If you have a patient lying in front of you and it is in your hands to save a life, continue to read and find the basic measures of performing a CPR, also known as Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation.
What are the necessary steps for doing a CPR?
- Shake and Scream
- Put pressure on the chest
- Give rescue breaths
- Call the ambulance
How do you implement these steps?
1Shake and scream
This step is focused on trying the least invasive treatment to rescue the patient before moving on to something more aggressive. People may fear neck injuries in this step, but neck injuries are infrequent and very unlikely to be exacerbated by this maneuver. Try shaking and shouting briefly, but don’t let this step stand in the way of the more critical steps.
2Starting CPR
If you have little know-how to perform a CPR, you can perform the procedure, but if you are totally unaware, then it is better to call 911 and get step by step guidance from the professionals. Follow the instructions of the dispatcher on the other end of the phone (if he gives you instructions).
3Breast compressions
By compressing the chest, blood is transported through the brain and keeps the patient alive until the heart can be started again. It is really important that blood flows continuously. Any delay in chest pressure (or any pause of more than a few seconds) also has a significant impact on blood flow. Almost as important as how deep and how quickly you compress the chest, it is also important to release the chest after every push. Your hands shouldn’t jump, but you should lift your entire body weight from the patient between each compression.
4Giving Rescue Breaths
This procedure is also known as mouth to mouth ventilation. Rescue breathing has grown to be one of the most controversial steps in CPR. The debate over how much is enough (or too much) and whether it is necessary at all continues. When performing rescue breaths, make sure you know how to do it correctly.
5Call the ambulance
If the patient does not respond, call 911. If the patient wakes up but is confused or cannot speak, call 911. If you have an unconscious adult patient, the ambulance is the first thing you want on the go. Before you begin CPR, you need to call 911 and get help. Without an ambulance that takes the patient and takes him to the right hospital, none of the things on this list help much. Breast compressions are critical. If you don’t like taking breaths, do chest compressions anyway! It’s called Hands-Only CPR. No matter what happens, keep going until help arrives or the patient wakes up and tells you to stop.
6A step-by-step guide to saving your breath
Get educated. There is no substitute for actual CPR training; hence you need to find a CPR class and get adequate training. Not every CPR class is the same; there are CPR courses for health professionals and CPR courses for a layman. Before participating in a CPR class, make sure that the class is suitable for you. For more information on these steps, see the American Heart Association’s Emergency Cardiac Care (ECC) guidelines.
