Choosing to learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation could be a life-saving decision.
According to the American Heart Association, when a person in cardiac arrest receives CPR from a bystander immediately, it doubles her chances of survival. The American Red Cross offers CPR training and certification programs to teach people how to properly administer CPR. One easy way to help remember the basics is to follow the ABCs: airway, breathing and circulation. CPR basics are the same no matter who you are helping, but the guidelines do vary slightly for adults, infants and young children. No matter the age, CPR should be continued either until the victim begins to move on her own or help arrives.
Before Starting CPR
Before beginning CPR, check the victim for unresponsiveness. See if he is conscious by tapping him or speaking loudly. If he is unresponsive, call 911 for help immediately. If two people are available to provide assistance, have one call for help while the other begins CPR. If only one person is available, call 911 first, then begin administering cardiopulmonary resuscitation. One exception to that rule is if a person is suffocating from drowning. In this case, perform CPR for one minute before calling 911 for help, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Airway
Once you begin the ABCs of CPR, the first step is to clear the airway. Place the victim on her back on a flat, firm surface such as the ground. Next, kneel next to her neck and shoulders and open her airway by lifting the chin gently and tilting her head back with your hand on her forehead. To check for breathing, listen for breathing sounds, look for breathing motion in the chest and feel and listen for breathing by placing your ear and cheek near her mouth. Limit this step to about 5 to 10 seconds.
The American Heart Association recommends that people who have not been trained and certified in CPR or whose training was not recent skip this step and move straight to performing chest compressions.
Breathing
The next step in CPR is mouth-to-mouth breathing to provide an oxygen supply for the victim. To begin rescue breathing, open the airway by lifting the chin and tilting the head and covering his nostrils by pinching them shut. Cover his mouth with yours to create a seal, then give the person two one-second rescue breaths. After giving the first breath, check to be sure it is working by looking to see if the chest rises and falls. If it does not, again lift his chin and tilt back his head and make sure the nostrils are closed. If the rescue breathing is successful, move on to chest compressions after administering two breaths.
Circulation
The final step in CPR is chest compressions, which allow blood to resume circulating through the body to deliver oxygen. To start chest compressions, place the heel of your hand on the victim's chest, between the nipples. Place the other hand on top of the first and interlock the fingers. Keeping your elbows straight with your shoulders above your hands, use your upper-body weight to compress the chest about 2 inches straight down.
Chest compressions need to be done at a rate of about 100 compressions per minute. After performing 30 chest compressions, give the victim two more rescue breaths and then perform another 30 chest compressions. Each cycle of CPR consists of two rescue breaths and 30 chest compressions.
In Children
In children ages 1 to 8, the CPR guidelines are very similar to those for adults, with a few differences. First, if you are performing CPR alone administer five cycles of two rescue breaths and 30 chest compressions before calling 911. Additionally, use more gentle breaths when doing rescue breathing and use only one hand to perform the chest compressions.
In Infants
In babies younger than one, CPR is performed differently to account for their size. To start, check for responsiveness by gently stroking or touching the baby. Do not shake him. Check the airway similar to how you would in an adult and then begin rescue breathing by covering the baby's mouth and nose with your mouth. When administering rescue breaths, force the air in your cheeks into the baby's mouth. Do not take deep breaths from the lungs. After giving one rescue breath, check to see if the chest rises and falls. If not, sweep a finger in the baby's mouth to see if an object is obstructing the airway. Remove the object if possible and resume the second breath.
After two breaths, begin chest compressions by placing your index and middle fingers in the center of the baby's chest, between the nipples. Gently compress it by pushing it down one-third to one-half of the chest depth and count aloud 30 compressions. After 30 compressions, start another cycle by performing two rescue breaths and resuming chest compressions. If you are alone, perform CPR for two minutes before calling 911. If another person is available, have them call for help while you start CPR. In babies, chest-only CPR is not effective. Chest compressions must be done in conjunction with rescue breathing for resuscitation to work, according to the Mayo Clinic.
