In a full cardio-pulmonary arrest situation, when should you transport the patient?

Transporting a patient during a full cardio-pulmonary arrest should occur after ROSC, which stands for Return of Spontaneous Circulation. Achieving ROSC indicates that the heart has begun to pump effectively again, restoring some blood flow to vital organs and improving the patient's chances of survival. At this point, immediate transport to a medical facility is critical because the patient requires advanced medical care, monitoring, and potential interventions that can only be performed in a hospital setting.

Initiating CPR or administering medications is vital for the immediate management of a cardiac arrest and may keep the patient alive until ROSC is achieved. However, until ROSC occurs, the patient remains in a state of cardiac arrest, and premature transport can compromise the quality of CPR or the administration of life-saving measures. Similarly, waiting for a change in vital signs before transport might not provide the same urgency needed for critical patients, as the condition can deteriorate rapidly. Therefore, the priority is to ensure ROSC has been achieved before moving the patient to ensure a better outcome.