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ARTIFICIAL VENTILATION - 14325_390
CARDIAC ARREST AND CARDIOPULMONARY RECUSICITATION

Basic Military Requirements (BMR) Revised Edition
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A person who has stopped breathing may not be dead but is in immediate critical danger. Life depends on oxygen that is breathed into the lungs and then carried by the blood to every body cell. Since body cells can’t store oxygen and the blood can hold only a limited amount (and only for a short time), death will result from a continued lack of oxygen. The heart may continue to beat and the blood may still be circulated to the body cells for some time after breathing  has  stopped.  For  a  short  time,  blood  will contain a small supply of oxygen; therefore, the body cells won’t die immediately. For a very few minutes, there’s a chance that the person’s life may be saved. A person who’s stopped breathing but who is still alive is in a state of respiratory failure. The first-aid treatment for respiratory failure is artificial ventilation. Artificial  ventilation  provides  air  exchange  until natural breathing is reestablished. Artificial ventilation should  be  given  only  when  natural  breathing  has stopped.  Never give artificial ventilation to any person who is still breathing. Don’t assume breathing has stopped if a person is unconscious or if a person has been rescued from the water,  from  poisonous  gas,  or  from  contact  with  an electrical  wire.  Remember,  never  give  artificial ventilation to a person who is breathing naturally. If the victim doesn’t begin spontaneous breathing (breaths by  himself/herself)  after  using  the  head  or  jaw  tilt techniques  (discussed  later)  to  open  the  airway,  give artificial ventilation immediately. If a blocked airway prevents  ventilation,  one  of  the  “thrust”  methods (discussed later) to clear the airway must be performed, followed by another attempt at artificial ventilation. MOUTH TO MOUTH To  perform  mouth-to-mouth  ventilation,  take  the following steps: 1.   Clear the victim’s mouth of obstructions (false teeth and foreign matter). 2.   Place  the  heel  of  one  hand  on  the  victim’s forehead, and use the other hand placed under the chin to tilt back the head to open the airway. 3.   Using  the  thumb  and  index  finger,  pinch  the nostrils shut. 4.   Take  a  deep  breath,  cover  the  victim’s  mouth with your own, and blow. 5.   Then  remove  your  mouth  from  the  victim  to allow him or her to exhale. Observe  the  victim’s  chest  for  movement.  If  the victim hasn’t started to breathe normally, start artificial ventilation with four quick ventilations in succession, letting the lungs inflate only partially. If the victim still doesn’t respond, then you must fully inflate the victim’s lungs at the rate of 12 to 15 ventilations per minute, or one breath every 5 seconds. MOUTH TO NOSE Mouth-to-nose  ventilation  is  effective  when  the victim has extensive facial or dental injuries or is very young.  Mouth-to-nose  ventilation  creates  an  effective air seal. To administer this mouth-to-nose ventilation— 1.   Place  the  heel  of  one  hand  on  the  victim’s forehead and use the other hand to lift the jaw. 2.   After  sealing  the  victim’s  lips,  take  a  deep breath,  place  your  lips  over  the  victim’s  nose, and blow. Observe the chest for movement and place your ear next  to  the  victim’s  nose  to  listen  for  or  feel  air exchange. Again, you must continue your efforts at the rate of 12 to 15 ventilations per minute, or one breath every  5  seconds,  until  the  victim  can  breathe  without assistance. Sometimes  during  artificial  ventilation  air  enters the  stomach  instead  of  the  lungs.  This  condition  is called gastric distention. It can be relieved by moderate pressure exerted with a flat hand between the navel and the rib cage. Before applying pressure, turn the victim’s head  to  the  side  to  prevent  choking  on  the  stomach contents that are often brought up during the process. BACK PRESSURE/ARM LIFT The back pressure/arm lift method is an alternate technique used when other methods are not possible. To 14-3 Student Notes:







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