- Ensure the victim is placed on their back and on a firm surface.
- Comfortably kneel close to the victim’s chest with one knee level with the victim’s neck and the other level with the lower chest.
- Visualise the ‘centre of the chest’ as you place the heel of one hand at that point while holding your wrist or interlocking fingers with your other hand. Keep your arms straight where possible to use your body weight to compress vertically at the centre of the victim’s chest.
- Perform 30 rhythmic compressions on the centre of the chest, compressing about one-third of the depth of the victim’s chest at a rate of 100–120 compressions per minute. Make sure you release the victim’s chest fully to allow blood to flow back into their heart.
- Follow compressions with two rescue breaths. Look to see the victim’s chest rise and fall after each rescue breath to check you are not over- or under-inflating.
- Continually assess for consciousness and normal breathing without stopping compressions and ensure that the airway is kept clear.
Note:
- A lifesaver may be on either side of the victim, and procedures should be practised from both sides.
- A CPR cycle is complete following the delivery of the second rescue breath.
- Compression applied too high is ineffective. If applied too low, compressions may cause regurgitation and/or damage to internal organs.
- It is possible that ribs may fracture while performing compressions. If so, you should check your hands and continue with CPR.
- In team CPR scenarios, the airway operator is performing the rescue breathing and the compression operator is performing the compressions at any given point in time. Refer to the Team CPR section of this module for more information.
- Position yourself in a comfortable position in relation to the victim—kneel close to and alongside the chest of the victim so that you can apply vertical rhythmic compressions. This position minimises energy loss from shuffling and is best to avoid back injury. It will vary slightly for lifesavers of differing sizes and shapes.
- There is no need to measure or remeasure in order to determine the location point for chest compressions.