Monthly Archives: December 2015

Uncategorized

CPR “Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation” Adult & Child How to Perform CPR “Part 2 of 3”

In our last post we focused on the basic information you would need to know about CPR and how its performed. For this Post we will focus giving you the “Step by Step CPR Guide”. This guideline is for the “General Public” for the Health Care Provider we will have a post later on dedicated to the new standards set by ILCOR, The Heart & Stroke Foundation, and the Basic Life Support CPR-C for HCP’s Health Care Providers 2015 guidelines.

In any Emergency remember to:

  1. Protect yourself “Make sure its safe before helping“
  2. Call 911 “Get your Paramedic Partners going“
  3. Don’t Waste Time “Each second without oxygen can cause brain damage, don’t waste it wondering what to do, just help“

If the person is “Not breathing” and has gone unconscious for any reason “START CPR, Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation“


CPR “Adult & Child”

  1. Start CPR by:– Place the hell of one hand on the middle of the person’s chest, place the other hand on top “Palm above Palm in the Center of the Chest“– Push Hard / Push Fast “DO 30 Compression’s in a row” Allowing the chest to recoil or raise up to the top after each compression.
  2. Give two Breaths by:– If you have a pocket mask “Use it now” or:– Open the airway by using the “Head-tilt / Chin lift technique” – Pinch the person’s nostrils closed.– Take a normal breath– Cover the person’s mouth with your mouth– Give two breaths, taking about 1 second per breath with just enough volume to make the chest rise up.
  3. If your breaths go in:– Repeat the cycle of 30 chest compression’s and 2 breaths– If your breaths do NOT go in: Repeat the cycle of 30 chest compression’s and 2 breaths.
  4. Continue CPR until:– The scene is no longer safe to be in– More advanced care arrives. – An A.E.D arrives and has told you to stop. – You have become physically unable to continue. – The victim starts to breath normally on their own.

Just Remember in Any Emergency: Protect Yourself!!! Call 911!!! Don’t Waste Time!!!
Swoop into First Aid and give a Breath of Life, Let First Aid Training in Edmonton be your Saving Grace.

First Aid Techniques, Uncategorized

CPR “Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation” Adult & Child, What to Know About CPR “Part 1 of 3”

Over the past 4 years our school has provided training in the basics of CPR or Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation techniques, we have learned that once you get the hang of it, its a skill that can stick with you for a lifetime giving you the ability to save a loved one when tragedy strikes. Many people are also unaware of the fact that some day, somewhere, “Someone is going to do CPR ON YOU“!! Once we tell our students this many questions start to pop up like “What are my chances of surviving CPR without brain damage? What if I have a DNR “Do Not Resuscitate”, Can I kill someone by doing CPR? Will I hurt them? Can I get sued by doing CPR incorrectly? Is it performed differently for different age groups?

Lets go through those questions one by one before we get the basics of CPR put into your mind, just remember that “Anyone Can do it” The first question of “What are my chances of surviving CPR?” is always the first one put forward, but to keep your stats up to date the chances have gone “UP“, 5 years ago we normally heard the average chance of about 4%-7% chance of survival “Without Brain Damage”, however after only 5 years of study and practicing of new techniques the resuscitation rate is now actually 22%-26%. We are teaching it the best way possible and its working!


Those with DNR’s will also have CPR performed on them weather they wanted it or not, its simply said like this “Will a Paramedic look through your Freezer for your DNR? Will they go through your wallet to find it?” The answer being NO means that if a Paramedic or even someone in the general public finds “You” and “You are NOT” breathing and have no pulse… “We will Start CPR on you” DNR’s are for Doctors, Lawyers and Hospice Facilities.

Can you kill someone by performing CPR on them? Well if you think about how the skill is designed the answer should be quite easy. CPR is designed to help push or supply blood and oxygen to the organs that need it if the heart has failed. The CPR technique of Compression’s “Building Blood Pressure to force blood through the body” & Breaths “providing the main fuel the body uses to support life”. CPR is designed to save your life, not stop it, the chance of you doing more harm than good once someone has stopped breathing is “Minimal” CPR SAVES LIVES, don’t worry “Anyone Can Do It”.


Can you hurt someone by doing CPR? Simply put its life over limb, which means don’t worry about breaking a rib “the ribs will NOT” puncture the lungs. Paramedics have had a slogan for many years “If the ribs POP, Don’t Stop!! But if you hit the Spine, that’s NOT fine!! Depth is something to consider as you need to push Hard & Fast on ALL age groups, if you break a rib DON’T STOP, just DON’T Bottom out, you want to use hard pressure just not enough to crush them.


Can you get sued by performing CPR? Depending on where you live the answer is almost always NO. When someone’s life is in danger and you attempt to save their life you are doing what you thought was necessary to save a life. Alberta. Canada has what is known as the Emergency Medical Aid Act also known as the Good Samaritan Act which helps protect First Aid providers from Liability issues and allows them to act in the victims best interest to preserve their life. Don’t hesitate just do what you can!


To avoid any liability issues just remember to:

  • a) Get Consent / Permission /Cooperation
  • b) Stick within your level of training “Do what you KNOW”
  • c) Don’t make it worse “Help them don’t hurt them”

Last and final question, about the difference between the age groups and how we perform CPR. As previously stated in other posts age groups are separated like this:

  • Infants – Age 0-1 “Or toddlers”
  • Children – Age 1-Puberty “normally found from age 8 and up”
  • Adult – Any sign of puberty

For the General public we will always refer to the “Skill” of CPR as being performed “The Same” on all age groups, its the technique we modify for the smaller size of the victim we are rescuing. For our general public CPR is performed by providing 30 Chest Compression’s and Giving 2 Breaths, this skill is the same for “All Age Groups“.


Just Remember in Any Emergency: Protect Yourself!!! Call 911!!! Don’t Waste Time!!!
Swoop into First Aid and give a Breath of Life, Let First Aid Training in Edmonton be your Saving Grace.