While doing CPR in an adult, what should be the ratio of chest compression and ventilation through bag and mask?

Appeared in: NHM MP Staff Nurse-2019

Explanation

The standard guideline for adult CPR, as recommended by the American Heart Association (AHA), is a ratio of 30 chest compressions to 2 rescue breaths.
This 30:2 ratio is used for both single-rescuer and two-rescuer CPR in adults to simplify training and ensure consistency.
The primary goal of this ratio is to prioritize high-quality chest compressions, which are crucial for circulating oxygenated blood to the brain and other vital organs, while minimizing interruptions for ventilation.

Option A: The 15:2 ratio is incorrect for adult CPR, regardless of the number of rescuers.
Option C: The ratio of 80:2 is not a recognized or recommended compression-to-ventilation ratio in any official CPR guideline.
Option D: The ratio of 3:2 is not a recognized or recommended compression-to-ventilation ratio in any official CPR guideline.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) Ratios for Adults as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
High-quality CPR is a critical life-saving skill. Adhering to the correct compression rate, depth, and ratio is essential for maximizing a patient's chance of survival from cardiac arrest.
Nurses must be proficient in BLS and be able to lead or participate in a resuscitation effort, ensuring that interruptions to chest compressions are minimized and are less than 10 seconds.
What if? If the patient has an advanced airway (e.g., an endotracheal tube or supraglottic airway) in place, the procedure changes. Chest compressions become continuous (100-120/min) without pausing for breaths. Ventilations are given at a rate of 1 breath every 6 seconds (10 breaths per minute).

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the key elements of the question: the patient population is an 'adult', and the procedure is 'CPR' with 'chest compression and ventilation'.
The question asks for a specific 'ratio'. This is a factual recall question based on established clinical guidelines.
Recall the standard CPR guidelines from the American Heart Association (AHA) or other relevant bodies.
Remember that for adults, the ratio is simplified to 30:2 for both one and two rescuers to ensure consistency and ease of memory during a stressful event.
Differentiate this from the pediatric two-rescuer ratio (15:2) to avoid selecting the common distractor.
Eliminate any options that are not standard ratios, such as 80:2 or 3:2.

Concept Tested & Keywords

QN-BjrpcxFjmjKYMRs5F6u

E6 Nursing Brunner Adult Health 3SA Vol 1 Part 3 p. 45-47

E6 Ghai Essential Pediatrics(pp 26-904 of 913) p. 763-765

Practise the full NHM MP Staff Nurse-2019

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.