WHAT IS RESCUE BREATHING?
Sometimes referred to as mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, rescue breathing is a technique used to force air into a person’s lungs. Rescue breathing is typically performed after a person has stopped breathing due to cardiac arrest or an airway obstruction.

Rescue breaths are usually given by exhaling into the mouth or nose of the victim. Whenever possible, barrier protection between the rescuer and the victim should be used.

But what does high-quality CPR entail? Are chest compressions enough? Are rescue breaths necessary during CPR?

These are the questions that are frequently asked and addressed in CPR classes

To help clear up the confusion, here’s how to understand and communicate the importance of rescue breaths to CPR students and the general public.

For certified lay providers, rescue breaths are critical to performing CPR. CPR training for certification with an authorized instructor should always be taught with rescue breaths to increase the chance of survival.

For the untrained lay provider, the option to perform compression-only CPR helps to eliminate hesitation or unwillingness to provide care. This also applies to a bystander who has limited personal protective equipment (PPE) or is unwilling to provide rescue breaths out of fear the person may have an infectious disease.