ARTIFICIAL RESPIRATION:
Artificial Respiration (AR)

The body’s organs (brain and heart) need oxygen to stay alive. When a person is breathing in effectively or not breathing at all, a care giver can supply air to their lungs.
If person is having severe breathing difficulties give them first aid to make the breathing more regulated. If breathing difficulty is still severe, assist by using the following AR techniques:

Rate - # of times a person blows in one minute. AR has to be at a proper rate so casualty is getting enough oxygen.

Techniques or AR:

Ages in AR
Adult = 8 years and up
Child = between 1 and 8 years old
Infant = under 1 year old

Mouth to mouth – most commonly used. First aider tilts the casualty’s head back, pinches the casualty’s nose closed and blows into their mouth.

How to:
1) Begin ESM
2) Assess responsiveness, ask person if they are ok? If they can hear you? If they are in pain, look for body signals if they cannot speak etc. Go to step 3 if there is no response.
3) Send or get medical help
4) Put casualty face up and protect their head and neck from any movement. Open their airway by pushing backward on the forehead and lifting their jaw. * when the head is back, the tongue is lifted off the back of the throat so it opens the airway.
5) Check for breathing for up to 10 seconds.

Mouth to nose – used where mouth to mouth is not appropriate, i.e. when your mouth won’t cover the casualty’s mouth. Hold the casualty’s mouth closed and blow into their nose.

Mouth to mouth to nose – used for infants and small children where your mouth easily fits over the casualty’s mouth and nose

Mouth to stoma – is for a casualty who has previously had a laryngectomy and breathes through a hole in his neck (stoma).

Remember:
• AR can be done right away in any position but best if person is on their back on a solid, flat surface.
• AR can be continued while the person is being moved to safety
• AR can be given for a long time without getting too tired
• AR techniques can be used to help a casualty with severe breathing difficulties. Can help supply them with sufficient air when they cannot do so themselves.

Difficult situations may be: Use your discretion
Do the best you can without putting yourself in danger and based on your level of training.
• Severe deforming injuries to the mouth and nose prevent a good seal around the mouth
• Blood and/or other body fluids drain into the throat and block the airway when you try direct AR (try your best to drain the mouth)
• Person was poisoned by a toxic gas and coming in contact with person may result in you being poisoned i.e. hydrogen sulphide.
• Casualty has a corrosive poison on the face or in the mouth, and you don’t have a face mask.

Giving AR to a neck breather
• Expose the entire neck and remove all covering over the stoma. There is a tube coming out of the stoma, don’t remove it
• Put a pad under the shoulders to keep them slightly elevates (if you have one close by)
• Keep the head in line with the body and keep the chin raised
• Seal the mouth and nose with the hand closest to the head
• Seal your mouth around the stoma and blow directly into it, or seal your pocket mask over the stoma and blow into the pocket mask
• Watch the chest rise (look, listen and feel for air movement)
• Let the air escape from the stoma between breaths
• Maintain a clean air passage, using a cloth to clean the opening, never use paper tissues
IMPORTANT NOTICE:

The information contained in this document has been compiled from sources believed to be reliable at the time and is presented here as a study aid and for general information use only. This information is not intended to replace or supercede the information or procedures outlined in your first aid textbook, other officially issued study materials or government published acts or legislative documents.
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