for certification and recertification.

Trainings such as these, and CPR training in particular, are an important service provided by Gundersen Boscobel to both staff and the community. Currently, CPR training is offered for the community and other business organizations. Specified employees must receive CPR retraining every two years. ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support) training is of primary importance to staff. Recertification is required every two years. Some staff are also required to hold their PALS (Pediatric Advanced Life Support) certification. Manikins are used for all three types of training. 

While older manikins were available, they were not working properly, which affected the quality of the training. Also, the purchase of additional manikins was intended to allow each participant to have his or her own manikin, which is an ideal training scenario.

Sudden cardiac arrest is one of the leading causes of death in the United States. When it happens, receiving prompt CPR significantly improves one's chances of survival.

CPR is easy to learn and there are many reasons to get trained. Most importantly, CPR saves lives. The longer the body goes without circulation, the more detrimental. By being able to perform CPR, you can help keep the sufferer's blood circulating until an ambulance arrives and more advanced tools can be used. This can more than double a person's chance of survival.

CPR is not performed nearly enough. In fact, CPR is performed by a bystander less than half the time. Usually, this is because they have not been trained, and therefore do not know how. Training can remedy this. Since most cardiac arrests occur in the home, lives can truly be saved because of a bystander knowing CPR. It can be a challenge, but the reward can be well worth the time and effort.