Commonly asked questions about CPR

CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) is a critical life-saving skill, and many people have questions about who should take CPR, how to perform it effectively, and when it is necessary. Here are some commonly asked questions about CPR:

1.     What is CPR, and what does it stand for?

CPR, or Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, is a technique used to manually restore the circulation of oxygenated blood to the brain and other vital organs when the heart stops beating. It involves a combination of chest compressions and rescue breaths to maintain blood flow and oxygenation to a person experiencing cardiac arrest, and it can be used to treat various types of cardiac arrest.

 2.     Do I Need Training to Perform CPR?

To perform CPR properly and be prepared for an emergency, you should become certified in CPR training. CPR is an invaluable skill to have that could very well save the life of a loved one someday. Performing it incorrectly, however, could prove ineffective or, worse, result in further injury to the person. 

3.     Who should take CPR?

Those responsible for children, older adults, or anyone not capable of taking care of themselves should consider CPR training, and anyone in a position requiring them to be around the water, live electrical lines, or undertake other dangerous activities regularly. It is often mandated or sometimes highly recommended for:  

·       Firefighters

·       Coaches and athletic trainers

·       Volunteers

·       Construction workers

·       Childcare providers

·       Electricians

·       Flight attendants

·       Jail and prison personnel

·       Nursing home employees

·       Daycare staff

·       Lifeguards

·       Corrections officers

·       Social workers

·       Fitness instructors

·       Parents!

4. Why should you take CPR?

CPR saves lives. Immediate bystander response by the general public is often the first link in the chain of cardiac arrest survival. Bystanders are needed to call 911 and provide immediate CPR if more cardiac arrest victims are to survive. With bystander action, more can be done to improve survival. Being CPR trained means you know how to administer CPR quickly and adequately. This can mean life or death for someone in medical distress. Learning CPR gives people the confidence to know what to do if they encounter a cardiac arrest. 

5.     How do I know if someone needs CPR?

Signs and symptoms indicating the need for CPR include:

·       The individual is not breathing - If the person is not breathing, it is time to perform CPR to circulate oxygenated blood through the body. Without blood flow and oxygen, the heart stops beating, and the brain dies. The average person can only go without oxygen between four and six minutes before irreversible damage is done to the brain. If you start CPR within that time after cardiac arrest, there is hope that a person will survive without much brain damage.

·       The individual takes occasional gasping breaths- When someone goes into cardiac arrest, they may continue to breathe for a while. CPR compressions should be started immediately if they occasionally gasp for breath.

·       The heart has stopped beating -If you cannot feel a pulse, begin performing CPR. If the heart is not pumping, oxygen is not getting to the rest of the body. Chest compressions keep blood flowing to the heart and brain until emergency responders can take over and try other methods of resuscitation. 

·       The individual is unconscious/unresponsive -It is recommended that you begin CPR if the person is unconscious or unresponsive and they are not breathing. Studies show that doing CPR when not needed is less risky than not doing CPR when it is needed.

6. Can You Restart Someone’s Heart with CPR?

If someone’s heartbeat has stopped or becomes inconsistent, CPR will most likely not restore it to proper function. By providing chest compressions, you can keep the heart beating manually, ensuring blood flows through the veins. While it is possible that someone’s heart could resume beating regularly through CPR, it generally requires the assistance of a defibrillator to “jump-start” it.

7. Thinking of mouth to mouth on a stranger makes me uncomfortable.  When should I do hands-on CPR?

The American Heart Association recommends hands-on CPR in the following circumstances: If a bystander, not trained in standard CPR, sees an adult suddenly collapse or comes upon a collapsed person, they should call 911 and provide chest compressions by pushing hard and fast in the center of the chest. Interruptions should be kept to a minimum until trained rescuers arrive. For bystanders previously trained in standard CPR, hand-only CPR may be performed if the bystander is not confident or is unwilling to perform mouth-to-mouth ventilation.

8.     When performing CPR, how do I know if it is working?

You can tell if the chest rises with ventilation. It is hard to determine if chest compression results in a pulse. Do the best you can, and do not stop. It is better to perform CPR imperfectly than not at all. 

9.     When should I stop CPR?

When help arrives to take over or the victim starts to move.

10.  Can I kill someone if I do CPR incorrectly?

No. Remember, the person in cardiac arrest is already clinically dead. CPR can only help. Even if it has not been “letter perfect," it will benefit the victim.

11.  Does the Good Samaritan law protect me?

Yes, if you assist, including CPR, for medical emergencies, Good Samaritan laws cover you.

At ACLS Academy, we have three different variations of Heartsaver CPR courses available to non-medical professionals:  1) HEARTSAVER CPR/AED/FIRST AID, 2) HEARTSAVER CPR/AED, OR 3) PEDIATRIC CPR/AED/FIRST AID.

American Heart Association Heartsaver courses are designed to prepare non-healthcare providers for the ability to effectively administer CPR, including the use of AEDs for adult, child, and/ or infant responses. These courses are typically required for lifeguards, physical trainers, restaurant workers, coaches, and similar groups. In addition to CPR & AED use, the Heartsaver course offers an additional, supplemental First Aid training component, which can be done as a stand-alone course or as an add-on to the CPR & AED training.

Our Heartsaver course covers the following:

• Responding to and managing illnesses and injuries in adults, children, and infants.

• First aid basics for common first aid emergencies.

• How to perform life-saving skills. 

• How to recognize cardiac arrest and what to do until EMS arrives.

Our Heartsaver Blended Learning courses include an online portion and a hands-on skills session. The online portion provides the flexibility of completing training at your own pace, either at work, at home, or wherever you have Internet access. The hands-on portion includes a skills practice and testing session conducted in person with an AHA Instructor. The skills session can take 1-2 hours. Sign up here for ACLS Academy’s Heartsaver courses, or contact us for questions or additional information.