New oxygenation and ventilation management training for health care providers
DALLAS, April 3, 2020 — With the COVID-19 pandemic, more patients are having difficulty breathing and requiring ventilators to help them breathe. As hospital and intensive care unit (ICU) volumes increase with COVID-19 patients, health care professionals are being called upon to work outside their usual areas of patient care, particularly helping to care for critically ill patients on ventilators.
The American Heart Association, the world’s leading nonprofit organization focused on heart and brain health for all, trains millions of health care professionals in resuscitation globally. In conjunction with the American Association of Respiratory Care and the American Society of Anesthesiologists, the American Heart Association has released training modules to teach health care professionals about the basics of oxygenation and ventilation management for COVID-19 patients. This guidance was published on April 3, 2020 on the Association’s CPR and First Aid website cpr.heart.org.
“Given that COVID-19 patients will have respiratory issues and even respiratory failure, the American Heart Association felt it was important to bring all health care professionals the opportunity to quickly learn the basics of oxygenation and ventilation management and to be able to access this information when they most need it,” said Comilla Sasson, MD, PhD, FAHA, FACEP, a practicing emergency room physician and vice-president for emergency cardiovascular care science and innovation at the American Heart Association.
The modules include specific guidance for the non-ICU health care provider for patients requiring ventilation assistance who are under investigation for or confirmed cases of COVID-19, how to mitigate risks of frequently used ventilation assistance devices such as non-invasive ventilation and high flow nasal cannula in the COVID-19 pandemic, and how to discuss risk mitigation techniques specific to COVID-19 used to protect health care providers.
Additional resources and guidance on CPR training can be found here. Find general resources from the American Heart Association on COVID-19 here.
Additional Resources:
- View this release in Spanish.
- American Heart Association COVID-19 resources
- Resources and guidance on CPR training and resuscitation care
- COVID-19 Compendium for health care providers
- Follow AHA/ASA news on Twitter @HeartNews
- American Society of Anesthesiologists COVID-19 resources
The American Heart Association is a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives. We are dedicated to ensuring equitable health in all communities. Through collaboration with numerous organizations, and powered by millions of volunteers, we fund innovative research, advocate for the public’s health and share lifesaving resources. The Dallas-based organization has been a leading source of health information for nearly a century. Connect with us on heart.org, Facebook, Twitter or by calling 1-800-AHA-USA1.
About the American Society of Anesthesiologists
Founded in 1905, the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) is an educational, research and scientific society with more than 54,000 members organized to raise and maintain the standards of the medical practice of anesthesiology. ASA is committed to ensuring physician anesthesiologists evaluate and supervise the medical care of patients before, during and after surgery to provide the highest quality and safest care every patient deserves. For more information on the field of anesthesiology, visit the American Society of Anesthesiologists online at asahq.org. For updated information, resources and education related to COVID-19, please visit www.asahq.org/covid19info. To learn more about the role physician anesthesiologists play in ensuring patient safety, visit asahq.org/WhenSecondsCount. Like ASA on Facebook, follow ASALifeline on Twitter.
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Monica Sales: 214-706-1527; monica.sales@heart.org
For Public Inquiries: 1-800-AHA-USA1 (242-8721)
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