Project Kouprey

As you all may know by now, our OCIP is named Project Kouprey! :)

(kouprey is the Cambodian national animal btw)


the facebook page is up!! look on the right, and 'like' it now! more importantly, get all your friends to 'like' it too!!

nugget of wisdom - AED..again!

a flowchart makes everything easier!

nugget of wisdom - AED

yeap, we have all heard it, seen it, and probably tried it (or will try it), but how exactly does an AED work?


First of all...what is an AED?

AED stands for Automated External Defibrillator. An AED is a device used to administer an electric shock through the chest wall to the heart. Built-in computers assess the patient’s heart rhythm, judge whether defibrillation is needed and then administer the shock. Audible and/or visual prompts guide the user through the process.




Will an AED always resuscitate someone in cardiac arrest?

An AED only works in 2 situations - when the casualty is going through Ventricular Fibrillation (VF), or Ventricular Tarchycardia (VT). Most patients, when they become pulseless go through a brief period of VF. An AED only treats a fibrillating heart (heart that still has rhythm). VF eventually deteriorates into a total absence of electrical activity, often around ten to fifteen minutes after arrest. In cardiac arrest without any heart rhythm at all, the heart does not respond to an AED, and requires CPR instead.

Err...how does a heart looks like ah?

Blood comes in from the atria (plurar of atrium!), and goes out from the ventricles! 

The atria and ventricles work as a team — the atria fill with blood, then dump it into the ventricles. The ventricles then squeeze, pumping blood out of the heart. 

What is Ventricular Tarchycardia (VT)?

VT is a rapid heart rhythm originating within the ventricles. VT tends to disrupt the orderly contraction of the ventricular muscle, so that the ventricle's ability to eject blood is often significantly reduced. That, combined with the excessive heart rate, can reduce the amount of blood actually being pumped by the heart during VT to dangerous levels. Consequently, patients with VT often experience -- in addition to palpitations -- extreme lightheadedness, loss of consciousness, or even sudden death.

the above diagram shows the difference between a normal heart rate (top), and VT (bottom)

Or to understand that simply...the heart rhythm is messed up. 

What is Ventricular Fibrillation (VF)?

VF is closely related to VT. However, VF is a much more disorganized rhythm that immediately brings to a halt all meaningful ventricular contractions. Blood immediately stops flowing, and loss of consciousness occurs within seconds. Unless cardiopulmonary resuscitation is started within a few minutes of the onset of VF, sudden death will occur.

the heart rhythm is fast (300 to 600!), and extremely irregular..that's VF for you!

Or to understand that simply...the heart rhythm is really, really, really messed up.

Why does someone having a heart attack need an AED?

When a heart attack becomes a full cardiac arrest, the heart most often goes into uncoordinated electric activity called ventricular fibrillation. The heart twitches ineffectively and can’t pump blood. 

The AED delivers electric current to the heart muscle, momentarily stunning the heart and stopping all activity. This gives the heart an opportunity to resume beating effectively. While the heart pauses, the small piece of tissue responsible for the next impulse (the sinus node or sinoatrial node) should fire off the next heart beat.

Video

If you're confused by all that rubbish above, this video should clear it up a little! :)

:D please do not try this

UG Camp Packing List

Dear all,

This is the UG Camp 2011 Packing List. Thank you.(:

nugget of wisdom - CPR

confused by the CPR procedure?? here's a simple flowchart to (hopefully) make your life simpler! :D

note: all comp trainees are to have a copy of this during the training this coming Sat

frolick!

frolick yogurt for sale in March, as part of our fundraising efforts! grab all your friends, and show some support! :D :D

nugget of wisdom - shock

so...what exactly is shock?

yes yes, I know the S&S are weak rapid pulse, fast shallow breathing, cold clammy skin, yada yada....

but, what is shock??


 shock, essentially is a life-threatening condition in which blood pressure is too low to sustain life.


Shock has several causes: a low blood volume, which causes hypovolemic shock; inadequate pumping action of the heart, which causes cardiogenic shock; or excessive widening of blood vessels, which causes distributive shock (anaphylactic shock, neurogenic shock and septic shock).


Hypovolemic Shock

Low blood volume results in less-than-normal amounts of blood entering the heart with every heartbeat and therefore less-than-normal amounts of blood being pumped out to the body and its cells.

Cardiogenic Shock

Inadequate pumping action of the heart can also result in less-than-normal amounts of blood being pumped out with every heartbeat.

Distributive Shock

Excessive dilation of blood vessels (vasodilation) increases the capacity of blood vessels, so that blood meets with less resistance as it flows through them. Blood pressure in the dilated vessels is lower, so the cells fed by those vessels get less blood.

Blood vessels may be excessively dilated because of a serious allergic reaction (anaphylaxis (see Allergic Reactions: Anaphylactic Reactions)), a severe bacterial infection (shock caused by such an infection is called septic shock (see Bacteremia, Sepsis, and Septic Shock: Introduction)), overdose of drugs or poisons that dilate blood vessels, and injuries to the spinal cord and rarely the brain.

read http://www.merckmanuals.com/home/sec03/ch024/ch024a.html for more info!

nugget of wisdom - cerebral compression

here's a simple, yet detailed explanation of how cerebral compression arises!




"Your brain takes up about eight/tenths of the space inside your skull. Most of the rest of the space is filled with blood vessels and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), a dense, clear, colorless substance. CSF flows around the outside of the brain, through a latticework of fibers. Working together, fluid and fibers form the brain's primary shock absorption system, protecting the brain from the bumps and jiggles of everyday life. But, if your head smacks into something with sufficient force, your brain can slosh around enough to tear some of the blood vessels, and even bruise the brain itself, if it hits the inside of the skull. That's how you can have brain damage without headbone damage.

What happens inside the head is this. Blood flows out of the broken blood vessels in the head and, sometimes, blood serum starts to leak out of the vessels in the damaged area of the brain. Swelling results, but, unlike the rest of the body, there's no place for the swelling to go. As the space inside the head decreases, there is less and less room for the flow of life-sustaining blood. Initially, the brain stops making CSF, and starts to reabsorb what is already there . . . the brain tries to create more space. The brain can even limit the amount of blood flowing to itself. But, if the damage is sufficient, the brain's compensatory mechanisms cannot keep up with the swelling. Intracranial pressure (ICP) starts to rise, and, as a result, the brain is squashed."

tadaaaa!

tentative design for OCIP t-shirt

hey everyone!


below is the tentative design of the OCIP t-shirt that we will be selling for fundraising (yes, we have fundraising events!). take a look, and let me know what you think of the design! (vote on the poll on the right). think of it as you're a student, and another group is selling this t-shirt. will you get it at $8??

the design is commas (,) arranged in the form of a seedling. seedling symbolizes hope and growth, which encapsulates the essence of our project in helping the Cambodian children :) it'll be single color (white) printing in front, with no designs at the back (all t-shirts look like that nowadays!)

did you know..

that RVSJAB has obtained the Gold Award for Corps Achievement Award every single year since the award was introduced?

that's a whopping 11 consecutive years, and we're one of the only 3 Corps to do that ;)

damn, we're oh-so-zai.

OCIP

so, as we all already know, RVSJAB is organizing an OCIP! the first ever in the history of RVSJAB :D *applause*

so, where exactly are we going?

*drumroll*

SHCC!

do take a look-see at their website :)

noticed something different...?

we have our very own domain now.

www.rvsjab.com

yes, we are that cool to have our own website ;)

Chinese New Year

Happy Chinese New Year!! Wish you guys get lots of ang pao and a pleasant year ahead^^

ever seen..

eric's gf before?

here she is..

:D

tips on how to be a CCA leader

after Zone Comp, it will soon be time for the year 3s to takeover..

so, thinking of becoming the OIC/CSM?

here's how..


have really, really small eyes.