a. Mouth-to-Mouth. Mouth-to-mouth rescue breathing (figure 3-6) is also called
mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. The following steps assume that you are maintaining the
airway using the head-tilt/chin-lift method.
Figure 3-6. Administering mouth-to-mouth rescue breathing.
(1) Maintain airway. Keep the casualty's airway open (patent) by
maintaining the head-tilt/chin-lift.
(2)
Inhale. Take a deep breath.
(3) Pinch the nose. Use the thumb and index finger of your hand that is on
the casualty's forehead to pinch his nostrils closed so that air will not escape when you
blow air into his mouth. Keep the heel of your hand on the casualty's forehead and
continue to apply enough pressure to maintain the head tilt. The fingertips of your other
hand remain under the casualty's chin and continue to keep the chin lifted.
(4) Seal the mouth. Place your mouth over the casualty's mouth. Cover his
mouth completely and make sure that your mouth forms an airtight seal so that air will
not escape when you blow air into his mouth.
(5) Deliver the first breath. Blow a breath at a slow rate into the casualty's
mouth. (Maintaining the open airway will keep the casualty's mouth slightly open.) If
the airway is truly open, the chest should rise as his lungs fill with air.
(6) Take another deep breath. After blowing into the casualty's mouth,
quickly break the seal over his mouth, take a breath of air, exhale, and then take
another deep breath. The casualty's chest should fall as air escapes from his mouth
after you break the seal. You may be able to hear or feel the exhaled breath also.
(7) Seal the mouth. Seal your mouth over the casualty's mouth again so
that air will not escape.
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