How to give CPR

CPR is a technique that maintains blood flow and oxygen to vital organs when someone's heart or breathing has stopped. Knowing these steps could make the difference between life and death in an emergency. The following pages will guide you through the proper techniques for different age groups.

Remember: CPR skills are best learned through hands-on training with a certified instructor, but understanding the basics can prepare you for emergencies.

First Step: Check the Scene

Before rushing to help someone, always check your surroundings to ensure it's safe. This crucial first step prevents you from becoming another victim in dangerous situations.

Look for hazards like traffic, fire, electrical wires, or unstable structures. If the scene isn't safe, wait until conditions improve or professional help arrives.

Your safety matters too—you can't help others if you become injured yourself. This simple assessment only takes seconds but could prevent further accidents.

Check Responsiveness

After ensuring the scene is safe, determine if the person is conscious by checking if they respond to you. Gently tap their shoulder and ask loudly, "Are you okay?" or "What's wrong?"

Their response will guide your next actions. If they respond, they're conscious but may still need medical attention for their condition.

Pro tip: When checking responsiveness, use a normal speaking voice first, then increase volume if needed. This approach is less startling to someone who might be disoriented.

No response means you should proceed to the next step immediately, as this indicates a serious emergency.

Call for Professional Help

If the person is unresponsive, immediately call 911 or your local emergency number. When calling, clearly state your name, exact location, and briefly describe the situation.

Emergency dispatchers are specially trained to handle these situations and can provide instructions until help arrives. They might even guide you through CPR if needed.

Stay calm during the call—take deep breaths if necessary. Speaking clearly helps the dispatcher understand the situation faster, which means help will arrive sooner.

Chest Compressions

After calling for help, begin chest compressions immediately. Position your hands correctly by placing one hand flat on the center of the chest (sternum) with your other hand on top, fingers interlaced.

Position yourself directly over the person with your shoulders above your hands. Keep your arms straight and use your body weight, not just arm strength, to push down about 2 inches into the chest.

Deliver compressions at a rate of 100-120 per minute—about the tempo of the song "Staying Alive." This maintains blood circulation to vital organs until professional help arrives.

Important: Proper hand placement is crucial—too high or too low reduces effectiveness and could cause injury.

Rescue Breaths

After 30 chest compressions, open the airway by gently tilting the head back and lifting the chin. This straightens the airway path for more effective rescue breaths.

To deliver a rescue breath, pinch the nose closed with your fingers, create a seal by placing your mouth completely over theirs, and blow steadily for about 1 second. Watch for the chest to rise, which confirms your breath reached the lungs.

Give two rescue breaths, then immediately return to compressions. Continue this cycle of 30 compressions and 2 breaths until emergency services arrive or the person shows signs of life.

CPR for Children $Ages 1-8$

CPR for children follows a similar sequence to adult CPR but with important modifications. Check for responsiveness first by gently tapping and speaking to them.

For chest compressions, use less force than for adults—compress only about one-third the depth of the chest. After 30 compressions, open the airway and give two gentle rescue breaths.

Continue cycles of 30 compressions and 2 breaths until help arrives. Remember that children's bodies are more fragile, so your technique must be adjusted accordingly.

Key difference: When giving rescue breaths to children, use gentler breaths than you would for adults—just enough to make the chest rise visibly.

CPR for Infants (Under 1 Year)

Infant CPR requires the gentlest approach due to their small, delicate bodies. Check responsiveness by gently tapping the feet or speaking to them—never shake an infant vigorously.

For compressions, use only two fingers (index and middle) positioned just below the nipple line. Press down about 1.5 inches, maintaining a rate of 100-120 compressions per minute.

After 30 gentle compressions, tilt the head slightly (not as far back as for adults) to open the airway. Cover both the infant's mouth and nose with your mouth to deliver two small puffs of air—just enough to make the chest rise.

Repeat this cycle until emergency help arrives or the infant begins to respond.