2012 Hands-Only ™ CPR FAQ FOR INTERNAL USE ONLY
HANDS-ONLY™ CPR
Q: What is Hands-Only CPR? Hands-Only™ CPR is CPR without mouth -to-mouth rescue breaths. If you see a teen or adult collapse , you can perform Hands-Only CPR with just two easy steps: 1) Call 911 (or send someone to do that). 2) Push hard and fast in the center of the chest to the beat of the Bee Gees’ classic disco song “Stayin’ Alive.”
Q: Who should receive Hands-Only CPR? Hands-Only CPR is recommended for use on teens or adults (anyo ne over the age of 8) whom you witness suddenly collapse.
Q: Does learning Hands-Only CPR increase the chance of a bystander taking action in a cardiac emergency? Yes. Most Americans (70 percent) feel helpless to act during a cardiac emergency because they don’t know how to administer CPR or they’re afraid of hurting the victim. But people who learn Hands -Only CPR and are more confident in administering it are more likel y to remember the correct rhythm when trained to the beat of the disco classic “Stayin’ Alive.”
In a national survey, Americans who have not been trained in CPR within the last 5 years stated that they would be more likely to perform Hands-Only CPR than conventional CPR for an adult who collapses suddenly.
HANDS-ONLY CPR CAMPAIGN
Q: What is the Hands-Only CPR Campaign? The American Heart Association’s CPR & First Aid unit has launched a campaign to raise awareness of Hands - Only CPR as a life-saving method and to increase the likelihood of people to perform CPR in an emergency.
The American Heart Association’s Hand -Only CPR campaign is supported by an educational grant from the WellPoint Foundation.
Q: How can people learn Hands-Only CPR? They can hustle to heart.org/handsonlycpr and watch a 60-second video, which provides an easy -to-learn way of performing Hands-Only CPR to beat of the Bee Gees’ classic disco song , “Stayin’ Alive.”
Q: Can watching a one-minute Hands-Only CPR instructional video actually prepare me to act in an emergency? Yes. A study published in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes showed that people who view a CPR instructional video are significantly more likely to attempt life-saving resuscitation.
Q: How did actress Jennifer Coolidge come to be involved with the AHA’s campaign? Does she have a personal connection to heart disease? Jennifer volunteered her time to star in the Hands -Only CPR PSA. She believes in our messa ge and thinks everyone should know Hands-Only CPR.
Q: Does Jennifer know CPR? She learned Hands-Only CPR while shooting the American Heart Association’s new PSA
Q: Do you think comedy can help people learn Hands -Only CPR? A heart attack is no laughing matter, but we’ve found that if you can get people laughing, you can get their attention and teach them something really important.
Q: Where will the Hands-Only CPR mobile training unit be traveling? This summer, the tour will host trainings in eight cities to raise awareness of Hands-Only CPR and to increase the likelihood of people to perform CPR in an emergency. Those cities include: • New York, NY • Albany, NY • Richmond, VA • Atlanta, GA • Indianapolis, IN • Sacramento, CA • San Francisco, CA • Los Angeles, CA • San Diego, CA
Q: What is National CPR and AED Awareness Week? In 2008, the U.S. Congress designated the first week of June as National CPR and AED Awareness Week to encourage states, cities and towns to establish organized programs to provide CPR & AED training. This year, the American Heart Association is supporting National CPR & AED Awareness Week by launching the Hands- Only CPR campaign to educate and train Americans on Hands-Only CPR.
HOW DISCO CAN SAVE LIVES
Q: What is the connection between disco and Hands-Only CPR? Hands-Only CPR has just two easy steps. If you see a teen or adult collapse, call 9-1-1 and push hard and fast in the center of the chest to the beat of the classic disco song “Stayin’ Alive.” The American Heart Association’s Hands-Only CPR at this beat can more than double or triple a person’s chances of survival.
"Stayin’ Alive" has more than 100 beats per minutes, which is the rate you should push on the chest during CPR.
Q: What is “White Suit” and is it connected to the Hands-Only CPR campaign? White Suit was the name given to the AHA’s 2011 awareness and fundraising campaign that centered around teaching people the simple steps of Hands-Only CPR. The campaign icon is the white disco suit similar to the one John Travolta wore in the classic film “Saturday Night Fever.” The movie’s hit song by the BeeGees – “Stayin’ Alive” – has proven to be an effective tool for people to remember the right rate of chest compressions when giving CPR. Over the years, many AHA CPR instructors have successfully used “Stayin’ Alive ” – making it an established part of AHA’s internal training culture. The White Suit icon was simply the visual extension of this natural phenomenon.
This initiative from the AHA’s CPR & First AID unit is now knows as the “Hands-Only CPR Campaign.”
Q: Why did the AHA select Ken Jeong to star in the “White Suit” Hands-Only CPR video? Weren’t you worried about the adult nature of his films? Actor and comedian Ken Jeong volunteered his time to star in the AHA’s “White Suit” Hands-Only CPR video. In addition to his comedic sensibility, he brings credibility as a real-life physician who is committed to the issue of sudden cardiac arrest – a perfect fit for the AHA’s campaign. His humor appeals to a wide-reaching audience through his work as a castmember on NBC’s sitcom “Community.”
Q: If asked about Robin Gibb (of the Bee Gees) passing: The Bee Gees were very supportive of this campaign, and we think Robin would be happy that his work lives on and is helping to saves lives.
Q: If asked about John Travolta’s issues: We can’t comment on that; what we’re really here to talk about is Hands-Only CPR…
HOW AND WHEN TO PROVIDE HANDS-ONLY CPR
Q: Do I need to take a training course to learn how to do Hands-Only CPR? No. You can just hustle to heart.org/handsonlycpr and watch a 60-second video, which provides an easy-to- learn way of performing Hands-Only CPR to beat of the classic disco song, “Stayin’ Alive.”
However, the AHA continues to recommend that you take a CPR course to practice and learn the skills of CPR, including giving high-quality chest compressions. People who have had CPR training are more likely to give high-quality chest compressions and are more confident about their skills than those who have not been trained (or have not trained in the last 5 years).*
Q: Not all people who suddenly collapse are in cardiac arrest. Will CPR seriously hurt them? Adults who suddenly collapse and are not responsive are likely to have sudden cardiac arrest and their chance of survival is nearly zero unless someone takes action immediately. You should call 911 and start giving hard and fast chest compressions in the center of the chest, with minimal interruptions. If sudden cardiac arrest is the cause of the collapse, Hands-Only CPR is an easy, effective way for any bystander to more than double the victim's chance for survival. If an adult has collapsed for reasons other than sudden cardiac arrest, Hands-Only CPR could still help by causing the person to respond (begin to move, breathe normally or speak). If that occurs, Hands-Only CPR can be stopped. Otherwise, chest compressions should continue until EMS providers arrive.
Q: Is there a danger in jumping in and giving CPR without being trained? On average, any attempt to provide CPR to a victim is better than no attempt to provide help.
Q: Does AHA offer products that teach Hands-Only CPR? All CPR training courses that include skills practice will teach you to perform the essential skill of Hands-Only CPR, that is, high-quality chest compressions. In addition, all students taking an AHA BLS course will receive a Hands-Only informational flyer, specific for their level of training.
The AHA's Family & Friends CPR Anytime www.cpranytime.org provides CPR training in 22 minutes in the comfort of your own home. You can also find information about instructor-led CPR courses by going to: www.americanheart.org/cpr or calling 1-877-AHA-4CPR.
Q: Does the American Heart Association still want people to get trained in CPR? Or should people just watch the video? The American Heart Association is dedicated to arming every American with knowledge to act in an emergency. While the Hands-Only CPR instructional video is a great place for people to start with CPR education, the American Heart Association still encourages people to participate in formal training. Taking a CPR course can help increase a person’s confidence to act in an emergency and allows for instructor interaction and feedback.
HANDS-ONLY CPR vs. CONVENTIONAL CPR WITH BREATHS
Q: What is the difference between Hands-Only CPR and conventional CPR? Which one am I supposed to do in an emergency? Hands-Only CPR performed by a bystander has been shown to be as effective as conventional CPR in the first few minutes of an out-of-hospital sudden cardiac arrest.
If you do not know how to administer conventional CPR, don’t be afraid to act in an emergency; your actions can only help! Any attempt at CPR is better than no attempt. If you see an unconscious, unresponsive adult, call 911 and push hard and fast in the center of the chest to the beat of the classic disco song “Stayin’ Alive.”
Conventional CPR (a combination of chest compressions and breaths) may be better than Hands-Only CPR for certain victims, such as infants and children or victims of drowning or collapse due to breathing problems.
Q: Is Hands-Only CPR as effective as conventional CPR? Any attempt at CPR is better than no attempt. Hands-Only CPR performed by a bystander has been shown to be as effective as conventional CPR with mouth-to-mouth breaths in the first few minutes of an out-of-hospital sudden cardiac arrest. Conventional CPR may be better than Hands-Only CPR for certain victims, though, such as infants and children, adults who are found in cardiac arrest (whom you did not see collapse) or victims of drowning or collapse due to breathing problems.
DONATIONS AND SPONSORS
Q. How can my donations help? Where does my money go? By donating to the American Heart Association, you are making a difference in helping to raise awareness of the importance of learning Hands-Only CPR. Donations will go toward AHA’s programs, which include CPR community training.
Q: What is WellPoint Foundation’s role in the AHA Hands-Only CPR campaign? The American Heart Association’s Hand-Only CPR campaign is supported by an educational grant from the WellPoint Foundation.