PERFORMING CPR DURING COVID19
How to Perform CPR During the COVID-19 Pandemic
BY AMG ON MAY 8, 2020 CATEGORIES: KNOWLEDGE BASE, LIFE SAVING ADVICE
The American Heart Association (AHA) has issued new professional and bystander guidelines for how to perform CPR amid the COVID-19 outbreak. The full guidelines can be found at cpr.heart.org. During a time when social distancing measures are paramount, we must do everything we can to preserve our own health and well-being, even as we work to save the life of someone else. For anyone familiar with CPR procedures, the good news is that the modifications are fairly basic and easy to implement.
If an adult goes into cardiac arrest, the AHA now recommends the following:
How to Perform Child CPR During the COVID-19 Pandemic
-Call 911 and retrieve an automated external defibrillator (AED) if it’s available. If another person is nearby, have them retrieve the AED while you call 911. If you suspect that the patient has COVID-19, let the 911 operator know.
-Cover your mouth and nose with a face mask. If you don’t have one, you can use any cloth fabric.
-Cover the patient’s mouth and nose with a towel or cloth to prevent airborne or saliva-based COVID-19 contamination.
-Perform chest compressions on the patient.
-Place both hands firmly at the center of the chest and push down at a rate of 100 to 120 beats per minute (follow the beat of Stayin’ Alive) and a depth of 2 to 2.4 inches.
-Let the chest rise fully between each compression.
-Turn on the AED as soon as it becomes available. Follow the voice instructions to treat the patient until help arrives.
-If you don’t have an AED available, continue the CPR chest compressions until emergency services arrive. After you finish all emergency procedures, wash or dispose of the cloth that was placed over the patient’s mouth and nose. Then wash your hands thoroughly for at least 20 seconds with soap and water.
How to Perform Child CPR During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Child CPR is a bit different. The AHA still recommends a combination of chest compressions and rescue breathing because compressions alone aren’t as effective on pediatric patients. If a child goes into cardiac arrest, the AHA advises the following:
-Call 911 and retrieve an automated external defibrillator (AED) if it’s available. If another person is nearby, have them retrieve the AED while you call 911. If you suspect that the patient has COVID-19, let the 911 operator know.
-Perform 30 chest compressions.
-If the patient is a child (age 1 or older): Place one to two hands firmly at the center of the chest and push down at a rate of 100 to 120 beats per minute (follow the beat of Stayin’ Alive) and a maximum depth of 2 inches.
-If the patient is an infant (under 1 year): Place two fingers firmly at the center of the chest and push down at a rate of 100 to 120 beats per minute and a depth of 1 ½ inches.
-Perform 2 rescue breaths. To complete a rescue breath:
-Open the child’s airway by tilting the head back and lifting the chin forward and up.
-Pinch the child’s nose and place your mouth over the child’s mouth to create an airtight seal.
-Breathe into the child’s mouth for a full second. You should see the chest rise. If you don’t see the chest rise, make sure the airway is open and that the nose is closed.
-Perform four more cycles of 30 compressions and 2 breaths.
-Turn on the defibrillator.
-Determine if the defibrillator has a child setting—this is only necessary for children under 8 years old or 55 pounds.
-Look for a “Child” button on the device or a set of pediatric pads in the AED case. Attach the pads if available.
-If no child-specific features or accessories are found, use the standard adult setting but place one AED pad on the center of the child’s chest and one on the center of the child’s back.
-Follow the voice instructions to treat the patient until help arrives.
-If you don’t have an AED available, continue CPR until emergency services arrive. When you finish, wash your hands thoroughly for at least 20 seconds with soap and water.
If you performed rescue breaths and you suspect that the child has COVID-19, speak to your doctor right away. They should be able to provide you with a referral for COVID-19 testing.