CPR Question: Rescue Breaths

Nurses General Nursing

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This is something that I have wondered about for a while. With CPR, what is the point of the rescue breaths? It doesn't make sense to me. The patient is not getting oxygen, they are getting CO2. So why rescue breaths? I understand in a hospital where the patient can be bagged with 100% oxygen, but on the field, why breath CO2 into their lungs? And many times the air goes into the stomach, not the lungs.

I'm a student, and would like to know the reasoning behind this. It's been something I've wondered about since my first CPR class years and years ago.

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I've heard from a few people recert for CPR, that they are now taught cardiocerebral resusitation... no breaths... someone here I am sure will post with all the details... come on trauma people.

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Room air is 21% oxygen. We use approximately 4%, exhaling 16% oxygen.

The person is not getting lungs full of CO2, but essential oxygen.

The air goes in the stomach when you blow too large a volume. That is why you breathe into the person just enough to see chest rise.

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Okay, that makes more sense.

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If you think about it...if we used 100% of the oxygen we inhale everytime, we'd never be able to hold our breath...wierd

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Specializes in LTC.

I often wondered that too. Gomer is right though. Also now that we are doing more compressions that makes up for the supposed lack of the 21% oxygen that we are blowing in. Good question!

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Specializes in ER/Critical Care.
I've heard from a few people recert for CPR, that they are now taught cardiocerebral resusitation... no breaths... someone here I am sure will post with all the details... come on trauma people.

This is actually recommended only for a witnessed, non-respiratory event. As in, I am sitting talking to you then grab my chest and fall over. If there is ANY question as to respiratory involvement (gasping beforehand, SOB, difficulty talking, etc), then rescue breaths should be provided. And I believe (but don't quote me as I don't have the actual facts/# of minutes in front of me) that cardiocerebral resusitation (without breaths) should only be provided for 7 or 9 minutes because after that the oxygen concentration in the blood decreases rather quickly and tissues start to suffer hypoxia.

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I just recertified CPR on Friday we were taught to do the rescue breaths, because as gomer42 said they will still get some oxygen. They also told us that if we didn't have a mask then we should not give breaths (although this is a personal choice) and give compressions only, until someone came that had a mask or could bag them whatever. They did not tell us a certain time frame that breaths had to be started either. Hope this helps!

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Specializes in OB, HH, ADMIN, IC, ED, QI.

It's important to get the latest info from the American Heart Association, if your education department hasn't got a certified CPR Instructor. It's necessary to have everyone on the same page, or your CPR response will be fractured, with argumentative participants. Get an Inservice session on this ASAP!

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Specializes in med-surg, telemetry,geriatrics.

the new addition of the hands off addendum is nice. They found that CPR certified people were not starting CPR cause they did not want to do mouth to mouth with out a barrier for communicable disease possiblities even when it is only a small risk. So they figure its better to do chest compressions until a mask arrives ect... At least it gives health care providers the chance to not give breaths if that is their choice. For me id be a huffing and puffing on that poor soul and hope to save their life.:twocents:

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Specializes in med-surg, telemetry,geriatrics.

PS: Unless they had a really gross mouth, they id have to say sorry your getting compressions and thats it, should have kept better oral hygeine.:chuckle

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Specializes in MSP, Informatics.

what always bugged me is every time you take CPR, something changes. ratio of compressions to breaths... what age to do 2 person vs 1 person, to start right off the bat, or run to get help first...etc. I always figured if CPR stayed the same every year, the CPR teachers would be out of a job!

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