Cpr In The Workplace

By Author: Hafiz Hakam
Total Articles: 4762
Comment this article

Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation is an essential life-saving technique that everyone should know. It is a method of keeping blood and oxygen flowing to the brain when a patient is unable to do so on their own. Regardless of your vocation, any number of situations could arise where knowing what to do could save someone's life.

When Would You Perform CPR in the Workplace?

To know if you should perform CPR, you need to establish if the patient has a pulse and if they are breathing on their own. Start with HHH - Hazards, Hello and Help. The first step is to check for hazards near the patient. Make sure there is nothing around that could harm you. The patient could have collapsed due to toxic fumes. If you enter the area without due consideration and the right equipment, you could also become a victim. If you deem it's safe to approach the patient, gently tap them on the shoulder and say hello to elicit a response. You can also try tapping them under their bare feet or giving them a sternum rub by placing your hand in a fist and using your knuckles to quickly rub the sternum or chest bone. The third H stands for calling ...
... for help. If you are alone, repeatedly shout for help or use your mobile phone to call 911. If there is someone else around, get them to call 911 to activate an advanced medical response. If your company has a medical kit with an AED, ask the other person to fetch it for you.

What to Look for in a Primary Assessment

This is commonly referred to as ABC - Airway, Breathing and Circulation. Your first action is to lay the person down on their back on a hard surface like the floor. Tilt their head back to open up the airway. See if you can detect any blockages to their airway. Bring your face down to within half an inch of their nose and look towards the person's torso. If they are breathing, you should be able to see a slight rise and fall of their chest. Because your ear is close to their nose, you can hear if they inhale or exhale. And because the skin of your cheek is so sensitive, you will be able to feel if they are breathing out. If there is still no sign that they are breathing on their own, quickly check for a pulse. You can do this by holding their wrist palm up and pressing down with your first two fingers. Alternatively, you can use a similar method to check for a pulse on the neck. This assessment should take you less than a minute.

How to Perform Standard CPR on an Adult Co-worker

If you have established that they are not breathing, tilt the patient's head tilted back. Use one hand to support the chin and your other hand to block their nose. Then cover their mouth with yours and give two deep breaths. Turn your head to see if you can see their chest rising and falling. If the chest doesn't move, it means that you did not create a seal over their mouth or their head is not tilted back properly. Once you have corrected this, give two additional breaths. If the chest still does not move, their airway could be blocked. Use a finger sweep to check for a blockage before resuming breathing. If you have established there is no circulation, start chest compressions. Put your hands together and place the heel of your hand in the center of the chest along the nipple line. Keep your arms straight and your shoulders directly above your hand position. Give 30 quick chest compressions on the sternum at a rate of approximately two compressions per second. Following the compressions, give two breaths again followed by another 30 chest compressions.

Using an AED to Assist in CPR

Studies show that effective and early use of an AED increases a patient's chances of survival by 50 percent. An AED is an Automated External Defibrillator. It is portable medical equipment that shocks the heart into rhythm and can be used in conjunction with CPR to resuscitate a patient. While different types of AEDs have different settings, they all work on the same basic principle. There are two pads with a metal nipple that you position on the patient's chest. Place one above and to the left, and the other below and to the right side of their heart. To these pads, you attach two connections from the AED. The AED will then assess the patient's heart rate and advise if you need to shock the patient. Everyone must stand clear of the patient during treatment; otherwise the reading will be distorted. If there is no heart rate, the AED will instruct you to press the button. This sends an electric charge to the patient's heart. Following the charge, the AED will once again check for a pulse. If there is no pulse, continue standard CPR and repeat the AED treatment at two-minute intervals.

How Long Do You Continue CPR?

There are only four instances when you should STOP CPR. The first is if a Spontaneous pulse resumes and persists. The second is if a Trained medic, doctor or health professional arrives and takes over. The third is if you are completely Out of breath and too physically exhausted to continue. The last is if a Physician or health care professional declares the person irreversibly brain dead.

The knowledge of how to perform CPR is invaluable, as you never know when it may be needed. Make an effort to keep current with CPR protocols and practice the techniques at training sessions. Your efforts could save a work colleague's life.
About Author:
Visit CPR AED Course.com and learn about the cpr certification and first aid courses available for just $19.95. For more information visit online today.