What are the 7 Steps of CPR?

Do you know how to perform CPR? CPR or cardiopulmonary resuscitation is one of the top lifesaving skills in an emergency. Focusing on the functions of the heart and lungs is of utmost importance! What are the steps involved when these major organs fail?

1. 1. 1. Assess for scene safety
         When arriving on the scene of an emergency, make sure to keep yourself safe! Watch for cars, electrical lines, weapons, and other dangers!
      2. Check for responsiveness
         Tap the person and ask if they are okay in a loud voice.
      3. Assign someone to call 911 and get an AED
         If they do not respond, have someone call 911 and locate an AED
      4. Check for breathing for 5-10 seconds
         Watch for chest rise and fall for at least 5 seconds to assess if the victim is breathing or not.
      5.  If there is no breathing, start chest compressions
         Push hard and fast in the center of the chest to the tune of “Stayin’ Alive” by Bee Gees
      6.  After every 30 chest compressions, deliver 2 rescue breaths
         If you have a barrier device, tilt the person’s head back and squeeze their nose closed. Give a breath until you see the chest rise, and repeat this twice.
      7. If an AED is delivered, turn it on and follow the prompts!
         If someone finds the AED, turn it on! It will tell you what to do. Apply the pads to the person’s bare chest and follow the prompts of the AED!

The most important of these steps to survival is chest compressions! If you do not remember anything else, make sure to perform chest compressions as quickly as possible to get blood flowing throughout the body. If major organs do not receive blood within a few minutes (blood carries oxygen), the person’s odds of survival decrease drastically.

Continue chest compressions and rescue breaths until EMS or a trained medical provider takes over. If an AED is delivered to you at the scene, use it as quickly as possible. Turn it on and follow the directions it delivers, AEDs are made so anyone can use them! Some even have photographs or pictorial representations to limit any language barriers.

Heart disease continued to be the #1 cause of death in the United States with cancer as a close second in 2020! See more statistics by the CDC here. With cardiovascular disease being a top killer in America, knowing when and how to act in an emergency can save a multitude of lives!

Babysitters, nannies, coaches, teachers, parents, personal trainers, and more can experience a tragic event involving choking, trouble breathing, allergies, and temperature-related illnesses. Knowing how to remedy these situations can be the difference between life and death. Healthcare personnel take BLS certification courses and community members take First Aid CPR AED certification courses to learn more about how to help save a life!

Want to get CPR certified in Chandler, Arizona? As the closest location to Maricopa, Casa Grande, Ahwatukee, Gilbert, and more, East Valley CPR is centrally located at the junction of the 101 and 202! Click here to book a class!