Cardiac arrests happen more than 350,000 times a year in the U.S. — about 20% of them in public places. CPR, especially if performed immediately, can double or even triple a cardiac arrest victim’s chance of survival. Yet less than half of those who suffer out-of-hospital cardiac arrests receive CPR from a bystander.
Thanks to a recent philanthropic donation from longtime RUSH supporters Joan and Paul Rubschlager, RUSH now offers an on-site, Hands-Only CPR kiosk provided by the American Heart Association. A ribbon-cutting ceremony with the Rubschlagers, President and CEO Dr. Omar Lateef, RUSH cardiology leadership and representatives from the American Heart Association was held on Aug. 30 to unveil the newly installed kiosk.
The CPR kiosk at RUSH — one of 36 in the country — is located on the fourth floor of the Joan and Paul Rubschlager Tower. It has a touchscreen with a short video that provides an overview of Hands-Only CPR, followed by a practice session and a 30-second test.
Hands-Only CPR has two simple steps, performed in this order: When you see a teen or adult suddenly collapse, call 911. Then, push hard and fast in the center of the chest at a rate of 100 to 120 beats per minute until help arrives.
With the help of a practice manikin, or a rubber torso, the kiosk gives feedback about the depth and rate of compressions, as well as proper hand placement — factors that influence the effectiveness of CPR. Kiosk visitors can complete the training in English or Spanish. The training also has closed captioning to make the instruction available to everyone.
The new CPR kiosk gives RUSH staff, students, patients and visitors alike the opportunity to learn how to effectively perform CPR and potentially save a life by stepping in to help someone suffering from cardiac arrest, whether in the hospital setting or elsewhere.
