Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) can be used in situations where a person’s heart has stopped or they are not breathing normally. If the person is unresponsive, always call 911 before commencing with CPR. The emergency dispatcher can also help give you guidance with the CPR technique.

cardiopulmonary resuscitation, source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/

Hands Only CPR

Sometimes, chest compression alone is enough to stimulate the heart or breathing. If you are not first aid trained or are nervous about using mouth-to-mouth, you can use this technique.

1) Place the heel part of your hand in the center of the person’s chest, on the breastbone. Put your other hand over the top and interlock your fingers.

2) Press down as hard as you can on the chest, using your full body weight rather than just your arms. The chest should compress by around 5 cm.

3) Keep up the chest compressions in rapid succession, until the emergency services arrive. You should be aiming for 100 compressions per minute – take turns with another bystander if possible, to keep up the momentum.

CPR With Rescue Breaths

If you are confident in your first aid abilities, use rescue breaths in addition to chest compressions.

1)Place your hands, with the fingers interlocked, on the person’s breastbone. Perform thirty rapid chest compressions. You should take under one second to perform a chest compression.

2) After every 30 chest compressions, perform two rescue breaths, then give another 30 compressions.

3) To perform a rescue breath, lift the chin up very gently with two fingers and tilt the head back. Pinch the nose and create a seal over their mouth with your own. Blow firmly and steadily into the mouth so that the chest rises.

4) Continue the cycle until an ambulance arrives.

Children Over One Year Old

Babies and children have different CPR needs.

1) To open a child’s airway, place one hand on their forehead and carefully tilt it back while lifting the chin.

2) Check to see if there are any visible obstructions that could be blocking the nose or mouth. Remove these carefully if possible, but do not take risks if the obstruction could be pushed further into the airway.

3) Pinch the child’s nose and place your mouth over their mouth. Give five rescue breaths, blowing steadily and firmly.

4) Place both hands over their chest and perform 30 chest compressions. Perform two further rescue breaths.

5) Repeat the cycle, with every thirty chest compressions being alternated with two breaths until help arrives.

Babies Under Twelve Months

1) Carefully tilt the head back and lift the baby’s chin. Check for, and remove, any obvious obstruction from the mouth and nose.

2) Place your mouth so that it creates a seal over both the nose and mouth. Give five rescue breaths.

3) Perform 30 chest impressions, by placing your index and middle finger from each hand in the center of the chest. Follow with two rescue breaths.
4) Repeat until the baby is breathing normally or health arrives.

First aid courses are available in most areas. Learn today and start saving lives.

About the Author: Jerry Lee has been working in medical supply industry for more than five years. He loves to write about the medical supply industry for different blogs. He is currently working for EMedItems in City of Industry, CA.