Being able to administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in an emergency might be the difference between life and death. In the event of a cardiac arrest, prompt action can double or even triple the odds of survival for both a loved one and a stranger. However, how certain are you of your CPR abilities?
In this blog, we offer ten crucial elements for performing CPR successfully. With simple-to-follow instructions, this will help you do CPR, regardless of whether you’ve never done it before or need a refresher. Life Guardians provides the best CPR and first aid training in Canada.
1. Ensure Scene safety
For scene safety, look around. The person who is going to conduct CPR must make sure that they will be safe while doing so, even though it is ideal to start the treatment as soon as feasible. This might entail keeping an eye out for any threats like traffic or flames.
2. Call 911
Since every minute counts when someone is not breathing, emergency medical assistance must be called as quickly as possible. If there are two persons there, one can start CPR right away while the other dials 911 to get assistance. If there is just one person there, he should either call 911 first if he has instant access to a phone or perform CPR first and then call 911.
3. Check Pulse and Breathing
Determine whether CPR is required by checking the victim’s respiration and pulse. As soon as possible, do CPR if they are not breathing. Before beginning CPR, it is crucial to make sure the individual is breathing and has a pulse since CPR should only be administered if the person is not breathing.
4. Position the person on their back on a flat, firm surface
Before doing CPR, it is imperative to make sure the victim is on a level, hard surface since this will provide the chest compressions with a sturdy foundation.
5. Chest Compression
Only when the patient is unconscious and not breathing normally, may chest compressions be performed.
6. Open the Airway
Place one hand on the chin and the other on the forehead, then slowly tilt the head back to open the airway. This ensures that the airway is open, allowing air to enter the lungs appropriately.
7. Rescue Breathing
Adults who choose to perform mouth-to-mouth breathing must squeeze their nostrils and take two breaths into their mouths, but those who perform mouth-to-nose rescue breathing must breathe through their noses.
If the performer’s mouth is big enough to cover both, rescue breathing can also be given through the mouth and nose at the same time if the victim is a baby.
Rescue breathing should only be attempted by qualified personnel. Until emergency medical assistance comes to offer advanced life support, those who are uneasy administering CPR may think about practicing compression-only or hands-on CPR.
8. Repeat
Repeat the CPR cycle of two rescue breaths after 30 chest compressions until advanced life support is administered by emergency medical professionals or until the individual experiencing cardiac arrest regains consciousness or shows any signs of life.
9. AED
Use an AED as soon as it becomes available.
- If at all feasible, use an automated external defibrillator to shock patients, whether they are adults or children.
- A 911 operator may give instructions and directions to those who are not trained to use a defibrillator.
- Resuming chest compressions for two minutes after delivering a single shock will allow the AED to reassess the heart rhythm.
10. Put the Victim in the Recovery Position
Once the victim of cardiac arrest is breathing properly, place him in a recovery posture while you keep an eye on his pulse and respiration. CPR should be administered until emergency medical assistance comes if the person is not breathing on their own.
When emergency medical personnel come, tell them who was discovered, how long CPR was administered, and any other information that would be important for treatment.
Conclusion:
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or CPR, is an emergency technique intended to keep people in cardiac arrest brains functioning until more action can be performed. If someone has a heart attack or stops breathing after an accident or trauma, it can greatly increase their odds of surviving.
To be ready to do CPR in an emergency, it is imperative to know how to perform hands-on or traditional CPR on adults, children, and infants. Joining a first aid CPR course in Canada will teach you the proper procedures, and it’s also crucial to gain knowledge about it.