[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"doc-seo-171156-105":3,"detail-sidebar-cat-1-en-105":81,"doc-detail-171156-en":126},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"ok",{"site_id":7,"language":8,"slug":9,"title":10,"keywords":11,"description":12,"schema_data":13,"social_meta":74,"head_meta":76,"extra_data":78,"updated_unix":80},105,"en","chapter-20-emergencies-and-injuries-cardiopulmonary-resuscitation-emergency-treatment-guidance","CHAPTER 20 - EMERGENCIES AND INJURIES - CARDIOPULMONARY RESUSCITATION - Emergency Treatment Guidance","","Guidance for managing adult cardiac arrest and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), including rapid assessment, scene safety, documentation, and the stepwise CAB (Circulation, Airway, Breathing) approach. Covers circulation checks, chest compressions, airway positioning, ventilation with bag-valve-mask or advanced airway dosing, oxygenation, and considerations when neck injury is suspected using jaw thrust and cervical immobilisation. Provides drug and defibrillation pathways for shockable and non-shockable rhythms, plus emergency adrenaline dosing. Includes COVID-19 considerations, recommended PPE, and indications for when CPR is not beneficial.",{"@graph":14,"@context":73},[15,34,56],{"@type":16,"itemListElement":17},"BreadcrumbList",[18,23,27,31],{"item":19,"name":20,"@type":21,"position":22},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",1,{"item":24,"name":25,"@type":21,"position":26},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/","Template",2,{"item":28,"name":29,"@type":21,"position":30},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/general/","General",3,{"item":32,"name":10,"@type":21,"position":33},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/chapter-20-emergencies-and-injuries-cardiopulmonary-resuscitation-emergency-treatment-guidance/171156/",4,{"url":32,"name":10,"@type":35,"image":36,"author":41,"headline":10,"publisher":44,"fileFormat":47,"inLanguage":8,"description":12,"dateModified":48,"datePublished":49,"encodingFormat":47,"isAccessibleForFree":50,"interactionStatistic":51},"DigitalDocument",{"url":37,"@type":38,"width":39,"height":40},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/chapter-20-emergencies-and-injuries-cardiopulmonary-resuscitation-emergency-treatment-guidance/171156.png","ImageObject",442,249,{"name":42,"@type":43},"Patrick","Person",{"url":19,"name":45,"@type":46},"DocShare","Organization","application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document","2026-09-28","2026-09-01",true,{"@type":52,"interactionType":53,"userInteractionCount":55},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":54},"ViewAction",5,{"@type":57,"mainEntity":58},"FAQPage",[59,65,69],{"name":60,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":62},"What are the key clinical features of cardiac arrest in adults?","Question",{"text":63,"@type":64},"Cardiac arrest is characterized by sudden loss of consciousness with absent carotid pulses and loss of spontaneous respiration. Irreversible brain damage can occur within 2–4 minutes.","Answer",{"name":66,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":67},"How should CPR be initiated if there is no pulse or the pulse is uncertain?",{"text":68,"@type":64},"Start chest compressions immediately at 100–120 compressions per minute with a depth of about ±5 cm. Allow full recoil with minimum interruptions, then cycle compressions with ventilations as directed.",{"name":70,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":71},"What COVID-19 precautions and treatment decisions apply during CPR?",{"text":72,"@type":64},"CPR can pose infection risk to providers due to aerosolization, so PPE is required (FFP3 mask, visor, gloves and gown). In suspected in-hospital COVID-19 arrest, CPR is not recommended unless an immediate reversible cause is suspected; for unwitnessed out-of-hospital arrest, conventional CPR is not recommended as it is likely not beneficial.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":32,"og:type":75,"og:title":10,"og:site_name":45,"og:description":12},"article",{"robots":77,"canonical":32},"index,follow",{"doc_id":79,"site_id":7},171156,1788279651,{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":83},"success",[84,89,94,99,104,109,114,119,123],{"id":85,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":86,"show_sort_weight":87,"slug":88},11,"Presentations",90,"presentations",{"id":90,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":91,"show_sort_weight":92,"slug":93},12,"Resumes",80,"resumes",{"id":95,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":96,"show_sort_weight":97,"slug":98},14,"Invoices",70,"invoices",{"id":100,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":101,"show_sort_weight":102,"slug":103},15,"Posters",60,"posters",{"id":105,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":106,"show_sort_weight":107,"slug":108},16,"Social Media",50,"social-media",{"id":110,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":111,"show_sort_weight":112,"slug":113},17,"Forms",40,"forms",{"id":115,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":116,"show_sort_weight":117,"slug":118},18,"Letters",30,"letters",{"id":120,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":121,"show_sort_weight":55,"slug":122},21,"Paper Templates","papers-templates",{"id":124,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":29,"show_sort_weight":4,"slug":125},158,"general-158",{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":127},{"doc_id":79,"user_id":128,"nickname":42,"user_avatar":129,"doc_module":22,"category_id":124,"category_name":29,"doc_title":10,"doc_description":12,"doc_content":130,"file_id":131,"file_url":132,"file_type":133,"file_size":134,"view_count":55,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":22,"is_downloadable":22,"audit_status":22,"page_count":135,"language":136,"language_code":8,"site_id":7,"html_lang":8,"table_of_contents":137,"faqs":138,"seo_title":139,"seo_description":12,"update_tm":80,"read_time":90},549758146520,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/avatar/80002397d8c0411e94?_k=1775819394049821470","CHAPTER 20\nEMERGENCIES AND INJURIES\nCARDIOPULMONARY RESUSCITATION\n\u0013 EMBED AcroExch.Document.7 \u0014\n\u0015\nAbbreviations: CPR = Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation; PEA = Pulseless Electrical Activity; VF = Ventricular Fibrillation; VT = Ventricular Tachycardia.\nFigure 20.1: Advanced cardiac arrest algorithm (adapted with permission from the Resuscitation Council of South Africa)\nIn context of COVID:\n\u0013 EMBED AcroExch.Document.7 \u0014\n\u0015\nFigure 20.2: Advanced cardiac arrest algorithm - suspected respiratory communicable disease (adapted with permission from the Resuscitation Council of South Africa)\n20.1\tCARDIAC ARREST IN ADULTS\nI46.0/I46.9\nDESCRIPTION\nDescribed as the loss of a heartbeat and a palpable pulse, irrespective of the electrical activity captured on ECG tracing. Irreversible brain damage can occur within 2–4 minutes.\nClinical features include:\nsudden loss of consciousness, absent carotid pulses\nloss of spontaneous respiration\nCOVID-19 CONSIDERATIONS\nThe infection risk that CPR poses to providers due to aerosolization of coronavirus particles is not negligible.\nThis potential risk should be weighed against the probability of achieving spontaneous return of circulation to inform the decision to initiate or stop CPR.\nFor in hospital cardiac arrest in patients with suspected COVID-19, CPR has been shown to not be beneficial unless an immediate reversible cause is suspected, e.g., dislodgement of ET tube, etc. and is therefore not recommended.\nFor out of hospital cardiac arrest in patients with suspected COVID-19, it is recommended to not start conventional CPR in unwitnessed cardiac arrest as it will likely not be beneficial.\nAppropriate PPE should be worn by all staff before initiating CPR: FFP3 mask, visor, gloves and gown.\nEMERGENCY TREATMENT\nDiagnose rapidly. After ensuring the safety of the scene, commence resuscitation as per acute adult cardiac arrest algorithm – as above\nMake a note of the time of starting resuscitation.\nPlace the patient on a firm flat surface and commence resuscitation immediately.\nCall for skilled help and an automated external defibrillator (AED) or defibrillator.\nInitiate CAB (Circulation Airway Breathing) sequence of CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation).\nCheck the rhythm as soon as defibrillator or AED is available and defibrillate if a shockable rhythm is identified.\nDocument medication and progress after the resuscitation.\nCardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)\nCirculation\nCheck for carotid pulse for about 5 seconds.\nIf there is no pulse or you are not sure, start with chest compressions at a rate of 100-120 compressions per minute to a depth of +/- 5cm. Push hard and allow full recoil of chest with minimum interruptions.\nAirway and breathing\nTo open the airway, lift the chin forward with the fingers of the one hand and tilt the head backwards with other hand on the forehead.\nNote: Do not do this where a neck injury is suspected – refer below for management of suspected neck injury.\nEnsure airway is open throughout resuscitation.\nIf there is no normal breathing, attempt 2 respirations with bag-valve-mask resuscitator and face mask.\nThe administered breaths must cause visible chest rising in patient. If not, reposition and try again once and proceed to next step.\nRepeat the cycle of 30 compressions followed by 2 respirations for 5 cycles and then re-assess for a pulse.\nIf advanced airway is placed, administer 1 breath every 6 second without interrupting chest compressions. Avoid excessive ventilation.\nOxygenate with 100% oxygen.\nWhere neck injury is suspected:\nTo open the airway, place your fingers behind the jaw on each side.\nDo not perform a chin lift or head tilt manoeuvre if a neck injury is suspected.\nLift the jaw upwards while opening the mouth with your thumbs (jaw thrust).\nTo open the airway, place your fingers behind the jaw on each side.\nMaintain in line cervical spine immobilisation.\nInitiate fluids, IV/IO access\nSodium chloride 0.9%, IV\nAdminister a bolus of 1 litre during CPR if an increase in prelo","cbCaiqRYIH070Ntn","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaiqRYIH070Ntn","docx",862013,35,"English","# CHAPTER 20: EMERGENCIES AND INJURIES\n## Cardiopulmonary resuscitation\n## Cardiac arrest in adults\n## COVID-19 considerations\n## Emergency treatment\n## CPR sequence: Circulation, Airway and Breathing\n## Fluids and IV/IO access\n## Management: shockable rhythm (VF/VT) and non-shockable rhythm\n## Immediate emergency medicine treatment (adrenaline)","[{\"question\":\"What are the key clinical features of cardiac arrest in adults?\",\"answer\":\"Cardiac arrest is characterized by sudden loss of consciousness with absent carotid pulses and loss of spontaneous respiration. Irreversible brain damage can occur within 2–4 minutes.\"},{\"question\":\"How should CPR be initiated if there is no pulse or the pulse is uncertain?\",\"answer\":\"Start chest compressions immediately at 100–120 compressions per minute with a depth of about ±5 cm. Allow full recoil with minimum interruptions, then cycle compressions with ventilations as directed.\"},{\"question\":\"What COVID-19 precautions and treatment decisions apply during CPR?\",\"answer\":\"CPR can pose infection risk to providers due to aerosolization, so PPE is required (FFP3 mask, visor, gloves and gown). In suspected in-hospital COVID-19 arrest, CPR is not recommended unless an immediate reversible cause is suspected; for unwitnessed out-of-hospital arrest, conventional CPR is not recommended as it is likely not beneficial.\"}]","CHAPTER 20 - EMERGENCIES AND INJURIES - CARDIOPULMONARY RESUSCITATION - Emergency Treatment Guidance | DOCX"]