1 Find compression point
2Position hands
3Compress chest
18 FIRST AID
GIVING CPR( adults and children over 7)
BEFORE YOU START
Make sure that you have carried out the following steps:
• Checked for consciousness but had no response( p. 12).
• Opened the victim’ s airway( p. 13).
• Checked for breathing but found no signs( p. 14).
• Given two effective rescue breaths and checked for signs of circulation
but found none( p. 16) OR
• Attempted two rescue breaths and checked for signs of circulation but
found none( p. 16).
1 Find compression point
• Lay the victim on a firm surface.
• Kneel beside the victim, level with his chest. Slide your fingers( using the hand farther from his head) along the lowest rib to the point where it meets the breastbone.
• Position your middle and index fingers at this point.
• Place the heel of your other hand on the breastbone, just above your index finger. This is the area of the chest where you must apply the compressions.
2Position hands
• Lift away the fingers of your first hand and lay this hand on top of your other hand.
• Interlock your fingers, so that the fingers of your bottom hand are not touching the chest.
• Kneel upright with your shoulders directly above the victim and your elbows locked straight.
Raise fingers away from the chest
3Compress chest
• Press downward, depressing the breastbone by 1 1 / 2 – 2 inches( 4 – 5 cm) on an average adult, then release the pressure but do not remove your hands from the chest.
• Compress the chest in this way 15 times at a rate of about 100 compressions per minute( roughly three every 2 seconds), maintaining an even rhythm.
Keep your hands in position between compressions
Place fingers where the victim’ s lower rib and breastbone meet