Learn to Save a
Life
Each year 220,000 people die from an abnormal heart rhythm which
suddenly stops the heart. This disruption in the heart’s normal rhythm
leads to loss of consciousness, respiratory arrest, and cardiac arrest.
Fortunately, there is something you can do. Immediate CPR and the
use of an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) can greatly improve
the victim’s chance of survival. These basic lifesaving techniques are
important to save a life.
Administering CPR
1
The first step is to make sure that the area is safe
for you to enter. While approaching the victim,
look to see if there are any potential hazards which
could harm you such as electrical cords, slick
surfaces, falling debris, hazardous materials, and
violent situations.
Remember: You can’t help the victim if you get
injured!
2
Check the victim’s
responsiveness by shaking
their shoulders gently and
shouting, “Are you ok?” If
the victim does not
respond, call 911 or have
someone else call 911 and
get an AED.
Check the victim by shaking and shouting.
3
After calling 911, open
the victim’s airway. Place
one hand on the victim’s
forehead and your other
hand on the chin. Tilt the
head back as you lift the
chin. This will move the
victim’s tongue away from
the back of their mouth and
will open their airway.
Open the airway with a head-tilt chin-lift
maneuver
4
Check to see if the
victim is breathing. As you
keep the airway open, kneel
down to check if you feel
or hear any breath and
watch to see if the chest
rises and falls. You should
check for about 10 seconds
to see if they are breathing.
5
Look, listen, and feel for breathing.
If the victim is not
breathing, you need to
breathe for them. Take a
deep breath and make a seal
with your mouth over
theirs. Pinch the nostrils to
keep air from escaping.
Breathe into the victim for
1-2 seconds while watching Deliver each breath until the chest rises.
for the chest to rise. When
the chest rises, stop breathing into their mouth and
allow the victim to fully exhale. Then, deliver a
second breath. If the chest does not rise, reposition
the victim’s head and try to breathe again.
Remember: Deliver each breath slowly to prevent
air from entering the victim’s stomach!
6
Now, check the victim to see if their heart is
beating by looking for these signs of circulation:
 Coughing
 Moving
 Breathing
7
If the victim has no
signs of circulation, you
need to start chest
compressions. Remove
clothing from the victim’s
chest and find the bottom of
their breastbone. Place one
hand 2 finger-widths above
the bottom of the
Place your hand 2 finger-widths above the
bottom of the breastbone.
breastbone and then place
your other hand on top of
the first. Join your fingers together and pull your
fingers back so that only the heel of your hand is in
contact with the victim’s chest. Lock your elbows
and position your shoulders above your hands.
8
Press down on the
victim’s chest about 1 ½ to
2 inches. If you don’t press
hard enough, you won’t
deliver an effective
compression. Compress
the victim’s chest at a rate
of 100 compressions a
1 ½ - 2”
Press the chest down 1 ½ - 2”.
minute. Count out-loud as you deliver chest
compressions. After 15 compressions stop and
deliver 2 breaths. This is one cycle of CPR.
9
Repeat this process 4
times and then stop and
recheck the victim to see if
they have any signs of
circulation. Then, resume
CPR until help arrives.
Using the AED
1 Once the AED is at the
victim’s side, the first step
is to open the cover and
turn on the machine. This
allows the machine to
complete a self-test and
will begin the voice
prompts that will direct
your actions.



One CPR Cycle
15 compressions and
2 breaths
Power
Button
The first step is to turn on the AED.
Special Considerations for AED Use
Remove the victim from water and dry the victim’s chest before applying the AED
pads if necessary.
Position the AED pads away from any implanted devices in the victim’s chest
which could impede the flow of electricity.
Take off any medication patches the victim is wearing if they interfere with pad
placement.
2
The machine will
prompt you to connect the
electrodes to the victim’s
bare chest. One pad goes
on the right side of the
victim’s chest, just below
their collarbone. The other
pad goes on the side of the
victim’s chest, just below
their left armpit. This
placement allows the
energy to travel from one
pad to the other by passing
through the victim’s heart.
After the pads have been
attached to the victim’s
chest, plug the pads into the
AED.
3
The AED patches show proper placement.
Proper pad placement on the victim’s
chest.
The AED will then
Shock
begin to analyze the heart
button
rhythm of the victim. If a
shockable rhythm is found
(see “What does an AED
do?”), the machine will
automatically charge and it
will direct you to push the
The AED will prompt you to press the
shock button. Remember:
shock button..
Do not touch the victim
during the “analyze” or “shock” phase!
4
Before pressing the
shock button, make sure
that you and all bystanders
are clear. Then, shout,
“Clear!” and press the
shock button to deliver the
shock. The victim’s
muscles may jerk when the
shock is delivered, this is
normal.
Clear the victim before pressing the
shock button.
5
The AED then analyzes the victim’s heart rhythm
again. If a shockable rhythm is found, repeat steps 3 and
4 until you have delivered 3 shocks in a row or the AED
finds the victim’s heart is no longer in a shockable
rhythm. If the AED finds a rhythm that cannot be
shocked, or you give 3 shocks in a row, the AED will tell
you to recheck the victim for breathing and signs of
circulation. If signs of circulation are found, continue to
watch your victim and check every 30 seconds to make
sure their heart is still beating. If signs of circulation are
not found, then do CPR for one minute.
6
Every minute, the AED will analyze the victim’s
heart rhythm and voice prompts will instruct you.
What does an AED do?
The AED analyzes the heart rhythm and looks for an abnormal rhythm called ventricular
fibrillation. Ventricular fibrillation occurs when individual muscle cells in the pumping chambers of
the heart contract chaotically. The chaotic contractions do not circulate blood to the victim’s body
and if left untreated, the victim will die. The AED delivers energy to the heart to stop all activity and
tries to reset the heart so the heart’s pacemaker cells can resume a normal heart rhythm.
CPR and AED Steps
CPR





Shake and Shout, if the victim does not respond, call 911.
Open the airway and check for breathing.
If not breathing, give 2 breaths and then check for circulation.
If no circulation, start chest compressions at a rate of 100 each
minute.
Give 15 compression and 2 breaths each cycle.
AED




Turn on AED.
Attach AED pads.
Analyze the heart rhythm. Stay clear.
Shock if directed. Follow voice prompts.
Clip out this reminder card and carry it with you.
This brochure should provide the reader with a
basic knowledge in the proper steps for providing
care to a victim of cardiac arrest. It does not replace
any formal training program. Readers are strongly
encouraged to take a CPR and AED class in order to
become certified in CPR and AED use.
For information about CPR and AED classes
contact:
American Heart
Association
877-AHA-4CPR
americanheart.org
American Red Cross
515-232-5104
redcross.org
Mercy Nurse
515-2HEALTH
mercydesmoines.org