CPR is an excellent life saving tool that has saved many lives and has existed in many forms for
hundreds of years. However, our current method of CPR was not taught to the public until the 1970s.
Before that, it was determined that artificial respiration and chest compressions could save a
person's life, but the method before our current one consisted of laying a person on their stomach.
Fortunately, our current method is the adopted method because of its high success rate.
However, there are plenty of misconceptions when it comes to CPR because of what we see in movies
and on television series set in hospital environments. The reason why CPR is portrayed the way it is
on television is for dramatic effect, but what that does is give people the wrong impression about
how it is really done. Could you imagine sitting there and waiting for the person performing CPR to
breathe into the victim's mouth twice and then do 30 chest compressions? That would be rather
boring, wouldn't it? We usually see them breathe twice and do anywhere between 5 and 15 chest
compressions.
How to perform CPR
CPR isn't the quick and glamorous lifesaving technique we see in Hollywood. There are steps to be
taken. Those steps are:
You must try to wake the victim. You can rub your knuckles against their chest in a brisk manner.
Any moaning or moving means CPR doesn't need to be done.
If they're not breathing, tilt their head back so their chin is lifted, and put your ear to their
mouth to ensure they are still not breathing. Use your cheek to make sure they're not breathing and
look at their chest. Pinch their nose and then seal their mouth with yours. Use a CPR mask if you
can. Give breath for one second, let their chest fall, then give breath another second and let their
chest fall.
Do chest compressions in the middle of the chest with the heel of one hand and the other hand on top
with fingers interlaced. Compressions should be about 1 and a half to 2 inches in depth and do 30
compressions. Each compression should take less than a second, but ensure the chest rises before the
next compression.
Repeat this process until help arrives unless the victim begins breathing again.
This may seem easy by reading it, but if you didn't know the steps, you now know what to do.
However, it is good to gather some experience on performing CPR in case you do need to do it in a
real life setting.
Sign up for courses
The best way you're going to gain CPR experience is if you sign up for a low cost CPR training. In the course you
learn about CPR, how it works, why it works, and you are able to practice it on dolls that are
specially designed for teaching individuals CPR. This is the best way you're going to learn CPR. You
don't have to invest in a fancy course that is expensive. CPR is CPR and what is important is that
you know how to perform it when the need comes about. You just never know when something is going to
happen unexpectedly and you might be the only person in the room who knows the correct way. As
stressful as that may be, it is better that you know it instead of no one knowing it at all because
you could very well save a life. That in itself makes taking a CPR course worth your time and your money.
