A Guide To Performing CPR

Where someone has a cardiac arrest and stops breathing as a result, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) can be used in order to resuscitate and revive the victim. In the event of a cardiac arrest, the heart goes into an unusual rhythm and no longer works to pump blood around the body to all of the vital organs.

When this happens, it is important to act as quickly as possible as each and every minute counts. One way of helping in such a situation is by administering CPR Certification. If you want to learn how to do this and even become certified in administering CPR, then get in contact with the guys at CPR Select to take part in one of their online courses.

However, for those not wanting to seek certification, we have put together an easy to follow step by step guide, which may just end up saving a life.

1. Shout & Shake – when finding someone who is unconscious, you should check for a response by gently shaking them and loudly asking them how they are feeling. If they still remain unresponsive, try raising your voice so that you are shouting at them.
2. Check for breathing – if a person is having a cardiac arrest they will not be breathing and they will also not be conscious. To check if they are breathing, look at their chest to see if it is moving, listen for their breath, and see if you can feel it on your cheek.
3. Call 911 – regardless of how the person is breathing, you should make sure to call the emergency services via 911, asking for an ambulance to attend the scene. After doing this, you could also ask anyone who is around to go and get a publicly available automated external defibrillator (AED).
4. Start chest compressions – chest compressions should then begin to be administered for a period of 30 seconds at a rate of 100 – 120 compressions per minute. That equates to roughly two every second.
5. Give rescue breaths – after 30 seconds of chest compressions, two rescue breaths need to be given to the person. To do this, tilt their head back, opening their airway, and lift up their chin. Gently pinch their nose and blow in a normal breath into their mouth, ensuring that there is an airtight seal between your mouth and theirs.
6. Continue the process – the process of chest compressions and rescue breaths needs to be continued until a trained medical professional attends the scene of the emergency. That is unless the person starts showing signs of consciousness before this. You will know they are conscious if they begin coughing, open their eyes, start breathing, and . or open their eyes.

By following these steps as best as you can, you will vastly increase the person’s chances of survival. By getting oxygen to their brain through administering rescue breaths you will also ensure that if they do survive, they will not be left with any life changing effects, such as brain damage or the like. This is why learning CPR is so important.