Infusing CPR into our Daily Lives
December 2024
by Narayani Sakthinathan
Stephanie Austin’s life had been saved through the use of CPR. On a lazy Sunday morning when most would be sleeping in, Stephanie’s husband, Matt Austin -a Pennsylvania Orthopedic Surgeon- received a call from another doctor. While on the call, he began to hear Stephanie making odd noises and had found her turned over in the bed with a blue colored face and dilated pupils. She had been experiencing cardiac arrest. Immediately, he called 911 and performed CPR until help arrived. The survival rate for out of hospital cardiac arrest is only 10%. Matt’s efforts had largely helped save his wife, allowing her to return back to normal lifestyle.
CPR, cardiopulmonary resuscitation remain as a significant practice to be knowledgeable of. By being aware of how to react in an emergency situation, you can play an important role in saving someone’s life, aiding with recovery, or preventing another injury of the same sort.
CPR comprises many integral steps toward full functioning.
1st step: You must first investigate the safety of you and the patient to scan for any potential hazards.
2nd step: Check for responsiveness through shaking and shouting
3rd step: Call for help by dialing 911
4th step: Open airways of the patient by lifting the chin slightly
5th step: Check whether the patient is breathing or undergoing abnormal breathing/not breathing
6th step: Begin CPR procedure. Give cycles of 30 chest compression, then 2 breaths.
7th step: Continue CPR until AED or ambulance is present
*CPR certification can be done through classes and training with the American Red Cross. Click here for more information regarding this.
When given compressions to the patient, it is typical to do 100 to 120 repeats per minute. An effective mode of following this CPR compression rate is to mirror the beat of the song, “Staying Alive”, by the Bees Gees.
Keep in mind that these steps may vary depending on the age, gender, and medical complications of the patient as well as the surrounding environment the patient is in. In order to improve your knowledge and ability to do CPR, practice needs to stay consistent. Practice makes perfect!
Being aware of how to react in an emergency situation can make a significant difference in helping to save an individual’s life. When we learn of this knowledge and spread it to other people, it aids in strengthening the health and safety of our community.
Links Used:
https://www.redcross.org/take-a-class/cpr/cpr-training/cpr-certification