1. The document outlines guidelines for basic life support in 2010, including assessing signs of life, clearing and opening the airway, checking breathing and pulse, performing chest compressions and ventilations, and calling for emergency assistance. 2. Key steps are summarized as DR SCAB PACED: assessing danger and response, shouting for help, clearing and opening the airway, checking breathing and pulse, performing chest compressions and ventilations, and not stopping resuscitation efforts until signs of life return or emergency help arrives. 3. Chest compressions should be provided at a rate of 100-120 per minute in a ratio of 30 compressions to 2 ventilations, without stopping except for signs of

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Basic Life Support
2010 Guidelines

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Signs of life =
 A – Check airway for signs or risk of any
airway obstruction
 B – Check for normal breathing pattern, rate
>8 AND <30.
 C – Check pulse, assess general colour, and
perfusion
 D – Monitor for changes in conscious level
 E – Can you see any obvious major injuries
that require prompt treatment

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DR SCAB PACED

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Danger
Ensure
safety of both
victim AND
rescuer

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Response
Shake gently, stabilising
the head, to see if the
person responds
Shout “Are you alright”

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Shout
Shout for help

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Clear airway
 Remove any visible
obstruction or loose
fitting dentures
 Leave well fitting
dentures
 Do not under any
circumstances do a
blind finger sweep
(only remove visible
objects)

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Open Airway
 Open airway with head
tilt - chin lift
 Try to avoid head tilt if
neck injury suspected

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Are They Breathing Normally
 Maintain head tilt chin lift and
 Look, Listen, Feel
 For no more than 10
seconds
 If in any doubt breathing is
normal, act as if patient is not
breathing
 If (s)he is breathing
normally
 place in recovery position
 check for continued
breathing
 send for or go for help

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Carotid Pulse
 Look for any movement
(signs of life)
 Check for the carotid
pulse FOR NO MORE
THAN 10 SECONDS

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If no pulse call Arrest team
 Send someone for help or if alone go
yourself If available ask them to bring the
Automated External Defibrillator (AED)
with them
 At this point you need qualified help,
 pre hospital this would be a paramedic,
call 999 or the Pan European number
112 America is 911.
 In hospital the cardiac arrest team is
usually on 2222.

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Apply Compressions x 30
 Kneel/stand beside the casualty
 Place the heel of one hand in the
centre of the victim’s chest
 Place the heel of your other hand on
top of the first hand
 Interlock the fingers of your hands
and ensure that pressure is not
applied over the victim’s ribs.
 Keeping arms straight aim to
depress sternum to a depth of 5 cm
(no more than 6 cm)
 Release pressure and repeat 30
times

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Minute rate
Compressions should be
applied at a rate of
between 100 to 120 per
minute
Compression and release
should take an equal
amount of time
Avoid applying pressure over the
upper abdomen or the bottom
end of the sternum

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Two ventilations
 Re-establish head tilt –
chin lift
 Pinch soft part of nose with
thumb and forefinger
 Open mouth a little
 Take a good breath and
place lips round mouth
 Give two effective
ventilations

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Effective ventilation
 Blow steadily over 1 second
 Watch for chest to rise
 Maintain head tilt - chin lift
 Avoid inhaling patient’s
expired breath
 Watch chest fall
 Repeat
 Continue at ratio of 30
compressions to 2
ventilations

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Using a Pocket-mask
 A pocket face mask allows easier
ventilation with a head tilt - chin lift
 Non-return valve prevents rescuer
from re-breathing victim’s expired
air
 Removes need for mouth to mouth
ventilation, but administers only
16% O2 concentration
 Adding high flow (10-15 litres/min)
oxygen can improve oxygenation
markedly (45-50% concentration)
but must not delay BLS

17. Setting up a pocket Mask
1. Remove the mask and valve from the case
2. Push out the soft dome with your fingers
3. Ensure that the one way valve is in place
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1 2 3

18. Your position
 A pocket mask is best
managed if you
position yourself in
line with the top of the
patient’s head
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Technique of using pocket-mask
 Place the mask over the patients
mouth and nose
 Use the rim of the mask to retract
the lower lip so that the patient’s
mouth remains open under the
mask
 Use thumbs to hold the mask and
your fingers to grasp the lower
jaw in front of the earlobes
 Pull upward to open the airway
and seal the mask.
 Blow slowly into the air valve and
watch as the patients chest rises

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DON’T STOP UNLESS
 Shows signs of life
 (if so, reassess patient)
 Help arrives
 You are overcome by
exhaustion
 If patient begins to show
signs of recovery place in
the recovery position and
monitor A,B,C,D and E
 Be prepared to
recommence resuscitation

21. DO NOT STOP
 Once basic life support has commenced do
not stop unless the victim shows signs of
regaining consciousness:
 Coughing
 Opening eyes
 Speaking
 Moving purposefully
 Starts breathing
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Problems with respirations
 If ventilations are not
effective – then continue on
to 30 compressions.
 Before you give your next
breaths
- Check victim’s mouth and remove
any visible obstruction
- Recheck you have adequate head
tilt chin lift
- Do not attempt more than
two breaths before
returning to
compressions
 If you are unable to do
mouth to mouth ventilation
(e.g. massive facial
trauma) then continuous
compressions are advised
at a rate of 100 a minute
 Mouth to nose or mouth to
tracheostomy ventilations
may also be effective

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Respiratory arrest
 Respiratory arrest is when there is a pulse present
but no breathing
 Commence ventilating the patient at a rate of 10-12
breaths per minute, at the end of the minute reassess
breathing and circulation (see slide 13 & 14)
 If circulation ceases then seek help and commence
full basic life support at 30 compressions to 2
ventilations.

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DR SCAB PACED
 D – DANGER
 R – RESPONSE
 S – SHOUT FOR HELP
 C – CLEAR AIRWAY
 A – OPEN AIRWAY
 B – BREATHING ASSESSMENT
 P – PULSE CHECK
 A – ARREST TEAM (CALL 999 OR 112) HOSPITAL 2222
 C – COMPRESSIONS X 30
 E – EFFECTIVE VENTILATION X 2
 D – DON’T STOP