CPR Basics for a Collapsed Adult: Hands-Only Steps Until Help (Video)

2:13 min

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Learn the exact hands-only CPR steps you can use on an adult who collapses and isn’t breathing. The guide walks you through checking the scene, calling help, and delivering effective chest compressions. You’ll also discover why breaths aren’t needed for most adults, how to use an AED, and the single most important tip to remember. This is general advice, not a medical diagnosis.

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Transcript

Did you know chest compressions can double survival chances?

Did you know chest compressions can double survival chances?

Hands-Only CPR Overview

Stay with me and I’ll walk you through the exact steps to do hands-only CPR on an adult, and I’ll reveal the single most crucial tip at the end.

Compression rate

You need to push hard and fast, aiming for about one hundred to one hundred twenty compressions each minute.

Depth

Each push should be five to six centimeters deep, roughly the distance from a fingertip to the knuckle.

Before you touch

First, make sure the person is truly unresponsive and not breathing normally. If they’re just fainted, snoring, or having a seizure while still breathing, you don’t start compressions.

Cardiac arrest vs heart attack

A heart attack blocks an artery and the person is usually awake, in pain, sweating. Cardiac arrest means the heart has stopped, the body goes silent, and the brain has about four minutes before damage starts.

Hands-only CPR steps

Call emergency services on speaker, then place the heel of your hand in the middle of the chest and push hard and fast at a rate of one hundred to one hundred twenty per minute, five to six centimeters deep, and keep going until help arrives.

Why no mouth-to-mouth

When an adult’s heart stops, the blood still carries a few minutes of oxygen. Compressions alone circulate that oxygen to the brain. Trying breaths, especially if you’re untrained, can waste precious time.

AED basics

An automated external defibrillator is a box with sticky pads and voice prompts. Open it, dry the chest, stick the pads exactly as pictured, and let the device tell you when to shock.

The one tip to remember

Never stop chest compressions until professional help arrives or an AED tells you to pause, consistent pressure is the single most life-saving action.

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Read the full guide

Read the complete guide on thecareonline.com. This is general information, not medical advice.

Nothing on The Care Online is medical advice. Traditional practices are described as tradition, not as fact. Take a persistent or serious concern to a qualified professional. See how videos and posts are made on our methodology page.