Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a technique used on patients who stop breathing or are in cardiac arrest. The process combines breathing in the mouth and pressing the chest to simulate the heartbeat. This provides oxygen to the patient and moves the blood in the body in an effort to keep the patient's oxygen flowing until emergency rescue personnel can use more advanced resuscitation procedures. CPR has three rules that provide standards to protect the patient.
Check for Unresponsiveness
A patient who goes into cardiac arrest becomes unresponsive, and he will lose consciousness. The first rule of CPR is to check for a pulse. When cardiac arrest occurs, the patient will become unresponsive within 10 seconds after the heart stops beating. The pulse will drop to zero, so detection of a heartbeat fails. If you discover a person in cardiac arrest, call 911 promptly and begin resuscitation efforts. A patient in cardiac arrest may grunt or gasp for air, but an abnormally breathing patient still requires CPR.
Blow
Blow in the patient's mouth to provide oxygen. Lean the head back and listen for breathing. If the patient is breathing abnormally, pinch the nose and place your mouth over the patient's mouth, ensuring there is a seal between the two mouths. Blow into the patient's mouth and watch the chest for expansion. Chest expansion indicates that air is entering the lungs properly and the patient is receiving oxygen. Breathe into the patient's mouth two times.
Pump
If breathing into the patient's mouth does not resuscitate or return the unconscious patient's breathing to normal, start pumping the chest to mimic a heartbeat. This technique should be done carefully and accurately so as not to break the patient's rib bones. Place the hands in the center of the chest on the hardened area (the sternum) between the nipples. Use the palms of the hands (one hand on top of the other) to push the chest. Ideally, the chest should be pressed about 1 1/2 inches inward. The CPR administrator may hear the ribs crack, but it's important to pump the chest to get blood circulating to organs, especially the brain. Place the hands in the middle of the chest and pump approximately 30 times. Repeat blowing and pumping until emergency personnel reach the patient.
