Continuing Professional Development: Cardiogenic Shock

After completing this module the paramedic will be:

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You are called to attend an adult female patient who has suddenly collapsed in the reception of a GP surgery. When you arrive, staff are performing chest compressions on the patient. You are working as a single responder and begin to lead the resuscitation attempt, using the surgery staff as part of your team.

The resuscitation of a patient who has suffered a cardiac arrest in the out-of-hospital setting is a fundamental challenge in paramedic practice, and can indeed be seen as the foundation on which the profession has developed in recent decades. Although the overall management of patients suffering from cardiac arrest is becoming increasingly complex as our understanding of the nuance and variability of each patient develops, chest compressions remain a core treatment. This CPD article aims to focus on this treatment to help develop your understanding of why it remains such an important treatment and how it may vary in the future.