basic life support

 

Adult BLS sequence:

1.
Verify scene safety:

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Move the person out of traffic.
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Unplug electricity
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Be sure you do not become injured yourself

2.Check for responsiveness

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Shake or tap the person.
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See if the person moves or makes a noise, and talk to them loudly (Are you ok?).

3. Call for help

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Shout for nearby help
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Activate emergency response system send someone to get an AED.
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If alone, call for help while assessing for breathing and pulse. (The AHA emphasizes that cellphones are available everywhere now and most have a built-in speakerphone. Call for help without leaving the person.)

4. Check breathing and pulse

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Check to see if the unconscious person is breathing by looking at the chest movement.
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If you found No breathing or abnormal breathing (i.e only gasping), you should assume the person is in cardiac arrest.
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Check the carotid pulse for 5 to 10 seconds

5. Start CPR

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If no pulse within 10 seconds or if you are not sure, start chest compressions and ventilation
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In OHCA, a chest compression–only approach is appropriate if lay rescuers are untrained or unwilling to provide breaths

Steps for providing CPR

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If no breathing and pulse not felt, OR if you are not sure you feel a pulse, begin CPR with a cycle of 30 chest compressions.
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After 30 compressions, stop compressions and open the airway
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Give 2 rescue breaths while watching the chest rise. Each breath should be delivered over one second.
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Resume chest compressions. Switch quickly between compressions and rescue breaths to minimize interruptions in chest compressions.
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Each cycle in adult CPR is formed of 30 compressions : 2 breaths
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Use AED as soon as it is available

Chest compressions

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Place the heel of one hand on the lower half of the sternum in the middle of the chest
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Place other hand on top
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Interlock fingers
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Elbows straight and shoulders above the victim’s chest
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Compress the chest (High quality CPR)
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Rate 100 to 120 / min
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Depth 5-6 cm (2-2.4 inches)
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Allow complete chest recoil
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When 2 or more rescuers are available, switch CPR operator every 2 min or 5 cycles.

 

Airway opening

Head-tilt/chin-lift:

(No risk of cervical spine injury)
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Put your hand on the person’s forehead and tilt the head back.
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Lift the person’s jaw by placing your index and middle fingers on the lower jaw; lift up the jaw.

Jaw thrust maneuver:

(Risk of cervical spine injury)
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Use two or three fingers of each hand to lift the jaw upward and outward so that the lower centr
al incisors are anterior to the upper central incisors.
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Use both thumbs to push down on the chin to open the mouth.

Rescue breathing

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A technique used to resuscitate a person who has stopped breathing, in which the rescuer forces air into the victim's lungs at intervals of several seconds.

Methods of rescue breathing:

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Each rescue breath should be delivered over 1 second.
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Watch for chest rise.
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If the chest does not rise, reposition the head and attempt to deliver another breath.(Max 10 seconds CPR interruption)
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Allow time for the air to expel from the patient