Healthcare Provider BLS Course
Learn CPR. For Life™
CHOKING RESCUE FOR ADULT VICTIM
Technique used to assist a choking responsive adult is abdominal thrusts, aka the Heimlich maneuver.
- stand or kneel behind the victim and wrap your arms around their waist
- make a fist with one hand
- place the thumb side of your fist against the victim’s abdomen, in the midline, slightly above the navel and well below the breastbone
- grasp your fist with your other hand and press your fist into the victim’s abdomen with a quick forceful upward thrust
- give each thrust a distinct sharp movement
- repeat thrusts until the foreign object is expelled from the airway
If a choking adult victim is unresponsive:
- shout for help to activate ERS
- if the victim is becoming unresponsive, help or lower them to the ground
- begin CPR
- check in the victim’s mouth for foreign objects that can be easily removed
- after about 5 minutes of CPR, activate ERS if hasn’t been done