Free Essay: Patients with EVD Should Not Receive Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation is an emergency aid that is given to patients suffering from a cardiac arrest where the chest of the patient is compressed and exhaling of air into the mouth of the patient done to restore the breathing and blood circulation. Richard A. Lehne, (2015) stated that breathing is very crucial in a human being. EVD is a virus that can be spread using body fluids including saliva and urine. Patients with EVD should not receive CPR since it may cause a lot of air in the abdomen leading to compression of the lungs. Less air and supply of blood into the lungs will be limited, and chances of the patient surviving are minimal.

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Compression of the chest may lead to vomiting making it hard for the patient to clear the vomit from the mouth inhaling it into the lungs. This blocks the airway and breathing becomes difficult. The vomit can infect another person by stepping on it since it is also a fluid and carry the virus. When a patient is being given mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, the rescuer is in a precarious position of contracting the disease. This would be the case if there were no signs of the disease from the patient. This is the reason why patients suffering from EVD should not be given CPR for safety precautions to both the patient and the rescuer.

When handling patients with EVD, standard precautions recommended should be applied, and first aiders and nurses should apply them. Janice L. Hinkle, (2014) mentioned that people should gain a practical understanding of care practices for different patients. The rescuer should separate patients of EVD with other patients and people not infected. Protective gear should be won while treating the victims and maintaining regular hand wash since the disease is highly contagious as mentioned by Control, (2018).

Area of operation or recovery should have the least people possible to ensure air circulation and avoid contamination. After the first aid is done, professional health officers should be contacted to give necessary tests and procedures to the patients as mentioned by Nahed Ismail, (2017).

Performance of CPR should involve ethical and safety precautions that will help the patients get healthy. Time should be a moral practice as the rescuer should see unto it that the patient arrived in hospital in time. First aid equipment should be available to perform the emergency tests and treatments. The team that is on the ground should be well composed to act in unity and save the patient. Personal safety and well-being should be maintained and practiced during and after treating the patient.

In conclusion, above are reasons why patients infected with EVD should not receive CPR and the ethical obligations when giving care to the patients. Safety issues for both the rescuer and the patient are also highlighted.

References

Control, D. A. (2018). Vladan Radosavljevic, Ines Banjari, Goran Belojevic. Springer Copyright.

Janice L. Hinkle, K. H. (2014). Brunner & Suddarth's Textbook of Medical-surgical Nursing. Philadelphia.

Nahed Ismail, J. S. (2017). Emerging Pathogens, An Issue of Clinics in Laboratory Medicine, E-Book. Elsevier Health Sciences.

Richard A. Lehne, J. R. (2015). Study Guide for Lehne's Pharmacology for Nursing Care (9th Edition). St.Louis: Elsevier Health Sciences. Copyright.