Premergency First Aid, CPR and AED Manual

3 Airway and Breathing

Adult Choking – First Aid

SKILL

If a conscious person indicates they are choking: • Support the patient’s body and help them lean forward. • Give up to five brisk back blows between the shoulder blades with the heel of your hand. • If the obstruction remains, then perform abdominal thrusts. Stand behind the patient and be prepared to support them. Place your foot between the patient’s feet for better balance. Put your arms around the patient. • Landmark the hip and trace directly across at a 90 degree angle to the centre of the abdomen. Place your fist on the midline of the patient’s abdomen and below the rib cage. Cover it with your other hand. • Give up to five brisk thrusts , forcibly pressing inwards and upwards. Do not squeeze the ribs. Each thrust should be given with the intention of dislodging the obstruction. • Continue alternating back-blows and abdominal thrusts until the obstruction is cleared or the patient becomes unconscious. 1 2

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