When someone stops breathing, oxygen levels drop quickly, and they can die within minutes. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is an emergency procedure that restores blood flow throughout the body, allowing oxygen to reach the brain. Here are some tips for how to effectively perform CPR in critical moments:
Know When CPR is Necessary
Before performing CPR, you should determine whether an individual needs assistance. If you see someone who appears not to be breathing or is unresponsive, first try to wake them. Touch them or shake them lightly while calling their name, and check for a pulse in their wrist or neck without moving them. You can also lean down and turn your head to see if you feel their breath on your cheek. Take only a few seconds to assess. They need medical care right away to prevent brain damage or death.
Once you determine CPR is necessary, call 911 or have someone nearby make the call. The scene should be safe for you and the victim. Only move the person if you decide the scene isn’t safe, such as along a roadway. Place them flat on their back; make sure nothing underneath them could cause injury from the force of compressions, such as a rock.
Determine Correct Hand Placement
Proper hand placement helps confirm that chest compressions are performed in the correct area. For teens and adults, place the heel of one hand directly in the center of the chest, with the other hand on top and fingers interlocked. Use one hand for small children and two fingers for an infant to perform chest compressions. The wrong position may result in broken ribs or cause damage to the lungs or abdominal cavity.
Begin Regular Compressions
Chest compressions keep blood moving through the body when the heart has stopped pumping effectively. When performing CPR, press down forcefully with your hands; go about two inches deep on a teen or adult. Compressions should be quick, at a steady pace of about 100 to 120 per minute. You want to get the blood flowing, so it carries oxygen throughout the body and to the brain. Watch the chest reinflate before completing the next compression. If someone else is with you who knows CPR, switch off with them. Continue until:
- The person shows signs of life
- Medical personnel arrive on scene
- You’re too tired to continue performing compressions
Add Rescue Breaths
If you’re trained in CPR and the person isn’t breathing, you can continue chest compressions while adding rescue breathing. Rescue breaths deliver oxygen to the lungs, which helps supply the brain and other organs. Follow every 30 compressions with two rescue breaths. Pinch their nose and breathe into their mouth, and make sure the chest rises and falls, which indicates the breath entered their lungs. Switch back to compressions, alternating with rescue breaths until help arrives.
If a second person is with you, they are able to take one task while you manage the other, giving you both a short break. If you can only manage one task, prioritize chest compressions over rescue breathing. The second person may also count the compressions while you focus on performing them. Working together helps you maintain consistent CPR while waiting for emergency responders to arrive.
Get Trained in CPR
Before attempting to help someone who isn’t breathing, you should be trained in the correct procedures. CPR trainers teach the correct techniques and guide you through the steps. You’ll practice on a mannequin, which allows you to see what it feels like to work with a person in an emergency. Contact a CPR trainer today to get your certification.
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