CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) is a crucial skill that can keep a person alive until professional help arrives. It is needed when someone stops breathing or their heart stops, such as during a sudden collapse, drowning, severe injury, or heart attack. Fast, simple actions like checking responsiveness, calling for help, and starting chest compressions can save lives. Knowing when to stop performing CPR is just as important as knowing when to start, ensuring your efforts are effective and safe for both you and the patient. You can learn more about this in our detailed guide on when to stop performing CPR.
Sometimes, it can feel overwhelming if you’re unsure what to do. In this guide, we’ll cover seven common mistakes and show you how to avoid them with easy, practical steps. By staying calm and focused, you can act confidently and improve the chances of a positive outcome for the person in need.
CPR Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Many individuals want to help in an emergency, but small mistakes can reduce the chances of success. Knowing the most common CPR errors and how to prevent them makes your care stronger and more effective.
1. Forgetting to Check for Breathing
- Common Mistakes: Many people rush to start chest compressions without first looking for signs of breathing. Skipping this step can confuse you, and you may end up doing CPR on someone who is actually still breathing.
- How To Avoid: Take a quick moment to look for chest movement, listen for breaths, and feel for airflow on your cheek. This only takes a few seconds and helps you be sure CPR is truly needed.
2. Forgetting to Call 911
- Common Mistakes: In the rush to help, people often focus only on starting CPR and forget to call for emergency help. Without quick medical support on the way, the person’s chances of survival drop.
- How To Avoid: Make calling 911 your very first step, or ask someone nearby to do it while you begin CPR. This ensures professional help is on the way as you give life-saving care.
3. Incorrect Hand Placement
- Common Mistakes: Many rescuers place their hands too high or too low on the chest, which makes compressions less effective. This mistake can reduce blood flow to the heart and brain when every second matters.
- How To Avoid: Place the heel of your hand in the center of the chest, right between the nipples, and put your other hand on top. Keeping your hands in this spot helps your compressions work properly.
4. Ignoring Compression Rate
- Common Mistakes: A common error is pushing too slowly or too quickly during compressions. Moving at the wrong pace can keep the heart from pumping enough blood to the brain and other organs.
- How To Avoid: Aim for a steady rhythm of about 100 to 120 compressions per minute. An easy trick is to think of a familiar upbeat song that matches the tempo to help you stay on track.
5. Inadequate Compression Depth
- Common Mistakes: Many rescuers don’t push hard enough during compressions, often out of fear of hurting the person. Shallow compressions don’t move enough blood through the body, which lowers the chances of survival.
- How To Avoid: Push down at least two inches deep on an adult’s chest while allowing a full chest rise after each push. Using your body weight, not just your arms, makes it easier to reach the right depth.
6. Neglecting Full Chest Recoil
- Common Mistakes: Some people press well during compressions but don’t let the chest rise fully afterward. This limits blood flow and makes CPR less effective, even if the rhythm and depth are correct.
- How To Avoid: After each push, allow the chest to return to its normal position before pressing again. Keeping your arms straight and leaning slightly forward helps you maintain steady, full recoil.
7. Failing to Use Available Resources
- Common Mistakes: In stressful moments, people often forget to use the tools or helpers around them. Skipping resources like an AED (automated external defibrillator) or ignoring bystanders who could assist can slow down life-saving care.
- How To Avoid: Look around quickly and use what’s available. Ask someone to grab an AED, guide others to call 911, or switch out with another person if you get tired, so compressions stay strong and effective.
Also Read: When should the rescuer operating the AED clear the victim
Follow The Right Steps Of CPR to Save a Life
CPR can save a life when you stay calm and act quickly. We’ll walk you through the essential steps one by one.
Step 1: Assess the Situation
First, take a quick look around to see what happened and if anyone nearby can help. Notice if the scene is safe for you and the person in need. You want to check for anything that could put you at risk or complicate care, like traffic, fire, or dangerous objects. If everything seems clear, you can move on and start gathering the help you’ll need. Stay calm, focused, and ready to act.
Step 2: Check for Responsiveness
Gently tap the person and shout to see if they respond. If they open their eyes or react to your voice, that’s a sign they might still be awake, and you should check breathing from a little distance. If there’s no response, treat them as unresponsive and prepare to do more steps. Your goal here is to determine whether they need immediate life-saving care or simply a careful assessment to guide your next moves.
Also Read: What are the components of a pulse check in an unresponsive victim
Step 3: Call for Help
If the person isn’t waking up, call for emergency help right away. If someone else is nearby, tell them exactly what you need so they can contact professionals while you continue with care. If you’re alone, use a phone to dial the local emergency number and put it on speaker so you can hear the dispatcher as you work. Getting professional responders on the scene quickly can make a big difference.
Step 4: Open the Airway
Turn the person gently onto their back if they aren’t already there. Tilt the head back slightly and lift the chin to open the airway. This simple move helps air move into the lungs more easily. Check that the mouth is clear of any visible obstructions, and be careful not to push on the throat. A clear airway allows rescue breaths to reach the lungs properly when you’re ready to give them.
Also Read: How to open the airway for breaths when a single rescuer is present
Step 5: Check for Breathing
Look, listen, and feel for breaths for about ten seconds. Watch the chest rise and fall, listen for breath sounds, and feel for air from the mouth or nose. If the person is breathing normally, place them in a comfortable recovery position and monitor them until help arrives. If there is no normal breathing, you need to start chest compressions immediately to keep blood moving through the body.
Step 6: Begin Chest Compressions
Place the heel of one hand in the center of the chest and put your other hand on top, fingers interlaced. Keep your arms straight and shoulders above your hands to use your body weight. Press hard and fast, about 100 to 120 compressions each minute, allowing the chest to rise fully between pushes. Using a chest compression feedback device for effective CPR can help ensure you maintain the right depth and rate. Continue without long pauses, even if you get tired, until professional help takes over or the person shows signs of life.
Step 7: Give Rescue Breaths
If you’ve been trained and feel comfortable, give rescue breaths after every set of compressions. Pinch the person’s nose, seal your mouth over theirs, and gently breathe in to make the chest rise. Give short breaths that last about 2 seconds each, watching for the chest to rise. You can review what is the indications for mouth-to-mouth rescue breaths to know exactly when they are needed. After 2 breaths, resume compressions. If you’re not trained or unsure, continue with compressions only, as that still helps save lives.
Step 8: Continue Cycles of Compressions and Breaths
Keep cycling through compressions and breaths in a steady rhythm. Balance is key: quick, strong compressions with quick breaths when available, and continuous motion to maintain blood flow. If an automated external defibrillator becomes available, turn it on and follow its instructions. Stay focused, keep going, and don’t give up until trained help arrives or the person shows signs of life.
Save Lives with Confidence
Learning CPR is all about staying calm, acting quickly, and following the right steps. By avoiding common mistakes like skipping the breathing check, placing your hands incorrectly, or ignoring available help, you can make your efforts much more effective. Even small details like the right compression depth, rhythm, and allowing full chest recoil make a real difference. Remember, using resources like an AED or asking others to help keep your care strong and steady. With practice and confidence, anyone can provide CPR that truly saves lives.
