In Russia, Europe, USA and other countries, all health care workers and all people who have undergone cardiopulmonary resuscitation training have a moral and sometimes legal obligation to provide necessary assistance (otherwise the law speaks of "failure to render assistance if there is a threat to human life").

When providing emergency medical care to children at prehospital stage, the doctor evaluates the signs of the patient's condition, makes a diagnosis, administers and performs emergency measures according to vital indications. Then the diagnosis is specified and further tactics of care are determined: treatment in outpatient settings or admit to the hospital (fig. 12.1).

Fig. 12.1. Algorithm of emergency care for children

When developing a tactical decision, it is important to remember that decompensation in children occurs much faster than in adults.

CARDIOPULMONARY RESUSCITATION

Ethical aspects of any medical intervention can be determined on the basis of the following principles: benefit - ultimately benefit the patient; no harm - do not harm the patient; respect personality of the patient and justice.

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a complex of therapeutic measures aiming to restore vital functions of patients in clinical death.

The main signs of clinical death: lack of consciousness, breathing and palpitations; pulse not felt carotid and other arteries; the pupils are dilated without reaction to light.

The tasks of primary CPR are to provide the systemic blood flow and external respiration minimally necessary for maintaining life for the time necessary until the ambulance arrives. CPR should preferably be performed by two people.

Primary CPR steps:

• determine that the patient is unconscious, note the time of cardiac arrest;