What is it like to have to administer CPR to someone? Is is "panicky?"!
Question: I gave mouth to mouth and compressions to a patron at an Outback Steakhouse I was working at many years ago. He had choked on a large piece of meat, and the heimlich maneuver didn't work. His pulse stopped due to lack of air, so the 911 operator told us to give him CPR. People were yelling "Does anyone know CPR" but no one stepped forward, so after a little hesitation, I walked through the crowd and knelt in front of the man.
At first, i tried to use a cloth napkin between us (the half eaten bloomin onion that was all over his face was quite sickening) But I couldn't get a seal on his lips with it, so I finally got it together and remembered CPR class. ABC. A is Airway. I looked down his throat, but I couldn't see the meat, it was lodged too far down, so I moved on to B (Breathing), I bent his forward back and lifted his neck up off the ground, opened my mouth as wide as I could and blew two big breaths into his mouth two times. Then another waitress jumpped in and started giving compressions. I was very calm the entire time, it was unreal, like it wasn't really happening, then when the paramedics got there (about 4 minutes later) I ran to the back and threw up. It hit me at that point how serous the situation was.
About a week later, I received a letter and gift from the man's wife. She told me that the doctor's were sure that the air and heart movements we were able to provide for the man saved him from any brain damage and that he would make a full recovery.
Though I hope you will never need to give anyone CPR, I strongly encourage you to keep your classes updated and remember your ABC's if you ever need to.
Answers: I gave mouth to mouth and compressions to a patron at an Outback Steakhouse I was working at many years ago. He had choked on a large piece of meat, and the heimlich maneuver didn't work. His pulse stopped due to lack of air, so the 911 operator told us to give him CPR. People were yelling "Does anyone know CPR" but no one stepped forward, so after a little hesitation, I walked through the crowd and knelt in front of the man.
At first, i tried to use a cloth napkin between us (the half eaten bloomin onion that was all over his face was quite sickening) But I couldn't get a seal on his lips with it, so I finally got it together and remembered CPR class. ABC. A is Airway. I looked down his throat, but I couldn't see the meat, it was lodged too far down, so I moved on to B (Breathing), I bent his forward back and lifted his neck up off the ground, opened my mouth as wide as I could and blew two big breaths into his mouth two times. Then another waitress jumpped in and started giving compressions. I was very calm the entire time, it was unreal, like it wasn't really happening, then when the paramedics got there (about 4 minutes later) I ran to the back and threw up. It hit me at that point how serous the situation was.
About a week later, I received a letter and gift from the man's wife. She told me that the doctor's were sure that the air and heart movements we were able to provide for the man saved him from any brain damage and that he would make a full recovery.
Though I hope you will never need to give anyone CPR, I strongly encourage you to keep your classes updated and remember your ABC's if you ever need to.
Generally, there is quite an adrenaline rush, your scared, nervous, and anxious because someone is near death and you are trying to help. I suppose some people can feel "panicky" it is part of the "fight or flight" responce related to the arenaline rush. Since the person is helping and doing CPR, the "fight" is at least slightly stronger than the "flight," but expect to feel chills, strong emotions, and tiredness after your done.
The first time, yes! after you have done CPR several times you get used to it. I was a trained medic and worked for 6 months while the ambulance crews were on strike 1989/90 and the first time I had to administer CPR was on an elderly man with an aortic aneurism and the first time I pressed on his chest the intercostal ligaments broke causing a cracking sound, which is normal in the elderly.
I have a friend who has done CPR a couple of times and she said that she felt fine until afterwards, it was then that she felt really panicky.
no your training takes over and you do it until they have life signs or extra help arrives.
it is hard work after about 10 Min's but keep it up and you might save a life.
The popping feeling the other person described is something that is not easily forgotten. It gave me the heebie geebies for months afterward. You will not remember much from the experience. You don't really need to concentrate on the ticky tachy little rules they stress in CPR. You just need to worry about the depths and the rate of the compressions. If you ventilate you need to make sure the airway is open and the breaths give good chest rise. If the ventilations go into the stomach the patient will vomit from the compressions, which they will probably do anyway. My suggestion is if they do vomit aim at any rubber neckers in the area who are not helping. I always found it is best for lay persons to count out loud because it helps people concentrate and also it makes it easier for responders to find you.