Pictured: Martina Giquinto, RN and Dana Szalbirak, RN show community members how to do Hands- Only CPR. Photo courtesy of HCA Florida Sarasota Doctors Hospital.

Nurses from the emergency room at HCA Florida Sarasota Doctors Hospital delivered a life-saving lesson recently. They were invited to the community open house at Sarasota County fire station number 12 to teach Hands- Only CPR. Director of Emergency Services, Martina Giquinto, RN told people it is important to know. “Emergency response times are very fast in Sarasota County. If you are a bystander and see someone in cardiac arrest, you can do Hands- Only CPR to keep oxygen moving through the body until emergency responders arrive,” said Giquinto. According to the American Heart Association, immediate CPR can double or triple a person’s chances of survival after cardiac arrest. There are two critical steps to follow in performing Hands-Only CPR. The first thing is to call 9-1-1 to alert emergency responders, then make sure the person is on their back. Kneel beside the person, interlace your fingers, put the heel of one hand in the center of their chest with your other hand on top and give continuous chest compressions of 100 to 120 compressions per minute allowing the chest to return to its normal position after each compression. Most people were surprised that this form of CPR no longer requires mouth to mouth resuscitation and that you must push hard for Hands- Only CPR to be effective. Retirees, parents with young children, teens who babysit and elementary school children were all interested in trying the technique.

Pictured: Martina Giquinto, RN and Dana Szalbirak, RN show community members how to do Hands- Only CPR. Photo courtesy of HCA Florida Sarasota Doctors Hospital.