4. How to Perform Mouth-to-Mouth Respiration on an Adult: A Step-by-Step Guide
Follow these steps carefully when providing rescue breaths to an adult.
- Step 1: Ensure Safety and Check for Consciousness Before approaching, make sure the area is safe for both you and the person. Gently tap their shoulder and ask loudly, “Are you okay?” If they do not respond, call for emergency medical help immediately or ask someone else to do so.
- Step 2: Open the Airway Lay the person on their back on a firm, flat surface. Use the head-tilt, chin-lift maneuver: place one hand on their forehead and gently tilt their head back. With your other hand, place two fingers under the chin and lift it upward. This action pulls the tongue away from the back of the throat, clearing the airway.
- Step 3: Check for Breathing (Look, Listen, and Feel) With the airway open, spend no more than 10 seconds checking for normal breathing:
- Look for any movement in the person’s chest.
- Listen for any breath sounds by placing your ear close to their mouth and nose.
- Feel for any air on your cheek. If there are no signs of normal breathing, begin rescue breaths.
- Step 4: Give Two Rescue Breaths Pinch the person’s nose closed with your thumb and index finger. Take a normal breath and place your mouth over theirs, creating a complete seal. Give one slow breath for about 1 second, just enough to make you see their chest rise. Remove your mouth and allow the chest to fall as the air escapes. Repeat this process to deliver a second breath.
- Step 5: Begin CPR Cycle (If Necessary) If you are trained in CPR and have determined there is no pulse, begin the full CPR cycle. Perform 30 chest compressions by placing interlocked hands on the lower half of the breastbone, pressing down firmly to a depth of 5-6 cm at a rate of 100-120 compressions per minute. Follow the 30 compressions with the 2 rescue breaths you just learned.
The procedure for infants is different and requires a more delicate approach.