random things in resus that get me going 🤭
- when the resusee coughs or gasps during mouth to mouth. the resuscitator feeling it against their own mouth. in a drowning victim, they may get water in their own mouth.
- agonal gasping, in the same vein as the above, but it's regardless of mouth of mouth.
- the resusees mouth going gray-ish and slack. so hot hot hot. especially if the resuscitator has to work in their mouth or clear their airway or place a tube.
- manipulation of the jaw and tongue. the resuscitator hooking their fingers in a resusee's slack mouth, taking hold on their jaw, forcing the jaw forward. or pulling the tongue forward.
- over-complicating mouth to mouth in general. being extra thorough to ensure a clear airway. so forcing the jaw and tongue forward. frequently tipping the head back more. propping the resusee's head and neck in a arched position. using airways while still doing mouth to mouth (particularly OPA's). pinching the nose tightly. giving the breath until they feel a lot of resistance and then some. holding the seal even after the breath, to force the air to stay in their lungs longer.
same with compressions. taking extra time to prop their chest on something firm, maybe using one of those firm pillows to arch their chest and back and still give firm, deep compressions. straddling their resusee's hips. placing their hands in an alternative position for compressions, like putting both heels of their palms of their hands on the resusee's sternum and spreading their hands over their ribs, compressing their whole chest. or straying crossed palms to the left of their ribs, right over their heart.
even if any of it's not actually helpful, it's the desperation and thoroughness that's just 🤤💖
- the sound of breath leaving the resusee's chest (especially through an airway, the plastic causing a whistley sound)
- the way chest compressions make the resusee's tummy bulge. if the resuscitator is straddling, they get to feel it under them.
- hands clenching during defibs
- continuing compressions, or slightly gentler chest/cardiac massage, on a resusee. just cause or cause they have a weak little heart that needs some extra help. bonus points if they're slightly conscious.
- airways on a, currently, conscious resusee. watching them be helplessly gagged.
- irritation on wrists from restraints.
- having to give tummy thrusts to clear the airway.
- using lots of gear and having to work around it. using all sorts of monitors. like. the dream, chest wise, is 12 lead + long-term cardiac monitor + central line + thermometer patch). add BP cuffs (love when they have one o the arm and one on the leg. extra thorough), EEG tabs, pulse-ox clips (especially one on the tongue, cause that's just. so so unbelievable hot to me), other IV lines, etc.. all the tubes and wires. just getting in the way, even while serving an important job? the resuscitator having to weave between them? having to temporarily take some off and quickly put it back cause there's a tangle or it's in the way? yes yes yes yes 🤭🤭🤭
- getting conductive gel all over the chest prior to defibs. putting deep pressure on the chest with the paddles, keeping the paddles firmly pressed to the chest throughout the whole shock. using those orange gel pads. all of it. so good.
- softness. even when dealing with experiments and sickly resusee's and everything in-between and beyond. just the resuscitator being so soft and gentle (outside of breaking their body for their own good. to get them back. of course)
izzy806
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