CPR essays

CPR essays Many lives each year are saved because someone in the area of an accident was trained in CPR and was able to keep an injured victim alive long enough for the paramedics to get to the scene. CPR or cardiopulmonary resuscitation is a technique of maintaining blood and oxygen flow through the body of a person whose heart and breathing have stopped. If breathing has stopped, death occurs in over 50 percent of people. Almost all others die within ten minutes. If breathing has stopped step one is to clear out all objects found in the mouth, being careful not to shove anything back down the throat. Also while doing this it is important not to move the spine or neck unless absolutely necessary, because if during the accident damage was done to the spine or neck movement could cause paralysis. If movement must be done be sure to keep the spine straight. Once all objects have been removed from the mouth and it is certain that there is no breathing, rescue breathing should be tried. It is important that the victim is not breathing because if there is slight breathing and rescue breathing is tried it could stop what natural breathing is occurring. In rescue breathing you first must tilt the head back slightly or the tongue could block the airway. Next you pinch the nose so air cannot escape. Third, you seal your lips around the victims and blow air into their lungs. About 12 breathes per minute is good enough for adults; each breath should be approximately one and half seconds. With children or infants two breathes per cycle. After each cycle, whether adult, child or infant, you must check to see if breathing has returned and if there is still a pulse. If the pulse has stopped you have to start chest compressions. Chest compressions help to keep blood circulating and keep oxygen flowing to vital organs. It is important that the heart has stopped completely before chest compressions start. Step one of chest compressions ...