CPR for wheelchair users

Hi there my Name is Elisha, I am a stroke survivor. I had three ischemic strokes in 2009 while I was pregnant, that baby is now a fit and healthy 14 year old who I am proud to call my daughter. We survived stroke together and then learnt to walk and get through the days together all with the amazing and unwavering support of Brad my husband and her Dad!

It was a long hard recovery but after 7 years I made it back to work. Now my daughter is in high school and I am back at school too.

I am part way through a PhD aiming to develop an education package that will inform people how to provide CPR and basic life support to people who use a wheelchair. I he months following my stroke I was a wheelchair user and experienced first hand some of the societal discrimination that people with disability face. Not being spoken to, having my husband referred to as an amazing man for staying with me despite my disability, it was awful and shocking.

When I returned to work I was teaching first aid and CPR to carers of people with disability and I became aware of the need for some guidance around the delivery of emergency care to people who use a wheelchair. There is currently NO policy or guideline available worldwide to inform this care.

So I went back to Universtiy to try and set this inequality right. I have completed an honours year and am now half way through my PhD. I am currently recruiting for people to assist with this study.

So if you use a wheelchair, care for someone who uses a wheelchair or you are a healthcare professional who cares for people who use a wheelchair I would love to ttalk to you about my study and any ideaas or thoguhts that you have.

Further details can be found here.

https://enableme.org.au/community/research/cpr-and-first-aid-for-people-who-use-a-wheelchair

I send me a message and I will get back to you.

Thanks Elisha