CPR Step-by-Step

Checking For A Pulse
Cardiopulmonary arrest means that both heart and lungs have stopped working properly, so it would make sense to check and see whether a victim is breathing and whether or not their heart is beating. However, current CPR guidelines don't require a layperson to check the victim's pulse before starting CPR. Why is this?

The answer is that the average person has a lot of trouble finding and determining pulse accurately. Think about how difficult it can be to find your own pulse, and then imagine trying to repeat the process on an unresponsive person. If someone is not breathing, their heart is already in danger of quitting (if it hasn't already) due to lack of oxygen. Since the first steps in CPR address the victim's respiratory state, you can try and get them breathing again right away. Then, you can check for a pulse. Skipping an initial pulse check simplifies CPR and saves valuable time; every minute that you delay starting CPR reduces the odds that the victim will survive by 7-10 percent.

What should you do to help a seemingly unconscious victim? The first thing you'll want to do is to figure out whether or not the victim is really unconscious. Just like you were trying to get them out of bed, you should call out to them, tap them, and gently shake them to try and provoke a response. You also should check to see if they are breathing. If you try and perform CPR on someone who is not in cardiopulmonary arrest, you can actually hurt them!

If you can't rouse them, the very next thing to do is have someone call 911 so that professional paramedics will be on their way to the scene while you are performing CPR. This is very important, because, with the exception of choking, CPR doesn't address the underlying causes of cardiopulmonary arrest. It is only meant to buy time until the victim can get intensive medical care.

After you've called for medical assistance, you need to begin CPR. In order for CPR to work, the victim must be lying on his or her back on a flat surface. If the victim is face-down, gently roll the person toward you while making sure that you support their neck. Once the person is on their back, you can then use the American Heart Association's "ABCs of CPR" to guide you through the rest of process:

  1. Airway: clear obstructed airways
  2. Breathing: perform mouth-to-mouth breathing
  3. Circulation: start chest compressions
We'll talk about each of these steps in detail in the following section.