Lesson 4 Implementation of chest compressions (CPR)
- When you perform CPR, you are essentially attempting to get the person's heart and lungs working again.
- If your co-worker is not breathing normally, you must call an ambulance then start CPR, which is a combination of chest compressions and rescue breaths.
i. Kneel by the person and put the heel of your hand on the middle of his/her chest. Put your other hand on top of the first. Interlock your fingers, making sure they don’t touch the ribs. Keep your arms straight and lean over the person. Press down hard, to a depth of about 5-6cm, before releasing the pressure – allowing his/her chest to come back up.
ii.Keep the person’s nose shut and open his or her mouth. Take a normal breath and place your mouth around the his/her mouth. Then, blow steadily into the mouth while watching for the chest to rise. Remove your mouth from the patient and watch for the chest to fall. Provide a second breath and immediately resume 30 compressions;
iii.Continue giving sets of 30 chest compressions and 2 breaths until qualified help takes over and your co-worker starts breathing normally.
Updated guidelines due to the COVID-19 outbreak and advise NOT to perform rescue breaths on the casualty.
During COVID-19 pandemic if an adult is unresponsive and not breathing normally, you need to:
- Call First Aid /European Emergency Number 112
- Put a towel or item of clothing over the face
- Perform chest compressions to the tempo of the song Staying Alive. Do not give rescue breaths