Premergency First Aid, CPR and AED Manual

3 Airway and Breathing

does not rise and fall with the first rescue breath, reposition the head by performing the head tilt–chin lift again and then give the second rescue breath. Mouth to Mouth Rescue Breathiing

Rescue Breathing If a patient with spontaneous circulation (ie, strong and easily palpable pulses) requires support of ventilation, the healthcare provider (HCP) See Chapter 5 should give rescue breaths at a rate of about 1 breath every 5 to 6 seconds, or about 10 to 12 breaths per minute. Mouth-to-mouth (or mask) rescue breathing provides oxygen and ventilation to the patient. To provide mouth-to-mouth rescue breaths, open the victim’s airway, pinch the victim’s nose, and create an airtight mouth-to-mouth seal. Watch for chest rise and fall. Give 1 breath over 1 second, take a “regular” (not a deep) breath, and give a second rescue breath over 1 second. Taking a regular breath rather than a deep breath prevents the rescuer from getting dizzy or lightheaded and prevents overinflation of the victim’s lungs. The most common cause of ventilation difficulty is an improperly opened airway, so if the victim’s chest

Clearing the Airway At times opening the airway may not be enough for the patient to breath. Blood, mucous, bone fragments, or teeth may be in the mouth and airway. Clearing an airway is similar to placing a patient in the recovery position.

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