American Red Cross Basic Life Support Course Vocabulary

These flashcards cover foundational concepts, assessment protocols, and specific procedures for Basic Life Support for adults, children, infants, and pregnant patients as outlined in the American Red Cross BLS Participant's Manual.

Critical Thinking

Thinking clearly and rationally to identify the connection between information and actions, involving identification, adaptation, and anticipation.

Problem Solving

The ability to use readily available resources to find solutions to challenging situations or issues that arise, often requiring creativity and adaptability.

Closed-loop Communication

A technique used to prevent misunderstandings involving four components: Sender, Message, Receiver, and Feedback (confirmation of receipt).

Crew Resource Management

A tool adapted from the aviation industry that emphasizes the use of all available resources (people, equipment, and procedures) to reduce the likelihood of human error.

Debriefing

A session facilitated by the team leader after a resuscitation event to identify opportunities for improvement through a process of Review, Analyze, Reflect, and Summarize.

Assess, Recognize and Care

A systematic, continuous approach for rapid assessment, accurate recognition, and immediate care in emergency situations.

Rapid Assessment

An essential first step consisting of a visual survey, checking responsiveness, opening the airway, and checking for breathing, pulse, and life-threatening bleeding for no more than $10$ seconds.

Standard Precautions

Safety measures to prevent disease transmission based on the assumption that all body fluids may be infectious.

Scene Size-Up

A procedure conducted to determine if a situation is safe, the number of patients involved, and the nature of the illness or mechanism of injury.

Initial Impression

A suspicion formed during the visual survey regarding whether the patient looks sick, unresponsive, or appears to be breathing.

Shout-tap-shout Sequence

The sequence used to check for responsiveness; for infants, this involves tapping the bottom of the foot.

Modified Jaw-Thrust Maneuver

An airway-opening technique used when a head, neck, or spinal injury is suspected, performed without moving the patient's head or neck.

Agonal Breaths

Isolated or infrequent gasps that are not normal breathing.

Respiratory Arrest

A condition in which the patient is not breathing but has a central pulse.

Respiratory Failure

A condition with ineffective ventilation and a central pulse, where gas exchange is insufficient to sustain oxygen and carbon dioxide levels.

Cardiac Arrest

A condition in which the heart stops circulating blood; recognized when a patient is not breathing (or only gasping) and their central pulse is absent.

Myocardial Infarction (MI)

Necrosis (death) of heart tissue resulting from insufficient delivery of oxygenated blood to the heart; also known as a heart attack.

High-Quality CPR Rate

Compressions delivered at a rate of $100$ to $120$ per minute.

High-Quality CPR Depth (Adult)

Compressions to a depth of at least $2$ inches ($5\,cm$) but no more than $2.4$ inches ($6\,cm$).

Coronary Perfusion Pressure (CPP)

The difference between the pressure in the aorta and the pressure in the right atrium during diastole; a reflection of myocardial blood flow.

E-C Hand Position

A method to hold a BVM mask in place using one hand to form an "E" with the last three fingers and a "C" with the thumb and index finger.

Ventricular Fibrillation (VF)

One of two specific arrhythmias that an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) provides defibrillation for.

Hovering

The practice of keeping hands a few inches above the chest during AED analysis and shock delivery to minimize interruptions in chest compressions.

BAACC TO LIFE

A mnemonic used to remember causes of cardiac arrest in pregnancy (Bleeding, Anesthesia, Amniotic fluid embolism, Cardiovascular, Clot, Trauma, Overdose, Lung injury, Ions, Fever, Eclampsia).

Left Uterine Displacement (LUD)

A technique provided continuously for pregnant patients with a fundus at or above the umbilicus ($\geq 20$ weeks) to relieve pressure on the inferior vena cava.

Chest Compression Fraction (CCF)

The percentage of time spent performing compressions during a resuscitation event; the goal is $80\%$ according to expert consensus.

Capnography

A noninvasive way to measure end-tidal carbon dioxide ($ETCO_{2}$) levels, which serves as a quantitative measure of cardiac output.

Brachial Pulse

The pulse location checked for infants, located on the inside of the upper arm.

Encircling Thumbs Technique

The compression technique used for infants during both single and multiple provider CPR where thumbs are placed side-by-side on the center of the chest.

Stridor

A high-pitched squeaking noise during inspiration caused by narrowing or obstruction of the upper airway.

Universal Sign of Choking

The act of clutching the throat with one or both hands.

Opioid Overdose Triad

The signs used to quickly assess for opioid overdose: pinpoint pupils, respiratory depression, and unconsciousness or severe sleepiness.

Naloxone

A medication that can temporarily reverse the effects of an opioid overdose provided via IV, IO, IM, SC, or IN routes.

Duty to Act

The legal requirement to respond to an emergency and provide care.

Scope of Practice

The range of duties and skills a provider is authorized to perform based on their training and certification.