Sunday, June 03, 2007

California Chiropractors: Anesthesia Without CPR Training

Amazing that California's Board of Chiropractic Examiners recently adopted a resolution (supported by a defensive news release) stating that "manipulation under anesthesia" falls under a chiropractic's scope of service, while also recently abandoning the requirement for doctors of Chiropractic in California to train in CPR:
“Repeal of Section 356.1, Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) Requirement For Doctors of Chiropractic: The Board of Chiropractic Examiners repealed section 356.1, which required Doctors of Chiropractic to maintain current certification in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)/Basic Life Support (BLS) from the American Red Cross, American Heart Association, or “other associations approved by the Board.” The Board no longer requires CPR/BLS certification for applicants and renewals beginning May 1, 2007.”
Anesthesia without CPR training?

"Houston, we have a problem."

If I was Governor Schwartzenegger, I'd think twice about leaving a link to my website on their home page!

-Wes

Hat tip: a faithful reader.

3 comments:

  1. My question is this? Do MD's and DO's, who have CPR training as part of their medical education, have to have a valid CPR certification? If they do then chiropractors should too. If they don't then chiropractors don't need it either since CPR training is required as part of their education, according to the websites of the three schools I googled.

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  2. Mike-

    According to this older reference (1993) CPR was not required for purposes of licensure in the 50 states (I have not checked to see if this still holds true). But what IS uniformly certain, is most professional bodies credentialing individuals who administer anesthesia (state boards, hospitals, physician credentialing bodies, etc) require CPR certification to administer anesthesia. The thought of someone not knowing CPR as part of basic life support (Airway, Breathing, Circulation) when they are intentionally changing levels of conciousness with the administration of anesthetics can only lead to one thing - eventual disaster.

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  3. Dear Dr. Wes, If you researched enough regarding MUA, you would realize that it is not the DC administering the anesthetics to the patient nor even wanting to administer drugs to the patient, but merely performing the actual manipulation technique within the hospital setting. However, I do agree that non-certfication of CPR/BLS is not a good thing. I hope you are currently certified in CPR/BLS.

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