Your actions

Your aims: To keep oxygen circulating in the body of the casualty

This process is different for adults, babies and children. For adults, you must do chest
compressions first, and then rescue breaths; for babies and children, you must do rescue breaths first, and then chest compressions

FOR AN UNCONSCIOUS ADULT OR AN ADULT WHO IS GASPING FOR BREATH:

Do your primary survey (D R A B).

Make sure that as far as possible, the casualty lies flat on his or her back.
Call for help.

Step 1: Chest compressions

Kneel down next to the casualty.
Place both hands in the centre of the casualty’s chest (you do not need to take off or move any clothes). Be careful you are not pushing on the bottom of the breastbone, or the abdomen. Leaning well over the casualty. press straight down so the chest goes down about 4 to 5cm (about the width of 3 fingers) keeping your elbows straight. Stop pushing, and let the chest rise completely, but do not take your hands off the chest.
Repeat this 30 times at a speed of 100 chest compressions per minutes. You should press down for about as long as you release.

Words you need to know

Abdomen: soft part of the body where the stomach is

DO NOT DO THIS IF YOU SUSPECT A SPINAL INJURY (See Unit 18, page 168)

Step 2: Rescue breaths

Make sure the airway is open and keep it open by placing one hand on the casualty’s forehead and two fingers of the other hand under the tip of his or her chin. Tilt the head back.
Move the hand that was on the forehead down to the nose. Pinch the soft part of the casualty’s nose with the finger and thumb.
Open the casualty’s mouth with the other hand. If you have a face shield or a mask, place it over the casualty’s mouth.
If there is blood around the mouth, DO NOT give rescue breaths unless a water proof barrier can be used (such as a proper face shield). Instead, continue giving chest compressions at a rate of 100 per minute.
Take a deep breath.
Place your mouth over the casualty’s mouth, making sure you have a good seal (i.e. that air
cannot escape between your mouth and his or hers).
Breathe into the casualty’s mouth, whilst continuing to pinch the nose closed, for one second.
If you cannot breathe into the casualty’s mouth, either because the casualty has a stoma an opening in the throat), or the mouth is injured, or you cannot obtain a good seal around the mouth of a casualty who has been rescued from water, rescue breaths will need to be given mouth-to stoma, or mouth-to-nose (in which case, ensure that the mouth is closed). If there is blood around the mouth or stoma DO NOT give rescue breaths.
Remove your mouth and (if the chest has risen) let the chest fall.
Give two rescue breaths, then 30 chest compressions, then two rescue breaths, and so on. It is very important to keep giving chest compressions with as little break for rescue breaths as possible. If there is someone else who knows how to do CPR, you should try to change about every two minutes, but be careful not to stop giving chest compressions for too long whilst you change.