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Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)

 
 

You will have to act quickly to help someone who may appear to have stopped breathing and has no pulse. There are a number of steps which you should follow:

 
     
 

Turn victim over facing up

 
  turn_victim_over
  1. Assess the victim’s condition - shake him gently and ask if he is all right.

    • If he did not respond, seek assistance by shouting for help and call 995 for an ambulance.

    • Lay him face up on a firm, flat surface, moving his head and body simultaneously

  2. Open his airway by tilting his head back and lifting the chin upwards. If you see foreign objects in his mouth or throat, remove them.

 
     
 

Check to see if victim is breathing

 
  check_for_breathing
  1. Place your face close to his mouth and observe his chest; look, listen and feel for any signs of breathing for up to 10 seconds.
  2. If there is no indication of breathing, perform mouth-to-mouth ventilation.
  • Maintain an open airway. Pinch his nose and give two blows into his lungs. The duration for each breath is 1 second. The victim’s chest should rise with each blow.
 
     
 

Perform mouth-to-mouth ventilation

 
  mouth_to_mouth
  1. Next, feel for pulse at the carotid (neck area) for up to 10 seconds.
  • If there is a pulse, perform mouth-to- mouth ventilation at the rate of 12 times per minute, until natural breathing is restored.

  • If there is no pulse, immediately begin CPR, adhering closely to the steps that follow (Steps #6 to #7).

 
     
 

Centre heel one hand at lower half of victim’s breast bone keeping fingers off ribs

 

Keep arms straight while performing chest compressions

centre_heel   keep_arms_right
  1. If there is no pulse, perform external chest compressions as follows:
  • Centre the heel of one hand at the lower half of the breast bone, keeping your fingers off the ribs. Cover this hand with the heel of your other hand.

  • Keep your arms straight and push down vertically about 4 to 5 cm and then release. Complete 5 cycles comprising of 30 compressions & 2 full ventilations in each cycle. Between compressions, do not lift your hands off the chest.

    Repeat pulse check after the 2 minute and every 5 minutes thereafter.

 
     
 

Stop compressions immediately once pulse returns and check for breathing

 
 
mouth_to_mouth
  1. The moment his pulse returns, immediately stop compressions and check for breathing.

    If victim is not breathing, perform rescue breathing at 12 times per minute ( 1 breath every 5 seconds) until victim’s natural breathing is restored.

    If both pulse and breathing have returned, place victim in the recovery position and maintain an open airway.

    Continue to monitor for both breathing and pulse every few minutes until help arrives.

NOTE:
To be proficient in CPR, one should undergo CPR Training to learn the proper CPR techniques and procedures.

 
     
 
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