High-Quality BLS for Healthcare Providers

Performing high-quality Basic Life Support (BLS) is essential for maximizing survival rates in cardiac arrest patients. As a healthcare provider, your role goes beyond bystander CPR—you are expected to deliver precise, efficient, and uninterrupted resuscitation while integrating your efforts with an advanced care team.

Key Components of High-Quality BLS

• Early recognition of cardiac arrest (checking for responsiveness, breathing, and pulse)
• Minimizing interruptions to maximize perfusion
• Ensuring adequate compression depth and recoil to optimize blood flow
• Providing effective ventilation without excessive breaths

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Compression Depth, Rate, and Pulse Checks

1. Chest Compressions

High-quality chest compressions are the foundation of effective CPR. Healthcare providers must ensure:

• Compression rate: 100-120 per minute
• Compression depth:
  • Adults: At least 2 inches (5 cm)
  • Children: At least 1/3 the chest diameter (about 2 inches or 5 cm)
  • Infants: At least 1/3 the chest diameter (about 1.5 inches or 4 cm)
• Full chest recoil: Allow complete recoil between compressions to promote blood return.
• Minimal interruptions: Limit pauses to less than 10 seconds (e.g., during AED use or ventilation).

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2. Pulse Checks

Unlike layperson BLS, healthcare providers must check for a pulse before starting chest compressions.

• For adults & children: Palpate the carotid artery in the neck.
• For infants: Palpate the brachial artery in the upper arm.
• Time limit: Do not spend more than 10 seconds checking for a pulse.

If no pulse is found, or if you are unsure, start compressions immediately.

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Effective Ventilation in HCP BLS

1. Rescue Breathing (When Pulse Is Present, But No Normal Breathing)

• Adults: 1 breath every 5-6 seconds (10-12 breaths per minute)
• Children & Infants: 1 breath every 3-5 seconds (12-20 breaths per minute)

Each breath should:

• Be delivered over 1 second
• Cause visible chest rise
• Avoid excessive ventilation, which can lead to gastric inflation and reduced cardiac output

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2. Minimizing Interruptions for High-Performance CPR

High-performance CPR means minimizing pauses while ensuring optimal compressions and ventilations. Key strategies include:

• Pre-planning rescuer role switches (every 2 minutes or 5 cycles of compressions)
• Using the **“hover technique”** to anticipate when to switch compressors
• Delivering ventilations with **no excessive force**
• Coordinating with an AED to **minimize hands-off time**

Every second counts—**focus on continuous, high-quality chest compressions to maximize survival!**