04-29-2009, 12:08 PM
The only indication for a precordial thumb is if you witness a cardiac arrest. That is, you see the person fall.
By the time paramedics arrive to use an ekg machine to check to see if it's a V.fib, they would also have a defibrillator to use. Bottom line: it's used in the absence of available defibrillator and is only done once.
By the time paramedics arrive to use an ekg machine to check to see if it's a V.fib, they would also have a defibrillator to use. Bottom line: it's used in the absence of available defibrillator and is only done once.