How to perform CPR

CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) and Defibrillation

To continue on from our previous blog we shall now look at CPR.  Using good solid CPR on a casualty shall give us a 7%+ chance of reviving them.   Using a defibrillator will increase that percentage up to 80% for reviving them. Let’s now take a look on how to perform CPR.

So again, let’s imagine we are confronted with an elderly gentleman that has collapsed in the store, they are laying on their back.

Initially we conduct the Primary Survey, recap on the primary survey here – https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/425801253

We run through DRABC, we notice that they are not breathing and there is no obvious airway blockage.

The priority here is to ask someone to call the emergency services (EMS), find a local defibrillator and start CPR immediately. (For the purposes of this demonstration we shall assume assistants are calling the EMS and location the nearest defibrillator)

How to perform CPR

You must now start CPR (Remember this is an adult), you may need to unzip their clothing if they are wearing a padded jacket.

1. Kneel by the side of the casualty placing the heel of one hand in the centre of their chest and placing your other hand on top of the first hand and interlock fingers if you can.  Try to lean over the casualty and keep your arms straight. (Your weight should be over the casualty).
2. Press down into their chest around 4-6 inches and then release (this is called a compression), you will need to perform 30 compressions at a speed of around 2 compressions per second.  We shall now offer the casualty 2 rescue breaths (we covered personal safety and PPE in the previous blog and/or review the video linked above).   At this point we shall also look to open the casualty’s airway.  To do this place one hand on their forehead and two fingers from your other hand under their chin and tilt their head back (commonly named head tilt chin lift procedure).  Then open their mouth gently with their head tilted gently back.
3. Pinch the casualty’s nose closed and place your mouth over the casualty’s mouth and make a good seal.  Blow steadily in to the casualty’s mouth until you see their chest rise slightly then stop, wait for the air to release and then blow again.
4. Repeats steps 2-3 until:
   1. a defibrillator arrives.
   1. The emergency services arrive and tell you what to do next.
   1. The casualty appears to start breathing.
   1. You become too tired to continue.

Further Information on how to perform CPR

If at any time you have to leave the casualty, place them into the recover position first.

How to perform CPR – https://vimeo.com/306374250

In our next blog we shall look closer at what to do when our casualty is found breathing but is unconscious ad will not respond.  How to place a casualty in to the recovery position – https://vimeo.com/306373519

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