Adult CPR

Along the same lines as my Child CPR post, this is meant to review CPR for adults.  The steps are nearly the same and as mentioned before, the acronym A-B-C has now been changed to C-A-B by the American Heart Association, meaning we first start with "Compressions," followed by "Airway" and then "Breathing."  Here are the guidelines:

1. Check the Scene  Make sure it is safe so you don't become the second victim.
2. Check the Victim for injuries and consciousness.  You don't want to perform CPR on someone who's just sleeping.
3. Call for Help by directing someone specific on the scene to call 911.  If you are alone, do 2 minutes of C-A-B before calling for help.  Not delaying may mean the difference between life and death for the victim.
4. Compressions  Place the heel of one hand slightly lower than the nipple line in the center of the victim's chest.  Your other hand goes on top with the fingers interlaced.  Lock your elbows and compress down 2 inches, hard and fast.  You should give 30 compressions in about 18 seconds (almost 2 each second).  This alone may save someone's life.  Sing a song if needed to keep up a steady beat; I've seen "Staying Alive" recommended since the beat is nearly the right tempo, though the lyrics may be a bit sardonic.
5. Airway  If trained in CPR, you may now open the airway.  Lift the chin and tilt the victim's head back.  Watch for the chest to rise and listen for any breathing.  Look for any object that might be blocking the airway, but be careful not to push it further in by trying to get it out.
6. Breathing  If the victim is still not breathing, pinch the victim's nose and give two short breaths (1 second each).  Make sure your mouth makes a tight seal over the victim's mouth, and watch for the chest to rise and fall.  
7. Continue C-A-B until help arrives.

Remember: even if you are untrained, doing compressions alone may help save someone's life.  Compressions help circulate an emergency reserve of oxygen in the victim's lungs and bloodstream from the last breath.  The American Heart Association changed to the C-A-B method so as not to delay this step.  Don't worry about making things worse (if the person is dying, that would be difficult to do);  Just keep calm and do your best.  

These guidelines are no replacement for official CPR training.  My recommendation to anyone reading is to take a CPR certification class so you are well-prepared.  It would also be handy to keep a reference guide available just in case you want to double check some things.