CPR Skills for Adults
How to perform Adult CPR
1. Look around to see if it is safe to approach
2. Tap the victim’s shoulder and shout “Are you okay?”
3. Check to see if the victim is breathing by looking at their chest. If they are not breathing, or not breathing normally (only gasping), call 911.
4. Check the carotid pulse on the side of the neck closest to you for 5-10 seconds
5. If no pulse, start with 30 chest compressions on the lower half of the breastbone.
6. The rate should be at least 100 compressions per minute, but not more than 120.
7. Open the airway and give 2 breaths using a pocket mask or bag valve mask.
8. Continue 5 sets of 30 compressions and 2 breaths until the ambulance arrives to take over, the AED arrives, or you are too tired to continue.
Steps of Child CPR
1. Make sure the scene is safe to approach
2. Tap the child and shout “Are you okay?”
3. Check to see if the child is breathing by looking at their chest. If they are not breathing, or not breathing normally (only gasping), call 911. If you are alone, perform CPR for 2 minutes, then call.
4. Check the carotid pulse on the side of the neck closest to you for 5-10 seconds
5. If no pulse, begin 30 chest compressions on the lower half of the breastbone with one or two hands.
6. The rate should be at least 100 compressions per minute
7. Open the airway and give 2 breaths using a pocket mask or bag valve mask.
8. Continue 5 sets of 30 compressions and 2 breaths until the ambulance arrives to take over, the AED arrives, or you are too tired to continue.
Steps of Infant CPR
Berkeley Infant and Child BLS CPR classes
1. Make sure the scene is safe to approach
2. Tap the baby and shout “Are you okay?”
3. Check to see if the baby is breathing by looking at their chest. If they are not breathing, or not breathing normally (only gasping), call 911. If you are alone with the baby, perform 5 sets of 30 compressions and 2 breaths, then call.
4. Check the brachial pulse on the upper arm closest to you for 5-10 seconds.
5. If no pulse, start with 30 chest compressions using 2 fingers on chest.
6. The rate should be at least 100 compressions per minute.
7. Open the airway and give 2 breaths using a pocket mask or bag valve mask.
8. Continue 5 sets of 30 compressions and 2 breaths until the ambulance arrives to take over, the AED arrives, or you are too tired to continue.
How to use an AED on an adult
How to use an AED
1. Power on the AED and follow the AEDs spoken directions
2. Attach the AED pads to the victim’s bare chest.
3. Say in a loud voice “clear”
4. If the AED advises a shock, clear the victim
5. Press the Shock button
6. Immediately resume CPR. After 5 cycles the AED will prompt you to repeat steps 3 and 4.
AED use on a child: Same steps as above except use child CPR pads. If you do not have child CPR pads, use the adult pads.
AED use on an infant: A manual defibrillator is preferred to an AED. You should use infant pads if you need to use the aed on a baby.
CPR with an Advanced Airway
An advanced airway is the use of a laryngeal mask, supraglottic or endotracheal tube. When you use an advanced airway, you do not stop compressions to give breaths like you do during 2 person CPR. Give one breath every 6-8 seconds and there should be no pause in chest compressions for delivery of breaths.
Rescue Breathing
If an adult, child, or baby has a pulse but is not breathing properly, you should perform rescue breathing (breaths but no compressions).
Adults: Give 1 breath every 5-6 seconds
Children: Give 1 breath every 3-5 seconds
Infants: Give 1 breath every 3-5 seconds.
Note for infants and children: If the pulse is less than 60 beats per minute with signs of poor perfusion, start CPR.
Choking Adult or Child
1. Stand or kneel behind the victim and make a fist above their navel.
2. Grasp your fist and perform abdominal thrusts using quick upward thrusts.
3. Repeat until object comes out or victim becomes unconscious.
4. If victim becomes unconscious, perform CPR
Choking Infant
1. Kneel or sit with the infant on your lap.
2. Hold the infant facedown, resting on your forearm. Support the infant’s head with your hand.
3. Deliver 5 back slaps between the infant’s shoulder blades using the heel of your hand.
4. Support the baby’s head and flip them over while supporting their head. Give 5 chest thrusts over the lower half of the breastbone.
5. Repeat until object comes out or baby becomes unconscious. If baby becomes unconscious, start CPR.
Learn, Enjoy and Save Life. Healthforce Training Center offer services such as Basic Life Support (BLS), Advance Cadiovascular Life Support (ACLS), Pediatric Advance Life Support (PALS), CPR AED, Pediatric First Aid CPR AEDand First Aid CPR AED. Read more of our blogs.