Video: The ABC's of CPR

Learn about the ABC's of CPR in this free first aid video.

Video Transcript

In this clip we are going to talk about our ABC's. The ABC's are just a way for the rescuers to kind of remember the different steps they need to go through when performing CPR and checking for responsiveness of a patient. A stands for airway, the B for breathing and C for circulation. In the air part of the airway what that includes is opening up the airway of the patient. Earlier we talked about opening up the airway using the head tilt chin lift and also the modified jaw thrust by using your thumbs and kind of the pinching motion to open up the airway when you don't want to miss with the cervical spine. Once you have the airway open you can move on to the B for breathing the breathing part includes both accessing breathing and giving exhalations. So first look, listen and feel putting your ear next to the mouth feeling for any breath and listening for any breath or any noise while looking down the plane of the chest for any chest rise. Do this for about 5-10 seconds. Once you access that the patient is not breathing it is important to give a ventilation. Giving a ventilation again using our a OK for holding the mask. What you want to do maintaining opening up that airway go ahead and give one slow deep breath just enough for chest rise not to much. Once you have chest rise you give them one ventilation you want to make sure you give a second ventilation. Once you have given a second ventilation you can move on to C for checking for circulation. You do that by checking the carotid pulse. Don't ever move from one step with out making sure you have completed the previous step. Don't go onto breathing until you have opened up the airway and don't check for a pulse until after you have given two adequate exhalations. If for some reason you are not able to give two adequate exhalations you must assume that there is an obstruction of the airway and you should proceed taking care of that obstruction before you go any further.

The ABC's of CPR

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