If you’re not trained and haven’t practiced CPR (Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation), it’s time you did!
It’s easy to learn and St John and other professional organisations conduct regular CPR courses.
After you have made the scene safe, found that the patient is not responding (is unconscious), and called 111 for an ambulance, follow these steps:
With one hand on the patients forehead, and the fingers of your other hand under their chin, tilt their head back.
While tilting the head back, check if the patient is breathing. Look for the chest/abdomen rising and falling, listen for breathing, feel for air coming out of their mouth/nose on your cheek.
If not breathing, place the heel of one hand in the middle of the victims chest with your other hand on top. Push hard straight down then release pressure fast. Repeat these pushes 30 times.
Then, pinch the patient’s nose and make a seal with your mouth over theirs. Breathe out fully, take a fresh breath yourself then breath into the patient again.
Quickly continue pushing on the chest another 30 times. Continue this cycle of 30 pushes followed by two breaths until the ambulance arrives.
If you can’t do the breaths, or don’t want to, at least continue with the chest pushes – any CPR is better than no CPR.
