British nurse teaches CPR to Whitefielders

Bengaluru: What does a British nurse have to do with ambulances stuck in Whitefield traffic? A lot. Paula McLean trains people in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and prepares them to help patients who collapse after a heart attack and wait for an ambulance stuck in traffic. Paula came to Bengaluru with her husband, who works in an IT company, in March 2013 and loves everything about the city but for its traffic and pollution.This resident of Palm Meadows, a gated community, started training people a year ago. “Around 10am one day, security staff told me a 47-year-old car driver had collapsed suddenly. He came to me because he knew I was a nurse. When I rushed to the spot, I realized the driver had just had a heart attack. I started CPR immediately. Much before the ambulance arrived, I stabilized his condition before he was taken to a nearby private hospital,” Paula said. She has trained over 350 persons in the area. “This basic skill can save lives. You never know when you’ll need it,” said Paula, who joined hands with Whitefield Rising in teaching CPR. Ritu George, a member of Whitefield Rising, is among many who has benefited. “I was among the first batch of trainees. Given the traffic problems around Whitefield, such life-saving skills are essential. Through Whitefield Rising, we have conducted CPR training programmes in 14 places. Each session has around 30 participants. Anyone over 15 years and interested in learning CPR can take part,” said Ritu. In the UK, she has trained young nurses as a part of her work.
Paula doesn’t know Kannada, but that’s not a hurdle. “We prepared placards and messages in Kannada and Hindi. But she didn’t need them — she trained everyone without any difficulty,” said Ritu. The sessions include practical experience using a dummy. She will be in the city for a couple of more years as her husband is here on an assignment. Her team is yet to think on who will conduct the training programme once she leaves Bengaluru, as it has to be done only by a medical professional and not a layman who has attended the training session. “CPR training is one of the community-based activities we have taken up to educate Whitefield residents. The idea is to save a patient much before an ambulance arrives in the event of a cardiac attack,” said Nitya Ramakrishnan, member, Whitefield Rising.
What is CPR?
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation is an emergency procedure used to oxygenate the blood and maintain cardiac output to keep vital organs alive. The main purpose is to restore partial flow of oxygenated blood to the brain and heart. CPR involves deep chest compressions in an effort to create artificial circulation by manually pumping blood through the heart and the body. During such emergencies, one must check whether the person is breathing, and if there’s a pulse. Keep one hand in front of a nostril to check for air movement. If the patent is breathing and pulsating, CPR should not be performed.