Rescue Breathing

If the victim does not promptly resume adequate spontaneous breathing after the airway is open, rescue breathing (artificial respiration) must be initiated. Be calm! Think and act quickly!

• The sooner you initiate rescue breathing, the more likely it is that you will be able to restore the victim's own spontaneous breathing efforts.
• If you are in doubt whether the casualty is breathing, give artificial respiration, since it can do no harm to a person who is breathing.
• If the casualty is breathing, you can feel and see his chest move.
• If the casualty is breathing, you can feel and hear air being expelled by putting your hand or ear close to his mouth and nose.

Methods of Administering Rescue Breathing

The mouth-to-mouth method is preferred; however, it cannot be used in all situations. If the casualty has a severe jaw fracture or mouth wound or his jaws are tightly closed by spasms, use the mouth-to-nose method.

Preliminary Steps — All Rescue Breathing Methods

• Establish unresponsiveness
• Call for help
• Turn or position the casualty

Open the Airway

Check for breathing by placing your ear over the victim's mouth and nose and looking toward his chest

• Look for rise and fall of the victim's chest
• Listen for sounds of breathing
• Feel for breath on the side of your face. If the chest does not rise and fall and no air is exhaled, then the victim is not breathing. (This evaluation procedure should take a maximum of 3-5 seconds)
• Perform rescue breathing if the victim is not breathing

Although the rescuer may notice that the victim is making respiratory efforts, the airway may still be partially obstructed, and opening the airway may be all that is needed. If the victim resumes full, spontaneous breathing after doing airway-opening manoevers, the rescuer should continue to check to ensure that an open airway is maintained.