Instruction manual

PROFICIENCY IN SURVIVAL CRAFT AND RESCUE BOATS OTHER THAN
FAST RESCUE BOATS
15 7
4. Now cover this hand with the heel of your other hand, lock your fingers
together, keeping them off the chest . Put your shoulders above the
patient's chest and keep your arms straight.
Fig.15-10 Interlock the fingers of both hands and, with the arms straight,
press down 4-5 cm.
5. Press down on the lower half of the breastbone 4-5 centimetres,
keeping your arms straight. Then stop pushing. While counting "one and two
and three and...", press 15 times, in time with the numbers (80 presses a
minute). Presses should be regular and smooth, not jerky and jabbing.
6. Remember that both mouth-to-mouth respiration and heart massage
are needed. After 15 presses tilt the head back again so that air can get down
the throat, put your mouth round the patient's mouth and give two breaths.
7. Continue with 15 presses followed by two full breaths. After one minute
check the heartbeat, then after 3 minutes or every 12 cycles check the
heartbeat again. As soon as the heartbeat returns stop heart massage
immediately. You may see the patient's colour become more normal and the
pupils return to normal size.
8. Continue mouth-to-mouth respiration at 12 breaths a minute, until the
patient breathes without help. It may be some time before breathing starts
again, even after the heart has started beating. When breathing starts again
put the patient onto his or her side in the recovery position.
If another person is with you, get him or her to do the breathing while
you do the heart massage (Fig. 15-11). The other person should kneel by the
patient's head while you kneel by the middle of the chest. The other person
should give two breaths and check the heartbeat. If there is no heartbeat you
should give five presses on the chest. Continue with the other person giving