PROVIDING CPR IN A HEALTH CARE ENVIRONMENTFirst aid can be defined as the temporary and immediate care provided to a person who is injured or suddenly becomes ill. First aid involves being able to recognize life-threatening situations and take effective action to keep the injured or ill person alive and in the best possible condition until medical treatment can be obtained. Therefore, one of the most important tasks of a rescuer is to provide a basic life support system, which includes artificial ventilation and circulation. This is obviously of critical importance in a healthcare environment where emergencies are prevalent and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) may be required at any time. This is of particular interest to me as I prepare to enter the healthcare field. Cardiac arrest is a significant public health problem and one of the leading causes of death in the country. Cardiac arrest can happen inside or outside the hospital. In the United States, about 350,000 people suffer cardiac arrest and receive CPR each year, about half of them in a hospital setting. However, CPR alone is unlikely to restart the heart. Its main goal is to restore partial flow of oxygenated blood to the brain and heart. The goal is to delay tissue death and extend the brief window of opportunity for successful resuscitation without permanent brain damage. Administering an electric shock to the subject's heart, called defibrillation, is usually necessary in order to restore a viable, or "perfusing," heart rhythm. The Mayo Clinic provides the following tips from the American Heart Association: • If you are not trained in CPR, then perform CPR with hands alone. This means uninterrupted chest compressions of ab...... middle of paper ......h upon entering and leaving the hospital. The American Heart Association's new 2010 CPR guidelines continue to emphasize the need for high-quality CPR. It is especially important to understand the roles in a scenario involving multiple rescuers and how to use an AED.Bibliography1. Mayo Clinic Staff. “Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR): first aid. » Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. February 7, 2012. The web. March 12, 2014.2. “Cardiopulmonary resuscitation. » Wikipedia. March 8, 2014. The web. March 12, 2014.3. Butler, Janet. “BLS for Healthcare Providers.” » American Heart Association. March 2011.4. Karren, Keith J., Brent Q. Hafen, Daniel Limmer, and Joseph J. Mistovich. “First Aid for Colleges and Universities.” Pearson Education. 2012