An emergency can happen anywhere and at any time. You could be at a supermarket in the middle of the day, at a nightclub enjoying a night on the town, or just innocently walking down the street when someone nearby goes into cardiac arrest.
If this happened to you, what would you do? Other than calling emergency services, most of us would not be able to do much. That is unless they have taken CRP training and received a CPR certification.
What is CPR?
CPR (Cardiopulmonary resuscitation) is an emergency procedure that combines chest compressions with artificial ventilation to preserve brain function and restore circulation and breathing in an individual who has gone into cardiac arrest. The compressions are a vital part of this procedure.
How to Save a Life with CPR Chest Compressions
When someone goes into cardiac arrest, it is essential to start chest compressions immediately to preserve the brain and other vital organs. Without treatment, death can occur in minutes. Chest compressions mimic the heart's pumping action and help keep blood flowing throughout the vital organs. Without this blood flow, the brain will start to die in 6 to 8 minutes. That is why it is so important to perform continuous chest compressions before the emergency medical services arrive; the sooner, the better.
How to perform chest compressions?
- Place the victim on a firm, flat surface.
- Put your two hands in the center of the victim's chest.
- Body position: Shoulders directly over hands; elbows locked.
- For adults, push the chest hard and fast at a depth of at least 2-2.4 inches.
- After each compression, allow the chest to return to its normal position (chest recoil).
How many chest compressions per minute?
According to the AHA guidelines for resuscitation, Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation should be performed with 5 sets of 30 compression and 2 rescue breaths in about 2 minutes. If only compressions are being done (hands-only CPR), aim for 100-120 compressions per minute. Continue until the patient recovers — starts moving and breathing normally, coughing, or talking. At this point, they should be placed in the recovery position. If CPR becomes too tiring, interruption should be minimal to maintain effective compressions.
Do I Need CPR Training to Perform Chest Compressions?
Even if you have not taken CPR classes or received CPR training and are rusty, chest compressions can help save a life. According to the American Heart Association, an untrained person can provide hands-only CPR. This involves uninterrupted chest compressions or continuous compressions of 100 to 120 per minute. You don't need to try rescue breathing.
However, if you are trained in CPR, you will be better prepared to save a life. You will feel more confident and be able to check for vital signs like pulse and breathing. You will also be able to perform rescue breathing and chest compressions more efficiently. These skills can make all the difference in keeping a victim alive.
Getting Your CPR Certification with Online Classes
Although CPR is such a valuable skill, many people never learn it because they feel the classes will be time-consuming and expensive. Others may have gotten a certification and let it expire so that they no longer feel confident in their skills.
However, online CPR training provides a convenient and easy way to become CPR certified, so there is never a good reason not to take CPR classes or let your CPR certification expire. These classes allow you to learn from the comfort of your own home and go at your own pace when it comes to learning.
Also, because there is no need for the provider to pay a teacher to teach a live lesson or supply a location for the classes, online CPR training is very affordable.
