In
movies, we see people performing CPR—whether
they went under training or
not. In most cases, they first ask the victim questions or gently pat his/her cheeks.
If he/she is unresponsive, then the valiant bystander performs chest
compression. After a moment of pressing, mouth to mouth will be done for
oxygen. Momentarily, the victim wakes up and the people surrounding them will
cheer with joyous relief. And the scene is cut after that.
Seems
easy, right? In reality, it’s more than just chest pumping and giving
mouth-to-mouth. Just like any other medical procedures, there is a process to
follow and appropriate techniques to apply.
In
the medical field, misdiagnosis and improper handling of a patient will surely cause
more harm than aid.
Imagine,
a man suddenly goes into cardiac arrest. You rush towards him while refreshing
in your mind what you learned from CPR training years ago. Among the sea of
civilians, you are the only one concerned enough to aid the man. You perform
CPR, just like in the movies, until a medical team arrives. Afterwards, the
paramedic will diagnose the man not only with cardiac arrest, but also a broken
rib and several internal organs.
Don’t
want that to happen to you? You’re in luck! We’ve compiled all common mistakes made
when giving CPR, to help you refresh what you learned or guide you if you’re
just about to start your class.
Arms are Not Straightened
Out
Most
people forget that the weight of the rescuer must be utilized to propel proper
compression. In order to do so, the arms must be stretched out when pumping.
Hand Lifting
After
pushing down, the rescuer’s hand must not be lifted off the victim’s chest.
This will ensure that the rescuer is not just “bouncing” up and down. Improper
CPR handling, such as “bouncing,” is futile in delivering compressions and may
result in a broken rib.
Wrong Hand Positioning
We
don’t usually see the position of the hands when people give CPR in movies.
From afar, you would think that the hands are just locked over together.
Unknown
to many, such hand positioning may result in a broken rib or breastplate. It
may even end up as bad as the lungs or liver bleeding.
To
deliver the right pressure for proper compression, one hand must be straight on
top of the other.
Angled Position
Providing
CPR is tiring, and it’s tempting to press from an angle halfway through the
aid.
The
rescuer’s shoulder should be hovering over the victim, this will ensure
straight delivery of compression to the heart.
Wrong Hand Part
Using
the fingers will not deliver the appropriate compression.
In
order to achieve the proper depth, the heel of the hand must be used. This part
of the hand can provide more compression compared to the fingers.
Irregular Compression
Similar
to Goldilocks’ porridge, the pressure of the compression must be “just right.”
It should not be too deep, because it may result inan internal injury. If the
compression is too light, blood will not flow properly from the heart to the
brain.
Prioritizing Mouth-to-Mouth
over Chest Compression
In
some movies, rescuers start with providing mouth-to-mouth. Providing oxygen is
not the main priority in most situations.
Immediately
after passing out, ample level of oxygen is still retained in the blood. There
is a more urgent need to deliver oxygenated blood to the brain and secure
stable circulation.
Not Calling for Help
Immediately
Calling
for an emergency medical team tends to be postponed until after the victim
responds. This should not be practiced since extensive care may be needed.
Also, giving CPR can be exhausting, and rescuers can only do it for a short
amount of time.
The
earlier the medical team is called, the earlier they can arrive and provide
extensive medical care.
Key Takeaway
There
are many aspects to consider when delivering a CPR for an emergency. Mastery of
medical care can only be achieved by enrolling in a CPR training program.
A
CPR will only be successful if techniques are properly executed. Both the CPR
aid and calling the emergency medical team must be done with the right timing.
