For those who may not know how to perform basic CPR heres some guidelines take a look as u never know when it may come in handy!!
1. Stay Safe! The worst thing a rescuer can do is become another victim. Follow universal precautions and wear personal protective equipment if you have it. Use common sense and stay away from potential hazards.
2. Attempt to wake victim. Briskly rub your knuckles against the victim's sternum. If the victim does not wake, call 999 and proceed to step 3. If the victim wakes, moans, or moves, then CPR is not necessary at this time. Call 999 if the victim is confused or not able to speak.
3. Begin rescue breathing. Open the victim's airway using the head-tilt, chin-lift method. Put your ear to the victim's open mouth:
* look for chest movement
* listen for air flowing through the mouth or nose
* feel for air on your cheek
If there is no breathing, pinch the victim's nose; make a seal over the victim's mouth with yours. Use a CPR mask if available. Give the victim a breath big enough to make the chest rise. Let the chest fall, then repeat the rescue breath once more. If the chest doesn't rise on the first breath, reposition the head and try again. Whether it works on the second try or not, go to step 4.
4. Begin chest compressions. Place the heel of your hand in the middle of the victim's chest. Put your other hand on top of the first with your fingers interlaced. Compress the chest about 1-1/2 to 2 inches (4-5 cm). Allow the chest to completely recoil before the next compression. Compress the chest at a rate equal to 100/minute. Perform 30 compressions at this rate.
5. Repeat rescue breaths. Open the airway with head-tilt, chin-lift again. This time, go directly to rescue breaths without checking for breathing again. Give one breath, making sure the chest rises and falls, then give another. Remember, if the chest doesn't rise on the first breath, reposition the head before you give the second breath.
6. Perform 30 more chest compressions. Repeat steps 5 and 6 for about two minutes.
7. After 2 minutes of chest compressions and rescue breaths, stop compressions and recheck victim for breathing. If the victim is not breathing, continue chest compressions and rescue breaths.
8. Keep going until help arrives.
Tips:
1. If you have acces to an automated external defibrillator, attach it to the victim after approximately one minute of CPR (chest compressions and rescue breaths).
2. Chest compressions are extremely important. If you are not comfortable giving rescue breaths, still perform chest compressions!
3. It's normal to feel pops and snaps when you first begin chest compressions - DON'T STOP! You aren't going to make the victim any worse. Cardiac arrest is as bad as it gets.
4. When performing chest compressions, do not let your hands bounce. Let the chest fully recoil, but keep the heel of your hand in contact with the sternum at all times.
Indeed. When I worked in the print a few of us went to Brighton for a one evening course on this.
Although there was much mirth about the dummy we practised on, it was a serious subject. I've never forgotten to this day how to do it. Such a simple procedure that can keep oxygen flowing to someone's brain for those vital early minutes even if they are technically dead. People have been brought back by defib even after appearing dead for some time. The great thing is that some suffered no brain damage because someone did the CPR and kept the oxygen going to the brain by pressing on the heart and manually pumping the blood around.
On the course I went on, they said to thump the chest once initially to see if that would get the heart going. I believe that they don't recommend that these days.