Health
Getting Your Family Involved with CPR
By Shannon Kietzman
What would you do if your child suddenly stopped breathing? No parent wants to think about being faced with such a terrifying situation - particularly when it comes to your own children. Nonetheless, being prepared for such a situation is essential, as it could truly mean the difference between life or death for one of your loved ones. Still, even if you are prepared to perform CPR, what about the rest of your family? Would they know what to do if disaster were to strike?
You may not think your entire family should know CPR, but you might want to think again. Do you ever leave your children at home while under the care of your oldest child? Or, perhaps they even enjoy playing outside by themselves while you get work done inside the house. In either case, what would your child do if one of the other children were to experience breathing problems? Would your child know how to administer life-saving CPR, or would he or she only be able to stand there and helplessly watch your other child suffer?
What is CPR?
CPR, which stands for cardiopulmonary resuscitation, is a procedure that involves providing rescue breathing to someone that has stopped breathing while also providing rhythmic compressions to the chest. While administering CPR may look easy on television, it is more difficult than it looks. In fact, if performed incorrectly, CPR can actually cause damage to the victim and can do more harm than good. For that reason, it is important to take classes in order to learn how to recognize when CPR is necessary as well as how to administer the lifesaving procedure.
How Do I Get My Family Interested in CPR?
Although you may understand the importance of knowing CPR and you may want your entire family to be trained in the procedure, convincing them to take CPR classes may not be a simple task. If you want to get your family involved with CPR, you might want to try these tactics:
The best way to get your family on board with CPR training is to use a combination of all three of these tactics.
Where Do I Go for Training?
There are many places you can go for CPR training in and around the Valley. The American Red Cross offers CPR training throughout the year in a number of different locations. You can select from a variety of different CPR classes, including:
Although there are no Red Cross offices located directly in the Valley, there are eight offices located throughout Los Angeles, including offices in nearby Burbank, Canoga Park, and Santa Clarita. You can call 1-800-627-7000 to learn about upcoming classes, times, and locations.
You can also take classes through a company called Fun CPR Training. The company currently has openings on the following dates:
All of these classes are being held in the park in Canoga Park, but the company plans to add additional classes in Northridge, West Los Angeles, and Pasadena in the near future. The classes cost $50 per person, or you can take a CPR and First Aid combo class for just $60. Call 1-800-FUN-CPR-Training (1-800-386-2778) to learn more.
Olympia Medical Center Opens Center FOR WOUND MANAGEMENT AND HYPERBARIC MEDICINE
By Staff Writer
With many hospitals in Los Angeles closing their Wound Care Centers, Olympia Medical Center is proud to announce the opening of their Center for Wound Management and Hyperbaric Medicine. This Center will be one of the most comprehensive programs in the area utilizing the latest, state-of-the-art hyperbaric chambers as well as advanced wound management technologies.
Every year between 4 and 5 million Americans suffer from chronic non-healing wounds. Wounds caused by Diabetic neuropathy, pressure ulcers, venous stasis and peripheral vascular diseases are just some of the wounds that will be treated at Olympia Medical Center's Center for Wound Management and Hyperbaric Medicine.
According to John Calderone, PhD, Chief Executive Officer of Olympia Medical Center, “At Olympia Medical Center it is our goal to help the community and make sure that a wide array of treatment is available to patients. With the closing of so many centers, we felt the importance to open this center and better serve the community.”
Under the direction of Joel Aronowitz, MD, Medical Director of the Center of Wound Management and Hyperbaric Medicine the interdisciplinary outpatient Wound Management team will consist of multi-specialty physicians, Registered Nurses, Licensed Vocational Nurses, Certified Medical Assistants and Certified Hyperbaric Technologists.
According to Dr Aronowitz, "during treatment at our Center your primary care physician will remain an integral part of the overall treatment plan. Communication with patients and physicians is key to our Center."
For more information on the Center for Wound Management and Hyperbaric Medicine, please call 323-932-5WCC (922)
Located in the heart of West Los Angeles, Olympia Medical Center has been providing medical care to its community since 1948. Services at the 204-bed acute care hospital include comprehensive inpatient and outpatient services, and a 24-hour emergency room. Specialty programs include the California Digestive Diseases Institute, Take Off, a Medical and Surgical Weight Control Program, the Los Angeles Center for Spine Care and Research, the Southern California Sports Medicine Institute, the Center for Wound Management and Hyperbaric Medicine, the Continent Ostomy Center, the Center for Geriatric Health and the Memory Institute.
At Olympia Medical Center, we are dedicated to clinical excellence, delivering health care services in a patient-centered, community-focused environment. We not only try to meet your expectations-but to exceed them.
Olympia Medical Center is fully accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, the nation's oldest and largest hospital accreditation agency.
www.olympiamedicalcenter.com.
$100,000 Grant for Northridge Family Medicine Residency
UniHealth Foundation awarded Northridge Hospital a $100,000 grant for the Residency to Practice Pro-gram. This program encourages graduates of the Northridge Family Medicine Residency, a locally based residency program, to stay in this region to practice medicine and help to meet the primary health care needs of our community. Northridge Hospital and Facey Medical Foun-dation collaborated to secure this financial stipend that allowed the providers to use this grant funding for his/her living expenses and educational loans.
In July it was ann-ounced that Rebecca Judd, MD, was selected to receive this stipend and will become a provider for Facey in September, with a two-year commitment. Dr. Judd was the co-chief resident during her third year in the residency.
The community physician groups wish to extend a thank you to Facey administrators, UniHealth Foundation officials and Pamela Davis, MD, Director of the Northridge Family Medicine Residency Program for addressing the provider shortage issue and making this and other opportunities possible.