The fast and effective application of CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) can increase the chances of a patient surviving when suffering from cardiopulmonary arrest. With CPR victims can double or triple their survival chances.
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation works by ensuring the patient’s blood flow until the healthcare providers arrive for help.
Let’s learn more about CPR.
What is CPR?
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation is a first-aid method that is used on someone who is having a breathing problem or if their heart has stopped.
Individuals with no first aid training can still save lives by attaining online CPR and First aid certification to equip their skills and knowledge.
Read more to learn about 7 simple procedures that can help someone who is experiencing life-threatening emergencies.
CPR step-by-step
Here are the 7 basic steps one should follow while offering CPR services in case of emergency.
- Call emergency services
First, make sure the scene is free from any dangers like fire, traffic, or falling masonry. Next, check the status of the person.
If there is no response from them, ask a bystander to call 911 or just call 911before beginning to perform CPR. If possible, ask any bystander to look for AED machines around the near buildings.
- Interlock Fingers
Place your other hand on top of your other superior hand and interlock your fingers. When performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation for an infant (one to ten years old), it’s more convenient to use one hand while for a newborn to 12 months old, use two fingers.
Carefully apply enough pressure to make an impact but you do not want to cause further injuries to the victim.
- Start chest compression
Lean directly over the victim and try to keep your arms straight. Apply pressure into their chest and then come up. Let the chest fully rise again.
Try to push down the chest about 5centimeters or 2 inches while aiming to do 100 to 120 compressions per minute. Remember to complete 30 chest compressions.
- Place the Victim on their and open the airway
As the search for AED continues, place the victim slowly on their back and carefully kneel beside their chest. Place their head slightly tilted by lifting their chin.
Check for any obstruction such as vomit or food by opening their mouth. In case of any obstruction, remove it, and trying to hold it may push it further into the airway.
- Add rescue breath
Now, it’s time to deliver rescue breaths. Hold the person’s nose closed and carefully breathe into the patient’s mouth. Give enough breath so that the victim’s chest rises.
Some rescuers are always hesitant to give rescue breaths due to fear of being infected with sexually transmitted diseases from the victim. However, studies show performing CPR does not contract the infectious disease if they do only 5% of the rescuers.
- Do another rescue breath after a chest fall
Once the victim’s chest is settled, you should reposition the head if there is a need and then complete another rescue breath.
- Resume Chest Compression
Until the emergency medical responders (EMRs) arrive, continue doing cardiopulmonary resuscitation by doing the same procedure. Once the health professionals arrive, let them take over.
Final Words
While cardiopulmonary resuscitation seems to be complex, it is much easy and undemanding than most would think. It all trickles down to seven basic procedures from calling emergency to doing compression again and again.