So now let’s have the Steps of Basic Life Support.

So here are the 7 steps which we will be

discussing further.
SAFETY

- The very first step of the basic life support is of course, safety. As you approach the
scene of emergency, make sure that you, the victim and any bystanders around you are
safe. It involves assessing the scene and establishing if there are any risks or other
factors that could put everyone at risk during the procedure of basic life support.
Therefore, look for a place that is safe from any risks. Look out for any potential
hazards because the last thing you want is for you or another person to become another
sick or injured person.

ASSESS THE PATIENT

- Second, assess the patient. Check for the responsiveness of the victim by either shaking
or tapping the victim gently, not hard, by the shoulders and ask loudly: “Are you
okay?” Then see if the person moves or makes a noise.

CHECK FOR PULSE

- Next is we need to check for pulse. There are two major arteries, called the carotid arteries,
in the neck. One artery lies in a grove on the left side of the trachea (windpipe); the other lies
in a groove on the right side of the trachea. Either artery may be used to check the casualty's
carotid pulse, but you will normally use the artery on the side of the neck closest to you.
- Locate the trachea using 2 or 3 fingers (index, middle, and ring fingers). Place the index
and middle fingers of your hand on the casualty's trachea or larynx. Slide the finger
laterally into the groove between trachea and muscle while gently pressing on the neck
until you find the groove running parallel to the airway.
- Lastly, feel the pulse for at least 5 seconds. Allow enough time to detect a pulse that is
weak, slow, and/or irregular. The check should take between 5 and 10 seconds.
- CAUTION: Do not use your thumb. The thumb has a detectable pulse and you may mistake
the pulse in your thumb for the casualty's pulse.

AIRWAY

- So here comes the fourth step. Check if the patient's airway is patent. If they are
unconscious or unresponsive, position the victim on their back. With your hand on the
forehead and your fingertips under the point of the chin, gently tilt the victim’s head
backwards, lifting the chin to open airway. Ensure that there is no physical blockage by
their tongue, vomit, or anything else. Airway blockages (in the throat, mouth, and nose)
greatly decrease the chances of survival because they lead to abnormal breathing or
even a lack of breath.
BREATHING
 - Now let’s have the next step, the breathing. Once you were able to put the victim in a
proper position. Look, listen and feel for breathing for no more than 10 seconds.
- Check the patients breathing, do this by maintaining the head, placing your face and
ear over the mouth to feel for any respiratory effort whilst observing the chest for any
movement.
- A victim who is barely breathing, or talking infrequent, slow and noisy gasp, is not
breathing normally.
- Look for any chest movement.
- Listen for any breath sounds.
- Feel for breath under nostrils, mouth.

ABSENT OR ABNORMAL BREATHING

- When a victim is not breathing, or not breathing normally, it’s important to act fast. If
breathing is absent or abnormal, ask a helper to call emergency services or call them yourself.
- You can call hotlines 911 Philippine Emergency Hotline, or 143 Red cross
- Stay with the victim if possible
- Activate speaker function or hands-free option on the telephone so that you can start CPR
whilst talking to the dispatcher
CIRCULATION

- It is time to conduct CPR if you have conducted your pulse checks and cannot feel the carotid
pulse. You must move quickly if your subject has stopped breathing even after clearing their
mouth and airway.
- Kneel by the side of the victim
- Place the heel of one hand in the center of the victim’s chest - this is the lower half of the
victim’s breastbone (sternum)
- Place the heel of your other hand on top of the first hand and interlock your fingers
- Keep your arms straight
- Position yourself vertically above the victim’s chest and press down on the sternum at least 5
cm (but not more than 6 cm)
- After each compression, release all the pressure on the chest without losing contact between
your hands and the sternum
- Repeat at a rate of 100-120 min-1

COMBINE RESCUE BREATHING WITH CHEST COMPRESSIONS

- Pinch the soft part of the nose closed, using the index finger and thumb of your hand on the
forehead
- Allow the victim’s mouth to open, but maintain chin lift
- Take a normal breath and place your lips around the victim’s mouth, making sure that you
have an airtight seal
- Blow steadily into the mouth whilst watching for the chest to rise, taking about 1 second as in
normal breathing. This is an effective rescue breath
- Maintaining head tilt and chin lift, take your mouth away from the victim and watch for the
chest to fall as air comes out
 - Take another normal breath and blow into the victim’s mouth once more to achieve a total of
two rescue breaths
- Do not interrupt compressions by more than 10 seconds to deliver the two breaths even if one
or both are not effective
- Then return your hands without delay to the correct position on the sternum and give a further
30 chest compressions
- Continue with chest compressions and rescue breaths in a ratio of 30:2

COMPRESSION-ONLY CPR

- If you are untrained, or unable to give rescue breathes, give chest-compression-only CPR
(continuous compressions at a rate of 100-120 min-1)
WHEN AED ARRIVES

- As soon as the AED arrives switch it on and attach the electrode pads to the victim’s bare
chest
- If more than one rescuer is present, CPR should be continued whilst the electrode pads are
being attached to the chest
FOLLOW THE SPOKEN AND VISUAL DIRECTIONS GIVEN BY THE AED

- If a shock is advised, ensure that neither you nor anyone else is touching the victim
- Push the shock button as directed
- Then immediately resume CPR and continue as directed by the AED

IF NO SHOCK IS ADVISED

- If no shock is advised, immediately resume CPR and continue as directed by the AED

IF NO AED IS AVAILABLE

- If no AED is available, OR whilst waiting for one to arrive, continue CPR

- Do not interrupt resuscitation until:
o A health professional tells you to stop OR
o The victim is definitely waking up, moving, opening eyes, and breathing normally
o You become exhausted
- It is rare for CPR alone to restart the heart. Unless you are certain that the victim has
recovered continue CPR
- Signs that the victim has recovered
o Waking-up
o Moving
o Opening eyes
o Breathing normally

IF UNRESPONSIVE BUT BREATHING NORMALLY

- If you are certain that the victim is breathing normally but still unresponsive, place them in
the recovery position SEE FIRST AID SECTION
- Be prepared to restart CPR immediately if the victim becomes unresponsive, with absent or
abnormal breathing
CONCLUSION
Therefore, adult CPR education is an essential and useful skill to have. It enables trained
bystanders to improve the chances of survival for patients suffering from a heart attack. Before beginning
CPR, ensure your own safety and competence. BLS + CPR training will enable you to provide a more
comprehensive BLS emergency response and keep loved ones or patients alive until emergency personnel
arrive.
REFERENCES:

Adult basic life support (BLS): Assessment, steps, algorithm. Skills Training Group. (2023, February 14).
Retrieved March 2, 2023, from https://www.skillstg.co.uk/blog/adult-basic-life-support/

POWER POINT KEY POINTS

 SAFETY - Check everyone is safe

 RESPONSE - Check for a response
 AIRWAY – Open the airway
 BREATHING – Look, listen and feel for breathing
 ABSENT OR ABNORMAL BREATHING – Alert emergency services
 SEND FOR AED – What is an AED? - Send someone to get an AED
 CIRCULATION – Start chest compressions
 COMBINE RESCURE BREATHING WITH CHEST COMPRESSIONS - If you are
trained to do so, after 30 compressions, open the airway again, using head tilt and chin lift.
 COMPRESSION-ONLY CPR – Give chest-compression-only CPR
 WHEN AED ARRIVES – Switch on the AED and attach the electrode pads
 FOLLOW THE SPOKEN OR VISUAL DIRECTIONS – Follow the directions given by
the AED
 IF NO SHOCK IS ADVISED – Continue CPR
 IF NO AED IS AVAILABLE – Continue CPR
- Signs that the victim has recovered
o Waking-up
o Moving
o Opening eyes
o Breathing normally

 IF UNRESPONSIVE BUT BREATHING NORMALLY – Place victim in the recovery

position
 CONCLUSION
- Essential and useful skill
- Improve the chances of survival for patients suffering
- BLS + CPR