CPR

at 11:55AM, 1:55PM, and 3:55PM

The sun is shining on a beautiful spring afternoon. You’ve decided to take advantage of the weather and take your dog for a stroll through the park. Just as you pause by the tennis courts to catch the tail end of a match, one of the players suddenly clutches at his chest in mid swing, and slumps to the ground. His opponent rushes to his motionless side, panic stricken and screaming for help. How would YOU react in this scenario? Would you be forced to stand helpless as this man loses precious, life-saving time, or could you run to his aid and do something about it?

CPR is something that anyone can learn. Suzanne’s guest, certified CPR instructor Cameron Ziegler, shows us that you don’t have to be an EMT to save a person’s life.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
The purpose of CPR is to pump oxygenated blood through the body, and keep the brain and heart functioning until help can arrive on the scene. The longer a person’s heart is not beating, the more likely that brain damage or death can occur. Therefore, any amount of attempted resuscitation can mean the difference between life and death. However, CPR alone cannot revive a person who has gone into cardiac arrest. 911 must also be called, so that AED, or Automated External Defibrillation, can be performed. A defibrillator is a medical machine that records and analyzes the heart rhythm, and gives the heart an electric shock to get it beating normal and healthy again. AED’s are now becoming available in public places such as restaurants, airplanes, malls, and hotels. These versions of the machine are referred to as PAD’s, or Public Access Defibrillation. 75% of cardiac arrest occurrences happen within a home or to a family member. Cameron has a personal success story of her own. Her father woke up making strange noises, and apparently, could no longer breathe on his own. Cameron rushed to call 911 as her mother performed CPR. Although a few of his ribs were broken duringthe chest compressions, help arrived and Cameron’s father lived to tell the story. Had CPR not been performed when it was, the outcome may have been disastrous.

The Steps
Remember, these instructions do not take the place of proper CPR certification.

1. Make sure the victim is completely unresponsive. Do not attempt CPR if there are signs of life such as breathing or coughing. Tap them, and give them a gentle shake to check for a response. Call out to someone to get help, or call 911. If the person does not appear to have a spinal injury, they should be moved to a firm, flat surface.
2. Placing one hand on the forehead and a few fingers under the chin, gently tilt the head back. This lifts the tongue from the airway. Put your ear next to the person’s mouth, simultaneously watching their chest. For 10 seconds, listen for breaths, and watch to see if the chest rises and falls. If the person is not breathing, proceed with CPR.
3. Pinch the nose shut and make a complete seal around their mouth with yours. Breathe into their mouth for 1-1.5 seconds, long enough to make the chest rise. Do this twice, and then check for signs of life. If there aren’t any, proceed with chest compressions.
4. Kneel next to the person and put the heel of your hand on the center of their chest, in line with their nipples. Keeping your elbows and wrists straight, take your other hand and lace the fingers through the hand on the chest. Keeping your fingers off the chest, press down onto the chest approximately 1.5-2 inches. You are going to do 15 compressions in succession. You are aiming to do 100 a minute, so each compression should be less than one second long.
5. Follow the 15 compressions with the 2 breaths. Until movement or responsiveness occurs, continue this pattern until help arrives. 2 breaths, then 15 compressions, then 2 breaths, etc.