CPR Tips as seen on TV3
20 Apr 2010
The Irish Red Cross appeared on TV3's Ireland AM morning programme to demonstrate Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation or CPR on an adult and an infant up to one year in age. Later on in the programme Emma also showed you how to use a defibrillator on someone in cardiac arrest.
Watch the TV3 clip here
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Adult CPR - the basics
•Check if the patient is responsive
•If there is no response, get help. Call 999 or 112 for an ambulance and ask someone to bring a defibrillator, if one is available in the locality
•Open airway and check breathing tilt the head back and look, listen and feel for breathing for no more than 10 seconds
•If there is no breathing, give 2 breaths by pinching the nose and covering the patient's mouth with your mouth. Blow until the chest rises
•Give 30 chest compressions by placing your hands at the centre of the chest and pushing down to a depth of 1.5 - 2 inches
Infant CPR - the basics
This technique can be used on an infant up to one year of age
With an infant, start CPR before calling for an ambulance - if there is someone nearby ask them to call for help.
•Gently tap the infants sole (DO NOT SHAKE THE BABY) to see if there is any response - use the baby's name or say "baby, baby"
•Open the airway gently to check if the infant is breathing
•Give rescue breaths - little breaths only
•Give 30 compressions using only 2 fingers
•If you are on your own call for help after 2 mins of CPR
•Continue sequence until help arrives or baby starts to breathe normally
Defibrillation
Having a defibrillator or AED (Automated External Defibrillator) in your community, local sports club or school really can mean the difference between life and death. Irish Red Cross volunteers see how vital these lifesaving machines are every week, so this week Emma went through the basics and showed viewers how to use the device should someone they know go into cardiac arrest.
Did you know?
•If a person receives CPR and is defibrillated within 5 minutes of suffering from cardiac arrest, the survival rate is approximately 50%, and is even higher with younger patients. If the time taken to resuscitate is 10 minutes or more, the chances of survival are very small. This shows you just how important defibrillators and training are.
•The Irish Red Cross provides state-of-the-art defibrillators, as seen on TV3, and training all over Ireland. You can learn more if you log onto www.redcross.ie/aed or call 1890 502 502.
•The machine cannot shock you accidentally if you use it properly: it tells you what to do and when to do it through prompts
Important points to know before you use a defibrillator
•Ensure batteries are working and that the pads are in date
•Clear the casualties chest of anything that will interfere with the defibrillator
•Place pads on chest as illustrated on the pads themselves
•Ensure that everyone is clear of the casualty
•Follow the machine prompts on the screen - e.g. to shock, to continue CPR
Next week Emma will be focussing on strains, sprains and fractures and the top tips needed to treat them. These are some of the most common injuries that happen in the home, particularly with young children, so I will be showing you what to do to help in case you cannot be seen by a doctor straight away.
Please click here for The Red Cross defibrillator training link