Why should you minimize interruption when giving chest compressions?
Minimizing interruptions of compressions during CPR has been
shown to improve outcomes in patients in Cardiac Arrest. Some means
of minimizing interruptions include:
- Not stopping chest compressions to insert an Advanced Airway
(generally not needed early in cardiac arrest)
- Providing 100 compressions per minute, pushing hard and deep,
and allowing full chest recoil.
- Only performing pulse checks during rhythms analysis,
typically at 2 minute intervals.
- Providing CPR while the defibrillator is charging, clearing
the patient's chest rapidly for shock delivery, and immediately
resuming chest compressions post shock without delaying for rhythm
analysis.
An important part of minimizing interruptions during CPR is to
ensure that high quality compressions are being performed at all
times, switching compressors every 2 minutes is important to reduce
rescuer fatigue.