Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) should only be preformed on a victim that is experiencing Cardiac Arrest. Cardiac Arrest is defined as the "failure of the pumping action of the heart, resulting in loss of consciousness and absence of pulse and breathing"(Dictionary.com, 2012). Cardiac arrest can be caused one of two reasons; cardiac (heart) problems, or respiratory (lungs) problems. When confronted with a situation where the victim is an adult, the cause of the cardiac arrest is most likely a heart problem. So in this situation you would want to contact Emergency Medical Service (EMS) and get someone to get the nearest Automated External Defibrillator (AED) as soon as you get to the scene. If that means leaving the victim alone for the time being do so getting the AED and EMS there is more important then starting CPR. However, if the victim is an infant or child you want to start CPR immediately, and continue CPR for 2 minutes, then leave the to contact 911 and get an AED. These guidelines should be fallowed for the single fact that adults are at a high risk of heart problems, which can be means they don't necessarily need CPR right away to save their lives, they need to be transported to a hospital or get the Automated External Defibrillator there as fast as they can. Where as children or infants are most likely suffering from respiratory problems. In cases like this you would should be present as much as possible, start CPR for two minutes then activate EMS and get the AED (if available) but come back to the infant or child as soon as you can.
Steps For CPR: These guidelines have been updated in the last two years (information that you may be used to are no longer the standards)
- Check for responsiveness and breathing
- Have a bystander activate EMS and get the AED (if available)
- If you are alone with an adult victim activate EMS yourself
- If you are alone with an infant or child victim, do not leave the victim (until you have preformed CPR for 2 minutes)
- If the victim is unresponsive and not breathing start CPR starting with 30 fast hard chest compressions, placing your hands in the center of the chest (lower half of the chest bone)
- Before starting CPR make sure the victim is on a hard flat surface, if he or she is not, move them to the closest area (do not perform CPR if the victim is on a couch)
- If the victim is an adult use both hands with your dominant hand on the victims chest and fingers interlocked
- If the victim is a child you should only use one hand (you can use both but DO NOT PUSH AS HARD)
- If the victim is an infant only use two fingers and compress the chest to only a 1 1/2 inches
- Tilt the head back and lift the chin to open the airway then perform 2 rescue breathes
- keep an eye on the victims chest to see if the chest is raising, if so the breathe is getting to their lungs successfully
- Repeat this cycle until one of the fallowing happens:
- The scene becomes hazardous to you or the victim
- The AED has arrived on scene
- EMS or a more qualified person arrives and can relieve you
- You become to tired to continue
- The victim wakes up or starts to move at all
- If this happens move the victim to the recovery position, which is laying down on their left side
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NOTE: Reading this blog doesn't mean that you should go out and perform this procedure on anyone, you must complete a CPR training course and fully understand this procedure and be certified before you start performing CPR.
(All information unless otherwise cited is from my own knowledge that I have collect throughout the last year and half, from Health 103 course, Introduction to Athletic Training (Kinesiology 190), and CPR Certification course At Hackensack University Medical Center)
