Some businesses require all employees to know cardiopulmonary resuscitation along with first aid while other businesses require only designated employees to be so trained. CPR is administering breathing rescue and chest depressions in the event someone is having a heart attack. When the person is experiencing cardiac arrest, blood is not pumping to the heart and CPR is performed to pump the blood until further help arrives.
History
In 1750, the Paris Academy of Sciences recommended mouth-to-mouth resuscitation for drowning victims. Through the centuries, emergency treatment eventually become known as CPR. In 1960, CPR was developed by the American Heart Association to show physicians a closed heart massage. In 1981, the ability to help novice rescuer's perform CPR began in King County, Washington, when emergency dispatchers gave directions until the emergency medical team arrived on the scene.
Guidelines
The federal government turns to the American Heart Association for guidance in matters of cardiac arrest. This guidance is delineated in the Federal Occupation Health guidelines. The Occupational Health and Safety Administration's code of federal regulations mandates that employees must be adequately trained to provide first aid.
Steps in Federal CPR Standards
Three steps are required to perform CPR under federal standards: Check for any type of response in the victim and then call 9-1-1; tilt the head back and check for breathing, pinch the nose and breathe two short breaths into the mouth at one second each: and if not getting a response, press down on the chest between the nipples to a depth of 1-1/2 to 2 inches for 30 repetitions. The rate is 100 per minute.
Benefits
CPR can save lives. The ability to administer CPR comes more from body strength than age. Those as young as 9 years have been able to learn the training and retain the information.
Warnings
Take care when using CPR on a person who is not breathing and non-responsive. If the would-be rescuer doesn't have first aid or CPR training, errors can occur that will be worse for the victim than trying to help. Call 9-1-1 first before trying any type of resuscitation. The dispatcher can give instructions to be followed until emergency medical people arrive.
