The Fallacy of pulse checks with CPR

Why You Should Stop Using Pulse Checks to Gauge CPR QualityIn the middle of a cardiac arrest, it’s tempting to reach for a pulse to see if your compressions are working. But what if that reassuring pulse you feel isn’t what you think it is?In this episode, we explore why manual pulse checks during CPR are often unreliable. Evidence shows they can be misleading in up to 50% of cases, frequently detecting retrograde venous pulsations rather than true arterial flow. This false confidence can lead teams to unintentionally ease off on compression quality when it matters most.We break down:Why ANZCOR no longer recommends pulse checks as a measure of CPR qualityThe superiority of waveform capnography (ETCO2) for monitoring resuscitation effectivenessHow a sudden rise in ETCO2 is one of the best early signs of ROSCPractical team strategies to maintain high-quality CPR without unnecessary interruptionsIf you’ve ever paused or adjusted compressions based on a pulse check, this episode will change how you approach resuscitation forever.Listen now for clear, ANZCOR-aligned insights you can apply on your very next shift.#CPR #PulseCheck #ETCO2 #Capnography #ALS #Resuscitation #ANZCOR #FOAMed #AdvancedLifeSupport