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American Red Cross First Aid/CPR/AED For
The Workplace |
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CPR The Technique That Saves Lives |
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CPR (Cardio
Pulmonary Resuscitation) may well be the most valuable skill you will
ever learn. Over and over again, CPR has been shown to prolong life
until trained medical personnel arrive to administer professional care.
CPR has been used primarily to revive victims of cardiac arrest, but it
has also saved victims of drowning, respiratory failure, and drug
overdose.
How CPR Saves Lives
CPR is a combination of mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and chest
compression. "Mouth-to-mouth" helps get air into the victim's lungs
while chest compression forces oxygen-rich blood to the brain and other
organs. The key components of successful CPR are timing and training.
Timing, because unless CPR is administered within 4 minutes of an
arrest, the brain can be irreversibly damaged from lack of oxygen.
Training, because too violent chest compression can cause the chest wall
to cave in, while too-mild chest compression can fail to force adequate
blood supplies to the brain.
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American Red Cross
guidelines dictate that Adult CPR is performed on any person over the
age of 8. The procedure outlined in the following lessons is similar to
Children CPR and Infant CPR, although some critical differences apply.
Before you start
any rescue efforts, you must remember to check the victim for
responsiveness.
If you suspect that
the victim has sustained spinal or neck injury, do not move or shake
him. Otherwise, shake the victim gently and shout "Are you okay?" to see
if there is any response. If the victim is someone you know, call out
his name as you shake him.
If there is no
response, immediately dial 9-1-1 and check the airway
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A- Airway
"A" is for AIRWAY.
If the victim is unconscious and is unresponsive, you need to make sure
that his airway is clear of any obstructions. The breaths may be faint
and shallow - look, listen and feel for any signs of breathing. If you
determine that the victim is not breathing, then something may be
blocking his air passage.
The tongue is the most common airway
obstruction in an unconscious person.
With the victim
lying flat on his back, place your hand on his forehead and your other
hand under the tip of the chin.
Gently tilt
the victim's head backward. In this position the weight of the tongue
will force it to shift away from the back of the throat, opening the
airway.
If the person is
still not breathing on his own after the airway has been cleared, you
will have to assist him breathing
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B-
Breathing
"B" is for
BREATHING. With the victim's airway clear of any obstructions, gently
support his chin so as to keep it lifted up and the head tilted back.
Pinch his nose with your fingertips to prevent air from escaping once
you begin to ventilate and place your mouth over the victim's, creating
a tight seal.
As you assist the
person in breathing, keep an eye on his chest. Try not to over-inflate
the victim's lungs as this may force air into the stomach, causing him
to vomit. If this happens, turn the person's head to the side and sweep
any obstructions out of the mouth before proceeding.
Give two full
breaths. Between each breath allow the victim's lungs to relax - place
your ear near his mouth and listen for air to escape and watch the chest
fall as the victim exhales.
If the victim
remains unresponsive (no breathing, coughing or moving), check his
circulation
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C-
Circulation
"C" is for
CIRCULATION. In order to determine if the victim's heart is beating,
place two fingertips on his carotid artery, located in the depression
between the windpipe and the neck muscles,
and apply slight
pressure for several seconds. If there is no
pulse then the victim's heart is not beating, and you will have to
perform chest compressions
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COMPRESSIONS
When performing
chest compressions, proper hand placement is very important. To locate
the correct hand position place two fingers at the sternum (the spot
where the lower ribs meet) then put the heel of your other hand next to
your fingers.
Place one hand on
top of the other and interlace the fingers
Lock your elbows
and using your body's weight, compress the victim’s chest. The depth of
compressions should be approximately 1½ to 2 inches - remember: 2 hands,
2 inches.
If you feel or hear
slight cracking sound, you may be pressing too hard. Do not become
alarmed and do not stop your rescue efforts! Damaged cartilage or
cracked ribs are far less serious then a lost life. Simply apply less
pressure as you continue compressions.
Count aloud as you
compress 30 times at the rate of about 3 compressions for every 2
seconds. Finish the cycle by giving the victim 2 breaths. This process
should be performed four times - 30 compressions and 2 breaths - after
which remember to check the victim's carotid artery for pulse and any
signs of consciousness.
If there is no
pulse, continue performing 30 compressions/2 breaths, checking for pulse
after every 4 cycles until help arrives.
If you feel a pulse
(the victim's heart is beating) but the victim is still not breathing,
rescue breaths should be administered, one rescue breath every five
seconds (remember to pinch the nose to prevent air from escaping). After
the first rescue breath, count five seconds and if the victim does not
take a breath on his own, give another rescue breath.
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American Red Cross first
aid, program is designed to give you the confidence to respond in an
emergency situation with skills that can save a life.
Additional training in
bloodborne pathogens, oxygen administration and injury prevention can be
added to CPR and first aid training to prepare you to prevent and
respond to life-threatening emergencies.
Red Cross Preparedness
programs in first aid, CPR and AED are available for any age and can be
tailored to the needs of specific groups and individuals. Whether you
work with children, want training for employees, are a professional
rescuer, or simply want to know how to help someone in an emergency, the
American Red Cross has a program for you. Find out more about the
American Red Cross Advantage.
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- Minimum age: None
- Cost: $65.00 + Book
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