COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State University Medical Center and Columbus Division of Fire officials are studying ways to improve instructions given by emergency dispatchers to 911 callers who call for help in potential cardiac arrest situations.
Researchers are reviewing hundreds of 911 telephone conversations between callers and Columbus 911 operators to determine how what is said – or not said – can impact the outcome of the patient.
Dr. Michael Sayre, an emergency physician at OSU Medical Center, says the real issue is that 911 callers typically are not trained to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
“We need to get a sense of how CPR instructions are relayed by the dispatcher to the 911 caller and how the caller interprets that information. As soon as we can identify the barriers preventing bystanders from recognizing a cardiac arrest or performing CPR, we can work together to ensure more efficient and accurate instructions are provided.”
For example, a dispatcher may ask a caller if the victim is breathing. The caller may respond that he or she is, even though the victim is not breathing normally and may actually be experiencing cardiac arrest.
Sayre says tweaking the question could make a significant difference in the response and perhaps save a life. “The dispatcher could instead ask the caller if the individual is breathing normally to differentiate between regular and labored breathing.”
In emergency medical dispatch centers, talking a caller through the essential elements of CPR can be stressful and hard to communicate over the phone. However, the conversation becomes even more difficult if callers are reluctant to perform CPR. Sayre says this may occur for a variety of reasons, including bystander unwillingness, high anxiety of the caller or other issues that physically prevent the caller from helping.
“As emergency medical professionals, we are in the business of saving lives. Unfortunately, if there is one weak link in the chain of survival, the patient may die. Descriptive information from the 911 caller, along with helpful CPR instructions from the dispatcher, gives the patient a chance,” Sayre says.
Dr. David Keseg, medical director for the Columbus Division of Fire, offers the following tips for 911 callers:
· Don’t panic! Remain calm.
· Activate the EMS system immediately by calling 911.
· Follow the dispatcher’s instructions.
· Don’t be afraid to push on someone’s chest.
· Learn how to do CPR before you need to use it.
# # #Sherri L. Kirk
Medical Center Communications
614.293.3737
sherri.kirk@osumc.edu