16 Simple Steps to Perform CPR & Save a Life!!

16 Simple Steps to Perform CPR & Safe a Life if the need arises!
Summer brings about many fun activities, including swimming.  Although it’s not pleasant to think about, any time you step foot in the water, whether it’s a pool, lake, river, or ocean, there is risk involved.  Everyone should be familiar with the basic techniques of CPR.  You could save a life.  It’s especially good to review CPR steps, even if you know them since the American Heart Association® made some changes to the process in 2010.  Here they are:

1. Check the scene for immediate danger.  Make sure you are not putting yourself in harm’s way by administering CPR to someone unconscious.  Move the person if necessary.
2. Assess the victim’s consciousness.  Gently tap his or her shoulder and ask, “Are you okay?”  Use a loud and clear voice.  If he or she responds, CPR is not required.
3. Send for help.  The more people available for this step, the better.  However, it can be done alone.  Send someone to call for emergency medical services (EMS)
4. Do not check for a pulse.  Unless you are professionally trained, you could be wasting valuable time looking for one.
5. Check for breathing.  Put your ear to the victim’s nose and mouth and listen for slight breathing.  If the victim is coughing or breathing normally, do not perform CPR.  Doing so could cause the heart to stop beating.
6. Place the victim on his or her back.
7. Place the heel of one hand on the victim’s breastbone, exactly between the nipples.
8. Place your second hand on top of the first hand, palm down.
9. Position your body directly over your hands so that your arms are straight and somewhat rigid.
10. Perform 30 chest compressions.  You should press down by about 2 inches, and they should be quick.
11. Minimize pauses in chest compression that occur when changing providers or preparing for a shock.  Attempt to limit interruptions to less than 10 seconds.
12. Make sure the airway is open.  Place your hand on the victim’s forehead and two fingers on their chin, and tilt the head back to open the airway.
13. Give two rescue breaths (optional).  The American Heart Association no longer considers rescue breaths necessary, but you can give them if you choose.  Pinch the victim’s nose closed.  Make a seal with your mouth over the victim’s mouth and breathe out for about one second.  Make sure you breathe slowly; this will make sure the air goes into the lungs and not the stomach.  If the breath goes in, you should see the chest slightly rise and also feel it go in.  Give a second rescue breath.
14. Repeat the cycle of 30 chest compressions.  If you’re also doing rescue breaths, keep doing a cycle of 30 chest compressions and 2 rescue breaths.
15. Continue doing CPR until someone takes over for you; emergency personnel arrives, you are too exhausted to continue, an AED (automated external defibrillator) is available for immediate use, or signs of life return.
16. Use an AED (automated external defibrillator) if one is available in the immediate area as soon as possible to jump-start the victim’s heart.

I hope that none of us reading this have to worry about using this knowledge. I hope that we all have a safe and happy summer season.  But just in case, it is really good information to take time to read and read over again.

Have a great week!!!