CPR Question?

Question

Just out of curiosity, when performing CPR is taking off the shirt mandatory?
Because it seems like it would be in bad taste to take off a woman's shirt in a populated area. If taking off the shirt is a must, you could at least leave the bra on right?

I have been certified 3 times in CPR, and the instructor has always said to take the shirt off. Although I have never performed CPR on an actual person, but from the sounds of it; it is not manditory I guess.

Thanks a lot for the answers by the way....
Now if I find myself in a situation where CPR is required I wont make an idiot out of myself lol.

Thanks for the people who are not patronizing me either. I know very well the purpose of CPR and why it is needed.

Answer 1

You can loosen the clothing, but you do not have to remove them.

I really do not understand why instructors would have you waste time taking off the person's clothing when loosening them will suffice. Every second is so precious to saving the person's life.

I have been certified over 15 times for my job through the years and have never been told to do this. We never messed with the clothes at the beginning of a code in ER either. Just pulled them back so we could administer CPR.

Answer 2

Your First Aid Instructor should have told you, to never ever remove a person clothing unless you are going to use an Automated External Defibrillator (AED), and even the you either undo the buttons or cut up the middle, to attach the Defibrillator paddles.

The only time a rescuer can undo or shift s persons clothing is if they have something that will hindered the compression.
Even then I would explain to those around why I was doing so.
This is a true story ;
A lifeguard (in Australia) doing CPR on a woman, had to shift her top up a little, as the large plastic/wooden ring hindered the compressions, the woman tried to sue him, for exposing her to the public, but the case was thrown out of court, as the ring would have hindered the compression, and damaged the breast tissue.

Answer 3

From what I know from taking CPR training, the only reason you'd take a shirt off is to improve circulation which tight collars or shirts would impede, and to make landmarking easier for chest compressions. Really, if you're saving someone's life, I wouldn't be too worried about embarrassing them. Personally, I was taught to landmark by touch rather than by sight, so I would feel comfortable just loosening the shirt at throat and wrists and leaving it on otherwise (unless of course there's something on the shirt that would get in the way of your chest compressions, in which case it should probably go). I would leave the bra on mostly because it's too much of a hassle to get it off.

Answer 4

Button on a shirt can cause bruising. A woman bra should be removed, some have wire or hard plastic on the underside, doing compressions with a bra on can cause this wire or plastic to come loose and puncture the chest Rip a shirt or blouse open, time is at an essence. Remove a woman's bra. Once you start compressions don't stop to breath for the victim, get someone else to do the breathing for you. Once you get the person heart started, he or she will start breathing on their on, if nothing else is wrong. With the new machines that or used now to do C.P R shirts blouses and bra's must be removed to get good contact with the paddles.

Answer 5

You just have to be able to feel where to put your hands, so I'm sure there have been times when someones had on a huge sweatshirt and had to have it taken off so someone could perform CPR on them. It is not a must though and with the way people sue now a days probably not in your best interest unless you absolutely have to.

Answer 6

i am a AHA inst. and have taught sevral classes from the girl scouts to the medical prof. and never at any time have i suggested that the shirt come off. no for the person doing the cpr its not a sexual thing, but in this world we live in there are alot of freaks that look for this to get a thrill, even when someone is dying or dead, and it makes me sick!!!!!!! if fro whatever reason u do need to remove the shirt, please make sure there protected from the on lookers, cause one of them just might be the freak pervert i was telling u about...and as a paramedic i see alot of on lookers......thank you for learning cpr. we need more people to step up and learn it.....just in case

Answer 7

You do not have to take off the shirt at all. Most of the time, when trained properly you know where to place your hands when giving compression. If needed, taking off the shirt would be necessary, but leaving the bra on would be ideal.

Answer 8

The idea is to compress the heart to circulate the blood and breathe for the victim.

The shirt does not get in the way of compressing the chest.

Answer 9

Why would you take off a shirt for CPR?

I was a lifeguard, that wouldn't ever fly.

Answer 10

I did that back in severe college myself , i'm uncertain if i might nonetheless be seen qualified or no longer . I do submit to in innovations the techniques . I did acquire a card of certification even nevertheless that is been see you later .