Optimizing the full team to save lives

Kenichiro Yagi, MS, RVT, VTS (ECC) (SAIM), program director for the RECOVER initiative and chief nursing officer for Veterinary Emergency Group, recently led certification courses in veterinary cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and instruction for basic and advanced life support at the North American Veterinary Community (NAVC) SkillShop in Orlando, Florida. In this video, Yagi discusses the benefit of all team members having the opportunity to learn basic life support techniques and earn CPR certification, and who should pursue an advanced life support course, during a dvm360 interview.

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The following is a transcript of the video:

Kenichiro Yagi, MS, RVT, VTS (ECC) (SAIM): There was mention about basic life support being important, not just to the licensed veterinary professionals like veterinarians, veterinary technicians and nurses, but also for front desk staff. If there are small teams that are going to require everyone [or] to be able to participate in CPR, to have enough hands to help the animal, then basic life support is something that anyone can learn, really, to do good chest compressions. And then, [on] the ventilation intubation side, depending on the state laws, it's a little bit different on who can actually be doing that. But giving everyone on the veterinary team the confidence and the ability to jump in and participate in CPR so that we can give the patients the best chance is something that we focus on as well.

Additional resources:

• Practicing CPR with simulation: Kenichiro Yagi, MS, RVT, VTS (ECC) (SAIM), discusses the unique opportunity for veterinary professionals to learn this emergency rescue technique.
• Certifying for CPR and new instructors: Dana Varble, DVM, CAE, chief veterinary officer for NAVC, discusses the greater impact of veterinary CPR instruction.
• How vet tech skills helps save a human life: Elizabeth Reed, BSVT, LVT, CCRA, recounts the story of how her veterinary CPR skills helped save a stranger’s life during a roadside emergency.
• RECOVER Initiative announces updates to CPR guidelines: This 2024 article outlines recent changes to RECOVER’s CPR guidelines.