CPR experts are urging Brits to ditch their embarrassment and “expose the chest” when saving a woman’s life – after one red-faced trainee looked like he was “defusing a bomb”.
The nation is being urged to throw modesty out the window and tackle the stigma surrounding life-saving CPR for women.
While traditional CPR training dummies have long been flat-chested and gender neutral, one medical training company is using more realistic mannequins to prepare people for real-life emergencies.
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Meet Mandy – described as the “sassiest, most overworked and most frequently resuscitated woman” in the UK.
The mannequin is at the centre of a “bra off, life on” campaign being run by Fife Medical Group LTD, as reported by Need To Know.
Unlike standard training models, Mandy has realistic breasts and arrives in class wearing a top and bra – both of which trainees are asked to remove before starting CPR.
The exercise is designed to challenge the hesitation many people feel when faced with performing CPR on a woman.
According to trainers, some delegates were left almost paralysed by the request to remove the bra.
A spokesperson for Fife Medical Group LTD said: “The stigma around performing CPR on female casualties is real and deadly.
“We’re on a mission to break the taboo, build confidence, and make sure our delegates leave ready to save every life, not just the easy ones.
“The look on everyone’s face when they pulled back the top was worth every penny.
“These are the most anatomically accurate mannequins we’ve ever had the pleasure of undressing.
“You’ve helped us take training from clinical to critical – and just a little bit cheeky.
“So yes, there were laughs. Yes, there was blushing.
“But more importantly, there was learning. And that, friends, is what training should be.
“Some gasped. Some giggled. One poor lad looked like he was defusing a bomb – the chain of survival doesn’t stop for lace.”
The experts’ advice for anyone performing CPR on a woman is simple:
- Remove the bra
- Go bare-chested
- Place the pads correctly
- Start compressions “like a boss”
- Save a life
The spokesperson added: ”’But it’s awkward!’
“Not as awkward as attending a funeral.
“‘But what if people are watching?’
“Better to look a bit flustered than let someone flatline.
“Bra off, life on – because dead modesty is still dead.”
