Page 50 - EMS CPR Manual V1

Monitoring
“Vital Signs” or Signs of Life provide an indication to the casualty’s’ condition and their response to any treatment. When closely observed, vital signs can provide an indication of the casualty’s’ condition worsening and provide an early warning as to of the onset of a serious medical illness.
The four vital signs are Pulse Rate, Breathing, level of Consciousness and the Skin colour, temperature and moistness.
Prior to performing CPR the most important signs to be aware of are their level of consciousness and breathing rate.
According to the Australian Resuscitation Council, whilst performing CPR, rescuers should minimise any interruptions to chest compressions and rescuers should not interrupt chest compressions to check for signs of life. This is based on evidence that an interruption of chest compressions is associated with poorer return of spontaneous circulation and lower survival rates. Furthermore it was found that both lay and health care professionals experienced difficulty in determining presence or absence of pulse in collapsed victims.
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RECOVERY AND HANDOVER