I recently attended a CDE-workshop on Dental Emergencies and First Aid.
Almost all the interns from college signed up for the course, which was conducted by the Bangalore-based Nightingales Lifesaving Services...it was a 2 day course held over the weekend, and all of us were initially cribbing that we'ed have to give up our precious weekend to attend the workshop.
However, the workshop was so good and the speakers so engergetic that none of us really missed our Sunday-afternoon nap or Saturday-movie... We all sat ramrod straight, listening aptly to the Instructors explain what we should and shouldn't do in a variety of emergency situations. All this in our college's very own, A/C'fied, darkened Audio-Visual Room....in conditions where i myself have dozed off many a time.
The course was really well balanced...a bit of theory since we already had background knowledge, and an emphasis on the practicals. On the 1st day we were lectured about First Aid in varied situations...Drowning, Choking, Bites, Fractures, Falls, Burns..you-name-it.
The 2nd day focused on CarioPulmonaryResuscitation..or CPR, with each of us getting to practice on a male dummy..which funnily enough, was named Annie! We had to keep at it till we could perform CPR to the Instructor's satisfaction, both on an Adult as well Child-dummy, following which we were certified as qualified to perform CPR.
Interestingly, CPR guidelines change from country to country (European Resuscitation Council, American Heart Assoc etc...) and also undergo major technique-revisions almost every year. What that meant was that, we'ed have to get ourselves re-certified after a year.
I've always felt that it was a major lacunae in the Syllabus that neither a dental nor a medical student in India learns CPR, both as an under-graduate...and even at a Post-Graduate level! It's kinda nice to know that i now, if the need should ever arise, will be in a position to, perhaps, save someones life.
It's a nervy kind of feeling to know you can do CPR...once you are certified, you never want to be in a situation where you will have to do CPR. But at the same time, it re-assuring to know that if you are...you'll know what to do. Hopefully...
