Updated on November 28, 2024
This lesson trains you on what to do when you find someone unresponsive, as a single rescuer
1. Scene safety.
First, make sure it is safe for YOU to reach the victim. We do not encourage you to risk your life trying to save someone else. Some of the unsafe situations are listed below. Use your own justice to decide how safe it is for you, the list is just a guide:
- Victim is inside a collapsing building
- Victim is in a building on fire
- Victim is drowning and you can’t swim
- Victim is being electrocuted (current shock) – First disconnect power.
2. Check the response
Check if the victim is responding to your voice (Shout loudly – ARE YOU OKAY?) or touch (Tap on the shoulders firmly). If there’s no response, that means the victim needs some help. Check if you can get some extra help from near by person.
3. Check pulse and breaths
After asking for help, make sure the victim has a pulse and is breathing adequately. This should be done for a minimum of 5 seconds but not more than 10 seconds. If there’s pulse and the victim is breathing, just keep an eye on, till some advanced help arrives on scene (as you’ve already called for help in step 2).
If there is pulse but breathing is abnormal or inadequate, you may support breathing via RESCUE BREATHS at a rate of 10/min (1 breath every 6 seconds).
If you are not trained enough to check PULSE or if you are unable to appreciate a pulse, you can assume that the victim is in cardiac arrest. If there’s cardiac arrest (no pulse and no breaths), call the emergency medical service (EMS) (112 in India) (If you are in a hospital, activate code blue – please know the number to dial). Ask the EMS to get an AED (Automated external defibrillator) which would be of great help in managing shockable arrhythmias causing cardiac arrest.
If you suspect an OPIOID overdose, give NALOXONE (antidote) if available (will be covered later).
4. Start high quality CPR
Start CPR while you wait for the help to arrive, starting with the Chest compressions. For every 30 compressions, provide 2 breaths. Use AED as soon as possible (You may interrupt CPR as AED has a higher priority in case the rhythm is shockable). Do not touch the victim when the AED is analyzing (Learn more about compressions and breaths in coming up lessons)
This is how you would perform a Single rescuer Adult BLS