Accreditation:

This program is approved for 1.0 Contact hour for Nurses and Respiratory Therapists. After watching the video, you may go to http://www.saxetesting.com/sl and register to take the test. Once you have successfully completed the test, you may print out your certificate immediately.

Description:

Advances in the management of cardiac arrest have led to dramatically improved outcomes. However, patients with refractory or recurrent VF still present a challenge to resuscitate. This session will identify those patients who may benefit from immediate percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), during cardiac arrest.  In addition, we will discuss the cutting edge use of mechanical CPR and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) to support patients and preserve the myocardium while coronary intervention is provided.

Learning

Objectives:

Upon completion of this activity, the participant will be able to:

1. Discuss the importance of performing high quality CPR and defining defibrillation success in patients with refractory or recurrent VF.
2. Describe evolving EMS and hospital-based treatment strategies for these patients.
3. Describe the new evidence on the role of mechanical CPR as a bridge to advanced circulatory support and/or PCI.