In which situation would you perform chest compressions?

Chest compressions are a critical component of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) performed in specific emergency situations. The correct situation to perform chest compressions is when the patient is unresponsive and not breathing. In this case, the absence of breathing indicates that the heart may not be pumping blood effectively, which can lead to life-threatening consequences.

The process of chest compressions helps to manually rhythmically pump the heart and maintain blood circulation to vital organs, particularly the brain. This is essential during a cardiac arrest when the heart fails to beat, or when a patient's breathing ceases. Performing compressions can significantly improve the chances of survival by keeping blood flowing until advanced medical help arrives or until the heart can be restarted through defibrillation.

Other scenarios, such as normal breathing or severe bleeding, do not warrant chest compressions as the primary response, since the patient may have adequate circulation or requires different types of interventions. In cases where the patient is unconscious but still has a pulse, the focus should be on monitoring and ensuring the airway is maintained rather than performing compressions, which are only indicated when there is no pulse or effective breathing.