CPR and Basic Life Support

Terms: Normal Breathing – regular chest movement at approximately 12 – 16 per minute.

Signs of Life: Coughing, swallowing, normal breathing.

1. DANGER

Be sure to always look out for danger to yourself, onlookers and the patient.

2. RESPONSE

•  Check the patient’s response to talk and touch.
• If there is no response from the patient, call 000

3. AIRWAY 

• Check the airway.
• If it is blocked, roll the victim onto their side and clear.
• If it is clear, open it as follows: for adults and children, gently tilt the head backwards. For infants and small children, move the head to be in line with the body.
• Look out for ‘signs of life’, such as not breathing, not being responsive or not movement.

4. BREATHING

•  Check for ‘normal breathing’ by looking, listening and feeling for chest movement.
• If not breathing normally, give two initial breaths and thirty chest compressions followed by two breaths.

5. COMPRESSIONS 

•  Position the heel of one of your hands in the centre of the patient’s chest and grasp the wrist with the other hand.
• Press the chest thirty times to one third of chest depth and compress at a rate of one hundred per minute (almost two per second)
• Continue performing thirty compressions followed by two breaths until medical help arrives or ‘signs of life’ return.

6. DEFIBRILLATION

•  If available, attach an AED (Defibrillator) as soon as possible and follow the prompts and instructions.

 

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