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Would you know what to do?

RICE is great for treating minor injuries from physical activity. But what if something more serious happens? Would you know what to do?

Use the slides below to learn what to do if someone collapses.

hands doing chest compressions on a man

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is an emergency lifesaving procedure performed when a person’s heart stops beating. Basically, CPR keeps the person’s blood flowing until medical help arrives. Immediate CPR can double or triple a person’s chances of survival after a heart attack.

a. e. d. mounted in a hallway of an institutional building

An automated external defibrillator (AED) is a lightweight, portable device that delivers an electric shock through the chest to the heart. The shock can potentially stop an irregular heartbeat. It can also return the heart to a normal rhythm if it suddenly stops beating. If a stopped heart is not treated within minutes, the person will quickly die.

hands doing chest compressions on a man

Putting It All Together

If someone collapses, here’s what to do:

  1. Shake the person’s shoulder and ask loudly, “Are you okay?” If the person responds, wait to see if the condition improves or worsens before doing anything else.
  2. If the person is unresponsive with no pulse, have someone call 9-1-1. Have that person or someone else get an automatic external defibrillator (AED) if one is available.
  3. Follow the directions on the AED.
  4. Look to see if the person is breathing. Using two fingers, try to find a pulse in the neck under the jaw line. If the person is breathing and has a pulse but is still unresponsive, wait for EMS to arrive.
  5. If there is no pulse, begin chest compressions. Place your hands as shown in the photo, press down firmly (aim for a depth of 2 inches) and fast (about 100 compressions per minute).
  6. Continue chest compressions until medical personnel arrive. If possible, alternate with another bystander--giving high-quality chest compressions is hard work!

Use your favorite search engine to navigate to the website of the American Heart Association or of another medical organization. Use information from that site to answer the questions below.

How does an AED work?

What MUST you do just before delivering a shock with an AED?

Your Responses Sample Answers
  After a rescuer places the AED’s pads on the victim’s chest, the AED assesses the person’s heart rhythm. If the person’s heart has stopped or is in an abnormal rhythm, the AED signals that a shock is needed. The rescuer makes sure that everyone is clear of the victim and administers the shock.
  You must make sure that no one is touching the person. Otherwise, that person will also get an electrical shock.

Try it!

Find a classmate, friend or adult that you know and demonstrate to them how you perform hands only CPR.