Have you ever heard that you should do CPR to the beat of “Stayin’ Alive”? I feel like I was told that over and over by the television shows I watched as a child. To little seven year old me, that seemed like useless information, as I had very little knowledge on CPR in the first place. However, that little tidbit did stay in my brain, and I can confirm now that it is true!
CPR stands for cardiopulmonary resuscitation, which is basically a bunch of big words saying restarting the heart. In an ideal world, everyone would take a CPR class in high school, or even in college, but unfortunately that is not the world we live in. So, to be prepared, here’s a little instruction list!
- Is the person breathing? Do they have a heartbeat? If yes, they don’t need CPR. If no, however, they most likely do.
- Before you begin CPR, either you or someone with you should call 911 and report the situation. You can only help for so long, so it’s good to get the professionals on their way to you.
- Lay the person on their back. They should have a firm surface below them.
- This is where “Stayin’ Alive” comes in handy. If needed, turn it on your phone, but if not, play it in your head.
- With two hands in the center of the person’s chest, make sure that your shoulders rest right over them with your elbows locked. At a rate of around 110 per minute, which is equivalent to the beat of “Stayin’ Alive,” start compressions.
- After around 30 compressions, tilt their head/chin up and give them 2 breaths, around 1 second long each. Make sure they breathe out before you give them the second.
- Continue this pattern until the EMTs arrive or the person wakes up.
Hopefully you never need this list, but I’d make sure you at least know the basic incase. Stay safe!
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Information Source: American Red Cross
Photo Credit: FAVPNG
