The Andhra Pradesh Nurses and Midwives Council (APNMC) has inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Resuscitation Council Federation (IRCF) to train senior teaching faculty in Basic Cardiopulmonary Life Support (BCLS).
As part of the MoU signed in Vijayawada on February 20 (Tuesday), the IRCF will provide training to senior teaching faculty in eight government nursing colleges in the State, so that they can then train the students on BCLS.
The objective of the MoU is to equip all nursing students with the knowledge of performing live-saving techniques, said Director of Medical Education (DME) D.V.S.L. Narasimham.
Mr. Narasimham, along with APNMC president Siddha S.C. Chakra Rao, Indian Resuscitation Council Federation founder K. Susila, APNMC Registrar T. Suryasree and others took part in a Train-the-Trainer (TOT) workshop, organised by the APNMC on Tuesday, where 32 senior teaching faculty were trained on CPR and BCLS.
Emphasising the importance of BCLS, Mr. Narasimham said 50% of patients who suffer heart attacks die on the way to the hospital because the bystanders do not have BCLS skills. “The BCLS improves a person’s chance of survival until advanced care becomes available,” he said, recognising the need to impart the knowledge to all nursing students, paramedics and the healthcare staff.
Nurses are often the first responders to emergency cases of drowning and heart attacks among others. Therefore, it is important that they know how to initiate Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and BCLS,” Mr. Narasimham said.
Now, the APNMC has made it mandatory for all nursing institutes to submit the Basic Cardiopulmonary Life Support (BCLS) certificate at the time of APNMC Registration.
It has been recommended that all nursing students complete a BLS course and obtain a certificate before completing their diploma and B.Sc. (Nursing) courses.
