Basic Tips That Can Help You Perform CPR Efficiently

 CPR training in an accredited training site can make you feel a lot more in control of life-threatening emergency situations, for example, a situation where you are face-to-face with a drowning victim or when someone is suddenly having a cardiac arrest. CPR stands for cardiopulmonary resuscitation that comprises chest compressions and rescue breaths. Proper application of the procedure can keep someone alive who can’t breathe on their own or whose heart has stopped pumping (sudden cardiac arrest).

Majority of people are scared to administer CPR to someone suffering from a sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) because they are afraid they may cause further damage, which can largely be attributed to their lack of training (knowledge) in this life-saving skill. They are afraid because they aren’t confident to handle the situation efficiently. Confidence comes from training in the hands of experts. It might come as a surprise considering how vital CPR is, the procedure is actually surprisingly easy to learn.

Here are some tips that can help you perform CPR efficiently:

1.      Ensure the area you are in is safe and secure. Tap the person on the shoulder and ask if they are alright. If they’re unconscious / unresponsive, check for their breathing. If there is no breath, call 911 yourself or ask a passer-by to call the emergency services.

2.      It’s time to begin CPR after you’ve called the emergency services. Administering the procedure properly will help the victim’s heart pump blood to the brain and other vital organs. It will stabilize the condition of the victim until help arrives. Start the procedure with chest compressions by pressing down around 2 inches, keeping a steady rate for 30 compressions. You will have to perform 100 to 120 compressions each minute, allowing the chest to rise after each compression. Don’t worry about hurting the person, as they are clinically dead, so performing CPR can’t cause any further harm.

3.      It’s time for rescue breaths after the 30 chest compressions. Only do rescue breaths if you are trained to do so. If you haven’t been taught how to do rescue breaths, it’s better you stick to the chest compressions. If you are trained, provide two of these rescue breaths (after the 30 compressions) before resuming chest compressions. This step makes sure their blood is oxygenated when it’s pumping around the body.

4.      Carry on with the pattern of delivering two rescue breaths for every 30 compressions until emergency help has arrived.

Keep in mind that a person’s survival chance increases by combining CPR with the use of a defibrillator (a device that delivers shock to normalize an abnormal heart rhythm, only if needed, the device will never shock someone that doesn't need an electric shock).

The above tips in no way are substitute for American Heart Association CPR training. To undergo training in the life-saving skill, look no further than the AHA certified CPR Memphis in Tennessee. To register for a class, contact CPRMemphis at 901-438-4200. No matter your reason for choosing to learn CPR, it’s always a good decision.