Would you know how to perform CPR?

Vinnie Jones and Tom Lockyer will demonstrate CPR at half-time at Wembley tomorrow as part of the British Heart Foundation "Every minute matters" campaign They will also encourage fans to us BHF' free online tool ReviR.

We used to be shown how to do CPR at work. However the last one we did the demonstrator just said pump away. He said that people get so bogged down with how many times to compress etc that they’re scared to do it. I hope I’m not being insensitive by saying this but he said the patient will die if you do nothing so just go for it.

I was a childminder for years we had regular first aid courses , covering CPR for babies through to adults.

I really wish it was taught in schools, I did approach our local primary school to see if they would be interested in St John's ambulance going to year 6 for a first aid course but they said no. I also asked at my children's secondary school and again they said no, this was a long time ago so perhaps they do have courses now.

Yes absolutely, I used to train people but it was 20+ yrs ago I'm sure things have moved on since then. I'd still give it a go though. Better to do something than nothing everytime.

I’d have a good go, I was a first aider at work.

I did it many years ago, when I was a parent helper at my local primary school.
It was the middle of winter and snowing heavily. It was home time and parents and carers had been allowed into the school to shelter.
An elderly man suddenly keeled over, I helped the class teacher to lay him on the floor then she went to call for an ambulance leaving me with the man, several panicking parents and 30 small children.
The man suddenly stopped breathing, so I started mouth to mouth whilst another mum did compressions.
One of the parents of a child in another class was a GP, so somebody went to find her.
By the time she arrived, we had got him breathing again. So I gladly let her take over, collected my own child and headed home.
On my way, I could see the ambulance struggling to get up the steep hill to the school. A large group of parents were pushing it up the slope.

I knew roughly what to do as my brother had been in the same situation 3 weeks earlier when his father in law suffered a heart attack. I'd asked my brother what he did and some of it seemed to have stuck.
Sadly the man died later en route to the hospital.
As a consequence, the GP, who admitted that it was the first time she had ever done CPR, arranged for a training session for all the staff and volunteers at the school.
Since then, I have done several more CPR courses.
Non of them helped me when I found my husband dead, but still warm three years ago.
The call handler talked me through it and together with my daughter, we worked on him for 20 minutes until the paramedics arrived.
They tried for another 20 minutes but it was too late.

I did as I went on courses when I was working but unfortunately, even though I can remember the techniques, I couldn't get down to perform the procedure.

The BeeGees - Stayin' Alive was what we were taught!

Many months ago, I witnessed a person having CPR, I think by the police, and I was shocked to see the number of people standing around, gawping and worse, taking photos.

I was trained to do CPR because of my job but I walked on that day because I can no longer kneel because of my knee replacements. Also, if I am at floor level, I cannot get up, so I would have been useless.

MayBee70

We used to be shown how to do CPR at work. However the last one we did the demonstrator just said pump away. He said that people get so bogged down with how many times to compress etc that they’re scared to do it. I hope I’m not being insensitive by saying this but he said the patient will die if you do nothing so just go for it.

I agree, I did a Red Cross CPR course years ago and the instructor said much the same thing.

Thanks Oreo. I was a bit worried about saying that given that my memory is so bad so I’m relieved that you were told it, too.

Yes my dad taught me and my brother when we were in our teens .He was in the St John Ambulance brigade for 30 years.

In November last year me and DH found a man dead in the street opposite our house. There was no one else about. I rang 999 and the operator told me we would have to start CPR. Neither of us had done it and as we were about to start, a couple of cars stopped to see what was happening and a lady burst into action and started CPR with others taking over. The poor man didn't make it.

While volunteering for British Heart Foundation some years ago we were shown how to. Only problem I had was my disability stopping me kneeling for too long but in an emergency I think i would put up with that if someone’s life was at stake!

I was trained to do CPR because of my job but I walked on that day because I can no longer kneel because of my knee replacements. Also, if I am at floor level, I cannot get up, so I would have been useless.

I'd probably need CPR and a hoist myself if I attempted it.

I was taught to check for breathing and pulse - if there is still a pulse then do not perform compressions, just aid with breathing.

We were talked through it by the 999 operator.

Kate1949

We were talked through it by the 999 operator.

Yes, they do that as a routine in the event of a cardiac arrest. All my grandchildren are trained and familiar as are the AC my OH and myself.

I had to perform CPR on my husband for 40 minutes before the paramedics arrived. I had been on a course at my local sailing club many years before and it just came back naturally with added assistance from the call handler. Sadly not effective. The next day I could hardly move. Exhausted, emotional and very stiff. Kneeling over a body performing CPR for so long certainly gives a work out to the glutes and pecs.
It should be mandatory for secondary schools to include first aid instruction including CPR so eventually the population would be prepared should an emergency arise.

I’m the kind of person who quickly forgets technical details, so I set myself a 6-month reminder to review the steps (videos + notes). I also repeated the practice on the manikin with Solutions Training & Advisory Ltd, specifically to get feedback on hand placement and compression depth.

Yes I've done it .
It's frightening the first time you do it .
My friend and I were members of St John's when we teenagers and it was very useful .
I only went with her because she didn't want to go alone .
I'm very glad that I did !
I also had to learn how to deal with epileptic fits at a young age as a family member had grand mal seizures .
And I've delivered a baby (early stages and dead ) and stopped a haemorrhage.
I've also dealt with burns and a drowning.
The baby incidence was the only event which really upset me .
There are so many really useful simple but life saving things that could be taught .

My personal belief is that everybody over 12 who has the physical and mental capacity to do so should learn CPR and first aid.

As a nurse, I'm required to renew my CPR certification annually. Normally, I do this through my work.

As a hygienist I have to do yearly CPR training for my CPD . I’ve never had to perform it but I agree with concentrating on the compressions rather than breaths.
I also think it’s so important to find out where the defib machines are in your area.
A defib gives a greater chance of survival compared to manual cpr.
I live in a village and both the village club and pub fundraised to provide a defib at each premises and a local doctor provides regular training .
I really feel cpr should be taught in secondary schools

British Heart Foundation free online course. Anyone with a smart phone can access this. It's an excellent refresher, advice has changed over time for instance do not check for a pulse.

Learn CPR in 15 minutes for free | RevivR - BHF share.google/aPQzo6O1NNboW4vNt