Hailey Tran
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a life-saving measure for cardiac arrest, which involves chest compressions and rescue breaths to keep a person's blood flowing until healthcare professionals arrive. CPR can be performed in a hospital setting by trained medical staff or by members of the public in an emergency. It is important to know when and how to perform CPR, as it can double or triple a person's chances of survival. This involves checking the scene for danger, checking the person's responsiveness, calling for emergency services, and performing chest compressions and rescue breaths until the person recovers or emergency help arrives.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| What is CPR? | Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is an emergency procedure consisting of chest compressions and rescue breaths. |
| When to use CPR? | When an adult is not breathing, is only gasping occasionally, and is not responding to questions or taps on the shoulder. |
| How to perform CPR? | Check the scene for factors that could endanger you, then check the person. Call 911 or ask a bystander to call 911 before performing CPR. Place the person carefully on their back and kneel beside their chest. Push hard and fast in the center of the chest, with the heel of your hand, straight elbows, and locked fingers. Aim for 100–120 chest compressions per minute, with each compression at least 2 inches deep. After 30 chest compressions, give 2 rescue breaths by pinching the nose shut, taking a normal breath, and making a complete seal over the person's mouth with your mouth. |
| How long to perform CPR? | Keep doing CPR until the person starts breathing or a paramedic arrives. |
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What You'll Learn
Check responsiveness and breathing
Checking Responsiveness and Breathing
Before performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), it is important to check if the person is responsive and breathing. Begin by tapping the person on the shoulder and shouting, "Are you OK?" If they do not respond, call 911 or ask a bystander to call emergency services before proceeding with CPR.
If the person is unresponsive, open their airway by carefully placing them on their back and kneeling beside their chest. Tilt their head back slightly by lifting their chin. Check for obstructions in their mouth, such as food or vomit, and remove any loose objects.
Place your ear next to the person's mouth and listen for breathing for no more than 10 seconds. If you do not hear breathing or only hear occasional gasps, it is an indication that CPR is required. However, if the person is unconscious but still breathing normally, do not perform CPR. Instead, place them in the recovery position and continue monitoring their breathing.
It is crucial to act quickly and efficiently when checking responsiveness and breathing. If you are unsure, err on the side of caution and begin the CPR process. Remember, performing CPR promptly after cardiac arrest can significantly increase the chances of survival.
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Call for help and get equipment
If you encounter someone who appears to be unresponsive, check for responsiveness, breathing, life-threatening bleeding, or other life-threatening conditions by tapping their shoulder and shouting, "Are you OK?" If they are not responding, call for help and get equipment, or ask someone else to. Call 911 and request an ambulance. If possible, ask a bystander to go and search for an AED machine, which can be found in offices and many other public buildings.
If you are alone with an unresponsive child, give them two minutes of care and then call 911. If the person is not breathing or only gasping, get help immediately. CPR can be performed by anyone, even without training, and it can double or even triple the chances of survival. It is important to act quickly as CPR works by keeping a person's blood flowing until healthcare professionals can take over.
If you are in a hospital, you may have access to specialized equipment and personnel to assist with CPR. However, it is still crucial to call for help and alert the appropriate staff members. Hospitals typically have emergency codes or protocols in place to respond to such situations, so activating the appropriate code can ensure a swift and coordinated response.
In addition to calling for help, you can also use this time to gather any necessary equipment for performing CPR. This includes items like gloves, a bag-valve mask, or any other relevant tools that may be available in the hospital setting. Remember, the goal is to have everything you need readily accessible so that you can focus on administering CPR effectively.
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Prepare the person's airway
Preparing the airway of a person is a crucial step in performing CPR. Here are the detailed instructions for preparing the airway:
Place the person carefully on their back and kneel beside them. Ensure the person is lying on a firm, flat surface, such as the ground. This positioning allows for easy access to their airway and facilitates the CPR process. Check if there is any danger in the surrounding area, such as traffic, fire, or falling objects, and address or avoid it if possible.
Tilt their head back slightly by lifting their chin with one hand while gently tilting their head back with the other. This manoeuvre helps open the airway by aligning the airway structures and preventing obstruction. Make sure to apply gentle pressure, as excessive force can cause injury.
Check the person's mouth for any obstructions, such as food, vomit, or foreign objects. If you see something blocking their airway, try to remove it gently. Be cautious not to push the object further into the airway. Use your fingers to sweep out any visible obstructions.
Pinch the person's nose shut to prevent air escape through the nostrils. Ensure you are pinching the nose gently but firmly to create an effective seal. This step ensures that the air you blow into the person's mouth is directed into their lungs, aiding ventilation.
Position yourself so that your mouth forms a complete seal over theirs. This step is crucial to ensure the effectiveness of rescue breaths. Make sure there are no gaps between your mouth and theirs, creating a tight seal.
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Perform chest compressions
Performing chest compressions is a crucial part of CPR, or cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and can help save a person's life during cardiac arrest. Even without CPR training, you can perform chest compressions to keep a person's blood flowing until healthcare professionals arrive.
To begin, kneel beside the person's chest. Place your hand on the centre of their chest, with the heel of your hand on the lower half of their breastbone. Place your other hand on top of the first hand and interlock your fingers, ensuring your shoulders are directly above your hands. Using your body weight, press straight down on their chest by at least 2 inches (5 to 6 cm) and release, allowing their chest to return to its original position. Aim for a rate of 100 to 120 compressions per minute, minimising interruptions to less than 10 seconds.
It is important to note that CPR can cause injuries, such as broken ribs and organ damage, due to the force required for effective chest compressions. However, the potential benefit of saving a life outweighs these risks. Continue performing chest compressions until the person starts breathing, shows signs of recovery, or emergency help arrives. If you get tired, you can switch places with someone else to maintain consistent CPR.
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Give rescue breaths
Giving Rescue Breaths
Rescue breaths are an essential part of CPR, and they should be administered in conjunction with chest compressions. When giving rescue breaths, it is important to keep the following in mind:
- Check for breathing: Before administering rescue breaths, check if the person is breathing. Place your ear next to the person's mouth and listen for no more than 10 seconds. If you do not hear breathing or only hear occasional gasps, it is a sign that the person requires rescue breaths.
- Tilt the head and lift the chin: To open the person's airway, tilt their head back slightly by gently lifting their chin. Ensure that their mouth is clear of any obstructions, such as food or vomit.
- Pinch the nose shut: Using your fingers, gently pinch the person's nose shut to prevent air from escaping through the nostrils.
- Create a seal: Take a normal breath, and then create a complete seal over the person's mouth with your mouth. Make sure there are no gaps between your mouth and theirs.
- Blow steadily: Blow steadily into the person's mouth for about one second. Ensure that you are blowing with enough force to see their chest rise. Watch their chest to ensure it rises and falls with each breath.
- Allow air to exit: Turn your head away from the person's mouth after each breath to allow air to exit before giving the next breath. Listen and feel for signs that air is being expelled.
- Repeat: Continue giving rescue breaths, maintaining the head tilt and chin lift position. Aim for two breaths after every 30 chest compressions.
It is important to remember that rescue breaths should be given as part of a cycle of chest compressions and breaths. The cycle consists of 30 chest compressions followed by two rescue breaths. Repeat this cycle continuously until the person starts breathing on their own or emergency help arrives.
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Frequently asked questions
CPR, or cardiopulmonary resuscitation, is an emergency procedure consisting of chest compressions and rescue breaths. It is used to help save a person's life when their heart stops beating or is beating too ineffectively to circulate blood to vital organs.
First, check the scene for any dangers, then check if the person is responsive by tapping their shoulder and shouting "Are you OK?". If they are unresponsive, call 911 and carefully place the person on their back. Open their airway by tilting their head back and lifting their chin. If necessary, remove any obstructions from their mouth. Pinch their nose shut and make a seal over their mouth with your mouth, ensuring each breath lasts about 1 second and makes their chest rise. Give 30 chest compressions followed by 2 rescue breaths, repeating this cycle until the person recovers or help arrives.
CPR should be performed when a person is unresponsive and not breathing or only gasping occasionally. If they are unconscious but still breathing, do not perform CPR. Instead, place them in the recovery position and monitor their breathing.
