Boston CPR Partners

Boston CPR Partners Tips!

Appendicitis ~ Knowing The Signs And Symptoms

Appendicitis is the infection of the appendix. The appendix is a small organ that protrudes just below the large intestine, on the right side. Many believe the appendix is completely useless, and though the exact function is not completely understood, we believe that it has to do with helping us avoid and fight gut-related illnesses. However, this very tiny organ can cause us a lot of problems if it gets infected. Infection can be due to a multitude of different issues, however, the most common reason is because of f***l matter blocking it off.

The signs and symptoms of appendicitis can present as if the individual has a stomach bug or the flu. They will likely have stomach pain, loss of appetite, vomiting, a fever, constipation, or diarrhea. The textbook stomach pain that will be felt is first sensed in the area of the belly button and migrates down to the right side of the lower abdomen. This pain will worsen with movement.

It is VERY important that you seek medical attention should you suspect appendicitis. This can lead to a ruptured appendix, which can cause sepsis. If you are questioning whether your child has appendicitis, call the pediatrician.

REMEMBER! Many believe that appendicitis is only seen in children and that is not the case! Teens, adults, and even older adults can have appendicitis too. Always air on the side of caution and seek medical attention!

To sign up for an in-class or in-home CPR and First Aid class please email [email protected]

Boston CPR Partners updated their business hours.

What is a fever?

A fever is technically a temperature above 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit. This is an immune response to when your body is actively fighting off bacteria or a virus.

Here are a few fever tips!

- It is NORMAL for a child to have a fever after receiving vaccinations. This is their bodies responding to the vaccine and creating an immune response.

- It is ok to use a wet cloth to wipe their foreheads, but it is NOT recommended that you give them a cold bath. This creates shivering which will increase their temperature.

- Stay hydrated! Hydration keeps the fever at bay and your body requires more fluid during fevers and times of illness.

- Use the appropriate thermometer for the age. (Follow your pediatrician’s recommendation)

- It is ok for kids to play! For adults, when we have a fever, the last thing we want to do is get out of bed, but for kids, that is exactly what they want to do. Playing indicates that they are coping appropriately, but if the child seems overly tired, they are not responding as they would normally or seem “zoned out”, this is called lethargy and is a medical emergency. Lethargy is NOT normal in children. Seek medical attention immediately.

Trying to think of unique gift ideas for new and expecting families this holiday season? Give the gift of a home CPR class! This personalized, tailored-to-you new family CPR class is taught by an RN (registered nurse) who has experience in emergency medicine and infant care.

This class allows you to learn the lifesaving skill of CPR in the comfort (and safety) of your own home. In addition to CPR, we cover the use of an AED, how to relieve choking, common infant emergencies, and give you tips on how to best care for your baby!

All our instructors are fully vaccinated with a booster shot. We follow strict COVID safety protocols, clean the equipment between classes, wear masks for the entirety of the class, and ensure you and your family are safe!

Email [email protected] to inquire about home CPR classes and gift options!

Boston CPR Partners here with Asthma Action Plan Tips!

What is Asthma? Asthma results in bronchospasms (tightening of the airways) and excessive mucus production. These symptoms come together to form a scary and sometimes unpredictable disease.

If your child has asthma, it is important to have an Asthma Action Plan in place. This plan lays out the steps that need to be taken in the event of an asthma attack. They can include medications such as a rescue inhaler, nebulizers, or even extra oxygen. Some steps that may be laid out in the plan are calling 911 and sitting the individual in a “tripod” position.

Make sure that all those caring for your child know what the Asthma Action Plan is and where the printed-out plan is kept. Remember to follow your Asthma Action Plan and if the child does not improve or continues to get worse, go to the hospital! Do not wait! Status asthmaticus (now known as severe asthma exacerbation) can occur when an attack is not treated. This can be fatal.

We always suggest placing your Asthma Action Plan in a centralized area like the refrigerator or even taped to a cabinet! Having multiple copies in different areas of the house is also a great idea.

Do you have Asthma Action Plan tips? Please share in the comments below!

To learn more about Asthma Action Plans please visit:https://www.cdc.gov/asthma/actionplan.html

Burns Do's And Don'ts

Try Not To Burn Yourself In The First Place, But If You Do, We've Got You Covered!

Burn cases reach an all-time high during the holidays. So let’s go over how to manage them!

First of all, there are different kinds of burns. These include thermal, chemical, radiation, and electrical. Thermal burns can be from fire, hot/boiling water, hot surfaces, and steam. Chemical burns come from substances like harsh cleaning solutions and other chemical substances. Radiation burns are most commonly from the sun. Finally, electric burns are from sources of electricity like electrical sockets.

Thermal, chemical, and radiation burns tend to be more superficial and a bit more obvious. As minor burns, they are typically red, tender, sore, and may blister. As major burns, they may appear black and leathery. Electrical burns are deceiving, as they may look like a pinpoint burn, but once the electricity finds the skin, it radiates down through the skin’s layers, down to nerves and bone. (Note that major electrical burns can also appear black and leathery) Electrical burns can be some of the most devastating burns, partly because victims don’t seek help, as the burn doesn’t look as serious as it really is.

When you see a burn there are a few things you could do:
Ensure the scene is safe. IF THE SCENE IS NOT SAFE YOU DO NOT GO IN! You could become injured yourself, become a second victim and detract care from the original victim.
Wear gloves! Protect yourself from the victim and protect the victim from yourself. Burns can become infected easily, which means the normal bacteria on your hands can cause significant damage to the victim.
Put out the fire or stop the burn (remove chemicals causing burn, turn off the stove, put out the fire)
Assess to see if the individual is still breathing. If they are not breathing begin CPR. (***no need to feel for a pulse)
Remove loose clothing and jewelry. Do not remove anything that is burned into the skin. If there is anything burned into the skin, find scissors and cut around it.
Call 911 for major burns and provide first aid care for minor burns.

So what are the differences between minor and major burns? Minor burns are small, less than 3 inches, are not on the face, neck, chest, or palm of the hands, cool easily with a cool moist bandage, and are easily controlled. For these burns, remove the substance that is causing the burn and remove loose items near the burn. Then rinse with cool water for at least 5 minutes and apply a cool moist gauze. Try to avoid gauze that are stringy, as pieces of the gauze can get stuck to the burn. Once the burn has cooled (the burning process has stopped and it has been rinsed with cool water) you can apply Neosporin to the area. Cover the burn with sterile gauze to ensure it stays clean. When in doubt, seek medical attention!

Major burns are larger, are around the face, neck, chest, and palms of the hand, and may appear to be black and leathery. In this case, wear gloves, ask someone to call 911, ensure the individual is breathing, stop the burning process (put out the fire, remove chemicals, etc) and remove loose items from around the burn. Do not remove items that are burned into the victim’s skin. Engage in conversation and try to ensure that the victim remains conscious while covering the person with a blanket. Soon after major burns occur, hypothermia sets in, hence why we don’t emerge major burns in cool water.

To learn more about CPR and First Aid, join us for a class by visiting: https://www.bostoncprpartners.com

Thanks for reading and Happy Thanksgiving from the Boston CPR Partners Team!

Please join us on Sunday October 17th at 9am for a New Parent and Caregiver CPR AED class! We offer social distancing, small classes (no more than 7), EXTREME cleanliness (I go a little nuts with it but its better to be safe!), masks required and a welcoming environment! Please use the following link to sign up: https://www.bostoncprpartners.com/.../in-person-new.../book Looking forward to having you join us!

***If you are interested in a private in-home class, please email us at [email protected]

***PS: Yes we checked the Pat's schedule, you will be home before the game starts!

Calling all parents of infant to school aged children!

Please join us at our Stoughton training studio on September 28th at 9am for a parent focused American Heart Association Heartsaver CPR AED class. This class reviews adult, child and infant CPR, use of an AED and relief from choking. Please use the link below to register. See you there!

https://www.bostoncprpartners.com/bookings-checkout/aha-heartsaver-cpr-and-aed/book

Bookings Checkout | Bostoncprpartners

Please join us on Tuesday, August 24th for our discussion on Newborn Health and Safety!

Topic: Newborn health and safety
Time: Aug 24, 2021 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89364012833?pwd=MUNsZWw1M0F3bzA0SFp2VWVCdzdhZz09

Meeting ID: 893 6401 2833
Passcode: 516201

Join us tonight at 6:30PM as we partner with Doc & Doula and discuss CPR and Water Safety!

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82193116872?pwd=TTZqUzBBZkVJQUlWSmNPcmllc2dnUT09

Meeting ID: 821 9311 6872
Passcode: 223558

Join Us Tonight @6:30PM for Boston CPR Partners' Water Safety Presentation!

Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89371800336?pwd=L1M5VjRDbHJtNGFNVTdqV2tjQ0JKQT09
Meeting ID: 893 7180 0336
Passcode: 054306

Boston CPR Partners is offering the following classes this week:

BLS Renewal:
June 18th

BLS Skills:
June 18th
June 19th

BLS Full Class:
June 18th @1:30pm
June 19th

Visit https://www.bostoncprpartners.com or email [email protected] to register!

Boston CPR Partners | BLS CPR, AED, Choking, And First Aid Training Boston CPR Partners offers American Heart Association Basic Life Support CPR and Heartsaver classes for both healthcare and civilian audiences.

A heart attack, otherwise known as myocardial infarction (MI), is the lack of blood flow to the heart. Symptoms vary between females and males. Females often have symptoms that can be mistaken for indigestion, heartburn and general malaise (a generalized feeling of unwellness). These symptoms lead females to be three times more likely to die from a heart attack than males.

Symptoms include:
• Extreme fatigue
•Pain in neck, jaw, upper back, left arm
•Shortness of breath
•Weakness
•Sweating
• Insomnia
• GI upset

cdc.gov
www.world-heart-federation.org/
www.medicalnewstoday.com

Plavix is similar to aspirin, except stronger and more expensive. Plavix is used as a blood thinner (anti-blood clotting) for people who are at risk of heart attack or stroke. It works by preventing platelets from clotting and causing ischemic events. However, there are side effects (some are similar to aspirin) including: pale skin, easy bruising, weakness, seizures, increased and bleeding. Do not take Plavix unless prescribed by your doctor and remember to not engage in activity that could cause injury, as bleeding significantly increases when taking this medication!

www.health.harvard.edu
medlineplus.gov

We are so excited to announce the unveiling of our newest project with Boston Baby Nurse & Nanny! The Online CPR, Choking and Infant Emergencies course is perfect for new parents, soon-to-be parents, and infant caregivers!

Visit: https://bostonbabynurse.com/professional-development-courses/ to see a list of courses, including our new Online CPR, Choking and Infant Emergencies course!

Disclaimer: This course is strictly informational and does not substitute an in-person class including lecture and hands-on material. If you would like to take an in-person class and receive a CPR certificate, please visit https://www.bostoncprpartners.com to register for a Family Heartsaver class.

We are so excited to announce our new partnership with CPR Wrap! CPR Wrap is a revolutionary new addition to your first aid kit. Its small size is perfect for carrying in a purse, glove compartment, and on the go. In the event of a cardiac arrest, CPR Wrap is draped over the victim and offers simple instructions on how to perform quality CPR. It even has a mouthpiece for safe and accurate respirations!

CPR Wrap comes in three different sizes: Infant, Child, and Adult. This product gives every caregiver the peace of mind that was once only dreamed of! Order your CPR Wrap today by visiting: https://www.bostoncprpartners.com/shop

NEW BLOG ALERT! Keep your family safe from choking this Thanksgiving! https://www.bostoncprpartners.com/blog

BLOG | Bostoncprpartners Mcmillen, Matt. This Thanksgiving Promise Yourself: Don't Choke, 2017, www.webmd.com/food-recipes/news/20171121/this-thanksgiving-promise-yourself-dont-choke. 

2020 has been one hell of a year. From starting nursing school to working in the ER during COVID, 2020 has presented many challenges. Back in June, I got a call from work that the hospital had flooded. At first, I just thought it was just a leak and that a wet-vac would do the trick. Well, I was wrong. Norwood Hospital was destroyed and after a few days of waiting to see how bad the damage was, we were told that we would not be returning to work for a long time. Part of me took a breath because the mental and physical toll of working with COVID patients, watching so much death, pain, and sadness had taken a toll. But soon after that breath, I realized that I was screwed. That job was how I planned to pay for school and without it . . . well that was going to be an issue.

I knew I had to get creative. I needed a job that was flexible for school, paid well, and was going to continue to get my foot in the door at healthcare facilities where one day I could be a nurse. After looking for a little while, I realized that my job criteria was one tall order. With that, I did what any child of Brendan McCarthy would do and decided to make myself a job!

Now almost six months after the closure of Norwood, I've moved back home and have started Boston CPR Partners! I specialize in American Heart Association BLS and Heartsaver courses. After several trial classes and a proven business plan, we are now offering classes at our Stoughton Ma training site! In the past month, we (by we I mean me!) partnered with several healthcare-oriented schools and businesses in the Boston area, in offering quality CPR education. The best part . . . ITS NOT BORING!

The Boston CPR Partners approach is different. I make it fun, I tell stories about the many times I have done CPR on victims as an EMT, we watch The Office scene where Dwight wears the CPR manikin's face, we laugh, but most importantly, my clients walk out feeling confident and able.

Whether you are a seasoned trauma nurse, new parent, middle schooler, teacher, police officer, student, firefighter, food service worker, or retired, you are welcome! CPR is not only a skill, it's a gift. One time I had a patient lose their pulse, I started CPR and within a minute the patient regained a regular heart rhythm. Soon after, the patient turned to me and said, "Thanks honey, you saved me!". Now that is one good feeling!

If you or anyone you know is interested in taking a CPR class, visit our website https://www.bostoncprpartners.com or email us at [email protected]. We also offer private classes, emergency renewals, and offer company/group discounts.

Thank you to my amazing family and friends who have supported me in starting this company! It has always been a dream of mine to be a business owner and now I see that coming true!

From your friends at Boston CPR Partners, we are wishing you a very healthy, happy, and safe Thanksgiving!

Boston CPR Partners updated their phone number.

Boston CPR Partners updated their website address.