CPR Training

You can read how to do CPR out of a book and memorize it really well, but that doesn’t mean you will be able to respond in an emergency.  In an emergency, you need to be able to do it quickly and without thinking. 

One of the main reasons for training is that they have a real dummy (not you) that you can practice on.  You can see how to open the airway when tilting the head back.  Most importantly, you will be able to see how hard to push for chest compressions and how hard to breath into the dummy lungs.

You will have people around you to let you know how you are doing.  Some people tilt the head too far and others can’t quite do the compressions without someone instructing them.  If you think it is easy, think again.  Safety personnel get utterly worn out from doing CPR.  It takes a great deal of stamina.  How you hold your arms and do the compressions will make a huge difference on how effective you are and how long you can keep doing it. 

CPR Basics

1- The abcs.  Check the airway, breathing, and circulation.  Put your ear near their mouth to feel for breath while looking at the chest for it to rise and fall.  This will let you know if they are breathing.  If they are not breathing, start doing CPR.  You could check for a pulse first, but since time is so crucial it is better to just start the CPR.

2- Tilt the head back slightly to open up the airway.  Hold onto the forehead and pull up on the chin. 

3- The magic ratio is two and thirty.  You will do two breaths for every 30 compressions. 

4- The speed is slightly more than one compression per second.  One easy way to do it is to sing the song Row Row Row Your Boat slightly fast.  It will keep you close to the right speed.

5- Lock your elbows and use your body weight to rock back and forth.  If you try and muscle it, you won’t last long.
6- To get access to the heart, you will push hard enough to break ribs and cartilage.  The idea is that breaking bones and cartilage is better than dying.

7- Check for pulse and breathing every two minutes.  Perform the CPR for a minimum of thirty minutes.  In reality, do the CPR for as long as it takes. 

8- To do the compressions, follow the rib cage up to the sternum.  Then go two fingers above the sternum.  That is where you will do the compressions.