Knowing CPR is one of the most important things you can do to look after your family and friends.
That's because most cardiac arrests happen at home.
When bystanders like you take action, the survival rate doubles.
We know that CPR can seem scary or stressful, so we're going to talk you through how to do it in just a couple of minutes.
Keep in mind that when you call triple zero, the call taker will tell you what to do and send us straight away. But knowing what to do before we arrive makes all the difference.
With cardiac arrests, seconds count, and it's up to all of us to know what to do to save a life.
So grab a pillow or a CPR kit if you have one and a space on the floor, and let's get started.
When it comes to responding to a cardiac arrest, we can break it down into three simple steps: call, push, shock.
The first step is to recognize that when someone is unconscious and not breathing normally, they may be in cardiac arrest, and you need to call triple zero immediately.
Cardiac arrest means the heart has stopped beating normally, and immediate action is needed. So call triple zero, put it on loudspeaker, and the call taker will talk you through how to do CPR.
They might ask you to check the patient's breathing, but at this point, the most important thing for you to do is to just call triple zero immediately.
The second step is to push. Push hard, push fast, and there's no need for you to do mouth-to-mouth anymore—just use your hands.
If there's someone else with you, take turns doing CPR. Swap every two minutes as it's really tiring. You'll need to continue these compressions until we arrive and take over.
Here are a few things to keep in mind as you're doing compressions: put the person on the floor if possible, not on a couch or bed.
Kneel next to their chest with your knees about shoulder-width apart. Put the heel of your hand in the middle of the chest, directly between the nipples.
Place your other hand on top and lock your fingers together. Try to keep your fingers off the chest; this will keep your weight on the right part of your hand.
Lean over the chest with your arms straight and elbows locked. Push down one third of the depth of the chest and let the chest rise back up before pushing down again.
To get the right speed, you can use the song "Stayin' Alive" by the Bee Gees or "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" as a reference. Basically, you want to be doing about two compressions per second.
Don't let fear get in the way. Try to stay calm, do what you can, and remember that when it comes to CPR, any CPR is better than no CPR.
Now let's tackle the shock component. When we say shock, we're talking about an AED or a defibrillator machine.
AEDs are in a lot of shopping centers, schools, and public places. Knowing where your nearest AED is is super important.
There are many types of AEDs in the community. This is just one variety, but they're all just as easy to use. Just keep a lookout for this sign.
If you're nearby to one or someone can grab one for you, here's what to do: turn it on and follow the instructions. That's it!
AEDs are totally safe for anyone to use. They analyze the patient's heart and only deliver a shock when needed.
You don't need training to use one, and there's an automated voice that will tell you what to do.
Some of the things it'll tell you are to remove their top, remove clothes from the patient's chest, and where to put the pads.
Apply pads to the patient's bare chest. When to move away from the patient: shock advised—stay clear of the patient. And when to keep doing compressions: no shock advised—begin CPR.
So there you have it: call, push, shock. Call triple zero immediately, push hard and fast between the nipples, and shock if an AED is available.
Remember, when you call triple zero, the call taker will tell you exactly what to do, and we'll be on our way as quickly as possible.
Thanks for joining us today to learn CPR and how to use an AED. These are two of the most important things you can do to keep your loved ones safe.
Take care.
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