CPR Certification Manual: Compressions for Adults
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Recognizing Cardiac Arrest
- 3. Positioning & Pulse Check
- 4. Compressions for Adults
- 5. Compressions for Infants & Children
- 6. Ventilation Equipment
- 7. Ventilations for Adults
- 8. Ventilations for Infants & Children
- 9. AED Usage
- 10. AED Special Circumstances
- 11. Common Mistakes
- 12. Conclusion
- MyCPR Now™ Glossary
Compressions for Adults
High-quality chest compressions are one of the most important parts of CPR. Begin compressions promptly when an adult is unresponsive and not breathing normally or is only gasping.
Hand Placement
- Place the adult on their back on a firm, flat surface
- Kneel beside the chest
- Place the heel of one hand in the center of the chest on the lower half of the breastbone
- Place the other hand on top
- Interlock or raise the fingers so pressure is directed through the heel of the lower hand
Avoid placing pressure over the ribs or the very bottom tip of the breastbone.
Compression Technique
Keep your shoulders directly over your hands and your elbows straight.
Compress:
- At a rate of 100-120 compressions per minute
- To a depth of at least 2 inches (5 cm)
- While avoiding excessive depth greater than approximately 2.4 inches (6 cm)
Allow the chest to return completely to its normal position after each compression. Do not lean on the chest between compressions.
Minimize Interruptions
Interrupt chest compressions only when necessary, such as:
- Giving rescue breaths
- Allowing the AED to analyze the rhythm
- Delivering an AED shock
- Following instructions from professional rescuers
Resume compressions immediately after an AED shock or when the AED states that no shock is advised.
Compression-to-Breath Ratio
When providing conventional CPR:
30 compressions : 2 breaths
Give 30 high-quality compressions followed by 2 rescue breaths. Continue repeated cycles of 30:2.
Switching Rescuers
Chest compressions are physically demanding. When another trained rescuer is available, switch compressors approximately every 2 minutes when practical. Make the change quickly to minimize interruption of compressions.At 100-120 compressions per minute with a 30:2 ratio, one cycle of 30 compressions and 2 breaths takes approximately 20-24 seconds — switching approximately every 2 minutes corresponds to roughly every 5 cycles.