Have you ever encountered a victim of sudden cardiac arrest? Want to help but unsure of what to do? It might be time to learn how to do CPR as it can be the key to saving someone’s life.
CPR helps to buy time until a defibrillator or professional medical help arrives. CPR keeps oxygenated blood moving throughout the body and can help to prevent irreversible brain damage by supplying the brain and other important organs with blood.
While performing CPR, you could be making mistakes. Here are 4 commonly made mistakes when performing CPR.
Long Pauses During Chest Compressions
To keep the pressure of blood being pumped around the body, chest compressions must be done with minimal pauses. A gap of more than 10 seconds has been proven to diminish the victim’s chances of surviving. This also applies after and before a defibrillation shock where pauses should be kept to preferably less than 10 seconds.
Inadequate Recoil of The Chest Wall
The chest wall must fully recoil after each compression, which is a crucial part of chest compressions. The heart fills with blood during this recoil, which is necessary for the following compression to be effective.
CPR is exhausting, and it’s normal to see the rescuer ‘lean’ on the victim’s chest as they tire. This indicates that the chest wall is not entirely recoiling after each compression.
Too Shallow Chest Compressions
Chest compressions function by compressing the heart and forcing blood to flow around the body. Chest compressions must be sufficiently deep to pump blood to the heart in order to be successful. Chest compression should be between 2 to 2.4 inches, according to the American Heart Association Guidelines for CPR.
Over-inflating Victim’s Lungs
Rescue breaths can be used in conjunction with chest compressions if the person is educated and competent. Our exhaled air includes about 16 percent oxygen, which can offer enough oxygen to the victim until advanced medical assistance arrives.
Each rescue breath, on the other hand, should only last about a second. Rescuers frequently make the error of over-inflating the victim’s lungs. Over-inflation is likely to cause air to enter the stomach, obstructing the victim’s airway with regurgitation and vomit.
The Proper Technique
After learning the common mistakes, you should know the proper CPR technique. You should only perform CPR if you don’t hear breathing or only hear occasional gasps. To perform CPR, clasp your hands together with one hand on top of the other. Push firmly and rapidly in the middle of the chest, with the heel of your palms and straight elbows.
Push their chest at least 2 inches deep and compress their chest at least 100 times per minute. Between compressions, allow the chest to fully rise. Perform rescue breaths by tilting their head and chin slightly. Pinch their nose shut, cover their lips with yours, and blow to raise their chest.
Start Your Training Course at South Florida Healthcare Institute
If you’re interested in learning more about CPR and other programs, take your first step with us! At South Florida Healthcare Institute, we offer a variety of American Heart Association-approved certifications, including Basic Life Support and Pediatric Advanced Life Support. To know more about our programs, feel free to contact us today!
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