Accuracy of the Pulse check

Time is of the essence when managing peri-arrest patients. The team constantly seeks information which might influence the minutes which lie ahead. ELS allows direct visualisation of cardiac motility, and this transforms the 10 second pulse check into a more valuable assessment. In fact evidence demonstrates the relative unreliability of the pulse check. This observation elevates ELS into an obligatory facility during cardiac arrest.

It is essential that the person obtaining the image limits their scan to no more than 10 seconds in order to minimise interruptions between chest compressions. If the scanner is unable to obtain an adequate image, then simultaneously feel for a central pulse

Learning bite

An elementary echo view is more reliable than a manual pulse check in cardiac arrest