Cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or CPR, is a method to circulate oxygenated blood until more advanced help arrives. CPR training is available throughout your community, enabling you to get your certification through the American Red Cross or the American Heart Association. You will learn to perform CPR on adults and children; you must make a few adjustments when working a child or infant.
Checking an Unconscious Adult
The purpose of an unconscious-check is to determine whether a victim has an open airway and is breathing. Before you approach a victim, ensure that the scene is safe for you to enter. Tap the adult on his shoulder and ask if he is okay. If you get no response, shout for help and ask another person to call 911. The victim must be on his back so you can check his airway. Place the pinkie edge of one hand on his eyebrows and the two fingers of your other hand under his chin to tilt his head. Look toward his chest, and place your ear near his mouth. Look to see if his chest rises and falls. Listen and feel for air coming out of his mouth and nose. If he is breathing, place him on the side and continue to monitor him. If he is not breathing, pinch his nose and give two full, distinct breaths by covering his mouth with your mouth. As you breathe into your victim, look toward his chest to see if it rises and falls. If your breaths go in and his chest rises, get ready to do CPR.
Adult CPR
If an adult stops breathing, it is likely due to a heart attack. CPR is a combination of 30 compressions and two breaths. When you do an unconscious-check and your breaths go in, interlace your fingers, and place the heels of your hands in the center of the victim’s chest. Lock your elbows, and bring your shoulders directly over your hands. Compress her chest 1 1/2 to 2 inches deep. Compress her chest 30 times, and then tilt her head and lift her chin to give two breaths. You will continue to perform CPR until the scene becomes unsafe, you detect breathing, an automated external defibrillator is ready to use, you are too tired to continue or until another trained person arrives and takes over.
If Breaths Do Not Go In
When you check an unconscious victim and your two breaths do not go in, he may have an obstructed airway or perhaps you did not tilt the head back far enough. Bring the head down, and then tilt his head back up just a little farther and repeat the two breaths. If your breaths still do not go in and his chest does not rise, give 30 chest compressions just as you would for CPR. Then open his mouth and look for an object. If you see an object, remove it. Next, give two breaths. If your breaths do not go in, continue the series of chest compressions, checking for an object and giving two breaths. If and when your breaths go in, check your victim to see if he is breathing. If he is not breathing, begin CPR.
Certification
Get your CPR certification before performing care on someone. If you are not certified, you are at greater risk for being sued. If you are certified, you are protected by the Good Samaritan laws in your state. This law protects you as long as you perform within the scope of your training and you do what any reasonable and prudent person would have done.
Considerations
These steps for CPR are for the general public responding to an emergency situation. Your role in performing CPR for an unconscious victim is vital to her survival. You are circulating oxygen-rich blood to her cells until she can receive more advanced care from emergency personnel such as EMTs and paramedics.
References
- “First Aid/CPR/AED for Schools and the Community”; American Red Cross; 2006
- American Heart Association
- American Red Cross
