Cardiopulmonary resuscitation is the manual application of breathing techniques and chest compressions to maintain breathing and circulation, according to MedlinePlus website. The method is used on those who have stopped breathing, such as a person having a heart attack. While the CPR method is a life-saving procedure, it must be performed using safety precautions.
Guideline Changes
In 2005, the American Heart Association released new CPR safety guidelines based on research concerning CPR effectiveness, according to Lab Safety website. Changes to guidelines were designed to improve the ease of administering CPR and involves administering faster and firmer chest compressions. The recommended rate is 30 compressions to every two breaths for a total of 100 compressions per minute. Continue performing these compressions until emergency medical personnel arrive or the patient begins breathing.
Urgency
The nervous tissue in your brain requires constant amounts of oxygen and blood supply in order to function. Without these needed parts, your brain tissue begins to die. If you are not treated quickly enough, death can result. This is why urgency is important when performing CPR safely. If you do not restore oxygen flow within eight minutes after a person stops breathing, permanent brain damage and/or death can occur, according to KidsHealth website.
Assessment
Before administering CPR, it is important to ensure person truly is not breathing or blood is not circulating, according to KidsHealth. You can do this by watching the person's chest for the rise and fall of breathing or by listening to the mouth for the sounds of air coming in and out. If you determine a person is not breathing, it is safe to perform CPR.
Training
First aid training courses allow you to become well-versed in administering CPR. For adults who need breathing assistance, CPR should only be utilized when you feel confident in your ability to give CPR, according to the Mayo Clinic. If you have not been trained or do not feel confident in your abilities, provide CPR using only your hands at a rate of 100 compressions per minute until paramedics arrive on the scene. These chest compressions will help to restore blood flow. However, if you are performing CPR on a child, you may wish to use gentle breathing and chest compressions.
Considerations
While administering CPR can save a person's life, it is often the start --- not the end --- of care that is required to save a person's life, according to Lab Safety. For this reason, you or someone around you should also call 911 for emergency assistance to receive assistance. Perform this safety precaution before beginning CPR, then proceed in administration.
