Emergencies usually arise unexpectedly. A colleague may collapse at work, a family member may stop breathing, or a bystander may faint in a public place. Knowing what to do in those circumstances could be the difference between life and death.
One of the most important firsthand skills is CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation), which keeps blood and oxygen moving throughout the body when the heart has stopped beating or a patient is not breathing. It buys time for help to reach the victim.
The Importance of CPR
The brain is very sensitive to a lack of oxygen. Once the heart stops pumping blood, brain damage can occur in just a few minutes, and chances of survival decrease quickly while waiting for the heart to resume pumping.
Immediate CPR can double or even triple the chance of survival when a person suffers a sudden cardiac arrest. This simple skill is often referred to as the link between life and death.
When to Perform CPR?
CPR is performed when a victim is unresponsive, and is not breathing normally. Many times they may only gasp or make choking sounds, which are not real breaths at all. This can occur after several reasons including: a heart attack; drowning; choking or even electrical shock. If you are not sure whether to perform CPR, it is always better to perform CPR than to wait.
CPR Steps for Adults
As with all emergencies, you want to first make sure it is safe for you and the victim. After determining it is safe, check the victim’s responsiveness by gently tapping their shoulder and asking if they’re okay. If there is no movement or verbal response, call for emergency services immediately or ask a bystander to make the call. If an AED (Automated External Defibrillator) is available, get it as soon as possible.
Next, place the heel of one hand in the center of the chest, placing the other hand on top. Now begin the chest compressions. (Push hard and fast at a rate of approximately 100-120 pushes per minute) Make sure to allow the chest to return to its original position between compressions. If you are trained in CPR, alternate chest compressions with rescue breaths (30 compressions followed by 2 breaths)
When giving a breath, tilt the head back, lift the chin, and pinch the nose. Breathe into the mouth until you see the chest rise. Continue with rescue breaths until emergency responders arrive or the victim starts breathing on their own. If you are not trained, continue to do chest compressions only, and note that hands-only CPR is still very effective.
Important Considerations for Children and Infants
Children and infants need tender care. For children, it is acceptable to do compressions with 1 hand; for infants, a person would only use 2 fingers on the chest. For infants, breaths are especially important because emergencies for infants start with a respiratory issue, not simply rapid heart failure. Mostly, the same technique would be successful, just less forceful and smaller breaths.
Common Mistakes
It is very common that one may not push down hard enough during CPR. Chest compressions need to be deep and steady to create an impact. It is also common to wait too long before starting CPR after realizing what is taking place. Waiting as little as 2 seconds seems like a small pause, but actually decreases chances of survival. Often times people will not start CPR out of fear of doing something worse in handling the emergency instead of not starting CPR. The reality is that one should do something, anything better than not doing anything.
Value of Training
Of course, one can attempt CPR, but training will create confidence in the skill of performing CPR. Classes offered by organizations such as the Red Cross or St. John’s Ambulance teach proper protocol and practice on mannequins or simulations.
Just a few hours of training will be enough to prepare someone to contextually act confidently and immediately in a real-life emergency. Many places of employment or schools have programs for getting larger numbers trained in CPR regularly. In general, the more people trained in a local community improves chances of survival and resuscitation.
Fostering a Safety Culture
Picture an office or school environment where CPR is common knowledge and AEDs are readily accessible. In settings like this, cardiac emergencies become much less of a hopeless situation, and instead a plan of informed, prompt action is in place to protect life during an emergency.
Organizations can cultivate this culture through making CPR education part of onboarding, placing AEDs in conspicuous locations, and carrying out drills for emergencies. Much like any other community, once knowledge is shared it becomes a stronger and safer collective.
Also read:-