Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) refers to the life-saving technique in which a person performs mouth ventilations and chest compressions on a cardiac arrest victim. Even if you aren’t officially certified, chances are you’ve seen a CPR performed either in person or on TV. Unfortunately, there’s a certain shroud confusion over the process, resulting is misinformation. This week, we’re going to separate the facts from the fiction by debunking some of the most common CPR myths.
#1) CPR Always Works
Hollywood movies often depict CPR as working flawlessly, reanimating victims nearly 100% of the time. Movies such as this create an unrealistic image of CPR, leaving many people to believe that it will instantly save a cardiac arrest victim’s life. A more accurate success rate, however, is around 4-16% (source).
#2) You Can Get Sued For Performing CPR
Some people are reluctant to perform CPR on cardiac arrest victims out of fear of being sued. We live in an age where you can get sued for just about anything, such as the case of a woman suing, and winning, the fast-food chain McDonalds for serving her coffee in a cup that did not say “hot.” The good news is that you are typically safe from liability when performing CPR thanks to Good Samaritan laws.
#3) Mouth Ventilation Is Required
We discussed this in a previous post here on the Oceanside CPR blog, but it’s worth mentioning again that mouth ventilation isn’t always recommended when performing CPR. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends a combination of chest compressions and mouth ventilations when performing CPR to a cardiac arrest victim, except in instances where the performing performing CPR is untrained. If a bystander who is unfamiliar with the process of performing standard CPR, the 911 operator may advise him or her to perform compression-only CPR.
#4) CPR Classes Are Long
This is another myth that needs to go the way of the dinosaurs. Some people assume CPR certification classes and training courses are too long for their busy lives. In reality, though, they are actually quite short. If you live in the New Jersey area, contact Oceanside CPR today for more information about signing up for a class that fits within your busy schedule!
#5) You Shouldn’t Perform CPR Unless You Are Certified
A fifth myth is that you shouldn’t perform CPR unless you are CPR certified. Even if you are untrained with little-to-no experience, a 911 operator may still guide you through the steps when a victim’s life is in jeopardy. Again, this is typically when compression-only CPR is performed, as there’s a lower chance for error.