Learn Hands-Only CPR! It’s Easy, And You Might Save A Life
Would you know what to do in a cardiac emergency? Take a few minutes to learn Hands-Only CPR and you could save someone’s life.
The recent tragedy that happened in a family we are close to has made me think more seriously about how we should all know how to perform CPR.
A few weeks ago we learned that the wife of my sister’s nephew was discovered in an unresponsive state and rushed to the hospital. She was only forty-nine years old. Though she had some health challenges, it was a shock to hear that she passed away a few days later.
Thinking of the pain this family was suffering, I wondered. What would I have done if it had been me who found a loved one in that condition? It occurred to me I probably wouldn’t have known what to do first. That set me on a mission to find out, and what I learned was surprising.
There are more than 350,000 out-of hospital cardiac arrests every year in the United States. The majority of those happen at home.
The chance for survival doubles or even triples if CPR is initiated immediately. I watched an interesting video about what happens inside the body if the heart stops. Applying CPR quickly and accurately keeps oxygenated blood flowing to the brain. That keeps the brain alive and prevents damage. Keeping the blood and oxygen flowing through the heart muscle itself provides the best chance for restoring it to a normal rhythym when EMT help arrives.
I thought it would be complicated to learn and perform CPR. Would I remember all the steps in an emergency?
My perception of the whole process was that you needed to know how to compress the chest, then switch to giving the patient breaths. I wasn’t sure exactly how to do that, or how many times to breathe before you went back to compressions, and vice versa. And should I call 911 first or start CPR? I wasn’t at all clear about what to do, and that could have potentially cost vital time in an emergency.
I was not familiar with the latest information on CPR. The American Heart Association now promotes “Hands-Only CPR,” which is applying chest compressions without the breaths. Research has shown that it can be just as effective as full CPR in the first minutes after a cardiac arrest. They have found that bystanders are more likely to act immediately if they know Hands-Only CPR, because it is simple to do and less intimidating.
Hands-Only CPR is quick to learn and easy to remember. Almost anyone can do it and save a life. All you need to remember are two basic steps:
1. Call 911 immediately.
2. Push hard and fast in the center of the chest.
You don’t have to go somewhere to take a class. You can learn how to perform Hands-Only CPR by just reading these directions or, better yet, watching this brief video. I strongly suggest you take a few minutes to do it right now to be prepared if an emergency arises.
If you would like to practice performing CPR on a manikin or receive more in-depth training, organizations like the American Red Cross, the American Heart Association, or your local fire department provide in-person classes regularly.
The American Heart Association has also set up Hands-Only CPR Kiosks in locations across the country. Many of them are in major airports, so if you are traveling you might want to look for one. The kiosks are set up with an instructional video and a manikin that you can practice on.
Today is a good day to learn how to perform Hands-Only CPR. Talk to your family about learning this life-saving skill, too.
My daughter is already CPR-certified through her job, so it was helpful for us to discuss the steps with her. I have also talked about the importance of learning CPR with other family members, and plan to do so with as many people as possible. I feel a lot better knowing that if the situation arose, I would know what to do and could respond quickly.