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Referencing the content of EMT-Basic training and emergency patient care

EMT Basic · Chapter 14

BLS Resuscitation

Learning objectives (35)

  1. Demonstrate how to check for a pulse at the brachial artery in an unresponsive infant — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 556); confirm wording in your course copy.
  2. Demonstrate how to check for a pulse at the carotid artery in an unresponsive child or adult — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 556); confirm wording in your course copy.
  3. Demonstrate how to perform a jaw-thrust maneuver on a pediatric patient — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 556); confirm wording in your course copy.
  4. Demonstrate how to perform a jaw-thrust maneuver on an adult — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 556); confirm wording in your course copy.
  5. Demonstrate how to perform external chest compressions on an adult. (pp 563–565, Skill Drill 14-1) 4. Demonstrate how to perform a head tilt–chin lift maneuver on an adult — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 556); confirm wording in your course copy.
  6. Demonstrate how to perform rescue breathing in an adult — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 556); confirm wording in your course copy.
  7. Demonstrate how to perform rescue breathing on a child — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 556); confirm wording in your course copy.
  8. Demonstrate how to perform rescue breathing on an infant — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 556); confirm wording in your course copy.
  9. Demonstrate how to place a patient in the recovery position — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 556); confirm wording in your course copy.
  10. Demonstrate how to position an unresponsive adult for CPR — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 556); confirm wording in your course copy.
  11. Demonstrate how to remove a foreign body airway obstruction in a responsive adult patient using abdominal thrusts (Heimlich maneuver) — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 556); confirm wording in your course copy.
  12. Demonstrate how to remove a foreign body airway obstruction in a responsive child older than 1 year using abdominal thrusts (Heimlich maneuver) — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 556); confirm wording in your course copy.
  13. Demonstrate how to remove a foreign body airway obstruction in a responsive pregnant or obese patient using chest thrusts — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 556); confirm wording in your course copy.
  14. Demonstrate how to remove a foreign body airway obstruction in an unresponsive child. (pp 591–592, Skill Drill 14-6) 22. Demonstrate how to remove a foreign body airway obstruction — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 556); confirm wording in your course copy.
  15. Describe the different mechanical devices that are available to assist emergency care providers in delivering improved circulatory efforts during CPR — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 555); confirm wording in your course copy.
  16. Describe the different methods for removing a foreign body airway obstruction in an infant, child, and adult, including the procedure for a patient with an obstruction who becomes — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 556); confirm wording in your course copy.
  17. Describe the different possible causes of cardiopulmonary arrest in children — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 555); confirm wording in your course copy.
  18. Describe the ethical issues related to patient resuscitation, including examples of when not to start CPR on a patient — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 555); confirm wording in your course copy.
  19. Describe the process of providing artificial ventilations to an adult patient, ways to avoid gastric distention, and modifications required for a patient with a stoma — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 555); confirm wording in your course copy.
  20. Describe the proper way to position an adult patient to receive BLS care — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 555); confirm wording in your course copy.
  21. Describe the purpose of external chest compressions — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 555); confirm wording in your course copy.
  22. Describe the recovery position and circumstances that would warrant its use as well as situations in which it would be contraindicated — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 555); confirm wording in your course copy.
  23. Describe the two techniques EMTs may use to open an adult patient’s airway and the circumstances that would determine when each technique would be used — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 555); confirm wording in your course copy.
  24. Discuss guidelines for circumstances that require the use of an automated external defibrillator (AED) on both adult and pediatric patients experiencing cardiac arrest — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 555); confirm wording in your course copy.
  25. Discuss how to provide grief support for a patient’s family members and loved ones after resuscitation has ended — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 556); confirm wording in your course copy.
  26. Discuss the importance of frequent CPR training for EMTs, as well as public education programs that teach compression-only CPR — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 556); confirm wording in your course copy.
  27. Explain common causes of foreign body airway obstruction in both children and adults and how to distinguish mild or partial airway obstruction from complete airway obstruction — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 556); confirm wording in your course copy.
  28. Explain the components of CPR, the five links in the American Heart Association (AHA) chain of survival, and how each one relates to maximizing the survival of a patient — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 555); confirm wording in your course copy.
  29. Explain the elements of basic life support (BLS), how it differs from advanced life support (ALS), and why BLS must be applied rapidly — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 555); confirm wording in your course copy.
  30. Explain the four steps of pediatric BLS procedures and how they differ from BLS procedures used in an adult patient — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 555); confirm wording in your course copy.
  31. Explain the goals of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and when it should be performed on a patient — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 555); confirm wording in your course copy.
  32. Explain the steps in providing single-rescuer adult CPR — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 555); confirm wording in your course copy.
  33. Explain the steps in providing two-rescuer adult CPR, including the method for switching positions during the process — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 555); confirm wording in your course copy.
  34. Explain the various factors involved in the decision to stop CPR after it has been started on a patient — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 555); confirm wording in your course copy.
  35. Explain three special situations related to the use of an AED — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 555); confirm wording in your course copy.

Vocabulary (12)

Basic Life Support (BLS)
The non-invasive emergency care provided to patients in cardiac arrest, respiratory arrest, or airway obstruction.
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
Emergency procedure combining chest compressions and rescue breaths to maintain circulation and oxygenation during cardiac arrest.
Chain of Survival
The sequence of actions that improve survival from cardiac arrest — recognition and activation, early CPR, defibrillation, advanced resuscitation, post-arrest care, and recovery.
High-quality CPR
Compressions at 100–120 per minute, 2–2.4 inches deep in adults, with full chest recoil and minimal interruptions.
Compression-to-ventilation ratio
For lay rescuers and single EMTs without an advanced airway, the standard adult ratio is 30 compressions to 2 breaths.
Return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC)
Restoration of a sustained, perfusing heart rhythm after cardiac arrest.
Automated external defibrillator (AED)
A portable device that analyzes the heart rhythm and, when indicated, delivers an electrical shock to restore a normal rhythm.
Agonal gasps
Irregular, ineffective breathing seen early in cardiac arrest; not adequate breathing — start CPR.
Pulse check
Carotid (adult/child) or brachial (infant) pulse check lasting no more than 10 seconds during BLS.
Chest recoil
Allowing the chest to fully return to its original position between compressions to permit cardiac refilling.
Two-finger technique
Single-rescuer infant CPR using two fingers in the center of the chest, just below the nipple line.
Two-thumb encircling technique
Two-rescuer infant CPR using both thumbs centrally with hands encircling the chest — preferred when two rescuers are present.

Sequence practice (2 puzzles on Quiz Me)

Adult BLS — single rescuer encountering an unresponsive person

Order the BLS actions for an adult who appears to be in cardiac arrest.

  1. Verify scene safety and check responsiveness
  2. Activate emergency response (call 911) and get an AED
  3. Check breathing and carotid pulse — no more than 10 seconds
  4. Begin chest compressions at 100–120/min, 2–2.4 inches deep
  5. After 30 compressions, give 2 breaths (or compression-only if untrained for breaths)
  6. Attach the AED as soon as it arrives and follow prompts
  7. Continue cycles until ROSC or advanced care arrives
Out-of-hospital Chain of Survival

Order the AHA Chain of Survival links for adult out-of-hospital arrest.

  1. Recognition of arrest and activation of the emergency response system
  2. Early CPR with emphasis on chest compressions
  3. Rapid defibrillation
  4. Advanced resuscitation by EMS and other healthcare providers
  5. Post-cardiac-arrest care
  6. Recovery (rehabilitation, support)

Quick fire sample (12 of 12 on Quiz Me)

The non-invasive emergency care provided to patients in cardiac arrest, respiratory arrest, or airway obstruction.
  1. Chain of Survival
  2. High-quality CPR
  3. Basic Life Support (BLS)
  4. Automated external defibrillator (AED)
Emergency procedure combining chest compressions and rescue breaths to maintain circulation and oxygenation during cardiac arrest.
  1. Chain of Survival
  2. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
  3. High-quality CPR
  4. Basic Life Support (BLS)
The sequence of actions that improve survival from cardiac arrest — recognition and activation, early CPR, defibrillation, advanced resuscitation, post-arrest care, and recovery.
  1. Chain of Survival
  2. Two-finger technique
  3. Chest recoil
  4. Pulse check
Compressions at 100–120 per minute, 2–2.4 inches deep in adults, with full chest recoil and minimal interruptions.
  1. Chest recoil
  2. Chain of Survival
  3. Compression-to-ventilation ratio
  4. High-quality CPR
For lay rescuers and single EMTs without an advanced airway, the standard adult ratio is 30 compressions to 2 breaths.
  1. Two-finger technique
  2. Two-thumb encircling technique
  3. Automated external defibrillator (AED)
  4. Compression-to-ventilation ratio
Restoration of a sustained, perfusing heart rhythm after cardiac arrest.
  1. Automated external defibrillator (AED)
  2. Return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC)
  3. High-quality CPR
  4. Chest recoil
A portable device that analyzes the heart rhythm and, when indicated, delivers an electrical shock to restore a normal rhythm.
  1. Pulse check
  2. Agonal gasps
  3. Automated external defibrillator (AED)
  4. Compression-to-ventilation ratio
Irregular, ineffective breathing seen early in cardiac arrest; not adequate breathing — start CPR.
  1. Pulse check
  2. Automated external defibrillator (AED)
  3. Agonal gasps
  4. Return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC)
Carotid (adult/child) or brachial (infant) pulse check lasting no more than 10 seconds during BLS.
  1. Automated external defibrillator (AED)
  2. Basic Life Support (BLS)
  3. Compression-to-ventilation ratio
  4. Pulse check
Allowing the chest to fully return to its original position between compressions to permit cardiac refilling.
  1. Two-finger technique
  2. Pulse check
  3. Chest recoil
  4. Basic Life Support (BLS)
Single-rescuer infant CPR using two fingers in the center of the chest, just below the nipple line.
  1. Pulse check
  2. Chest recoil
  3. Compression-to-ventilation ratio
  4. Two-finger technique
Two-rescuer infant CPR using both thumbs centrally with hands encircling the chest — preferred when two rescuers are present.
  1. Pulse check
  2. Chain of Survival
  3. Return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC)
  4. Two-thumb encircling technique

Some topics in this course differ across field references. See when sources disagree on Quiz Me before you teach from this sheet alone.

Full scored drills are on Quiz Me at /courses/nm-emt-b/chapters/14/print/. Answers are not marked on this sheet.