CPR, First Aid, and Emergency Response Procedures
Objective. Students will demonstrate infant CPR, child CPR, and adult CPR sequences plus choking relief, wound care, and fever management to the skill standards required for AHA or Red Cross certification.
This lesson, its worked examples and its practice questions has not yet been verified by a licensed professional in the field or by a certification or approval body. It is a study draft and may contain errors. Do not use it as instructions for work on a job site or on live equipment. Always follow your instructor, your supervising professional, and current official references and regulations.
VoTechWorks program approval and accreditation are still in progress. Credentials are issued only by the certifying bodies named in each program, after their own exams.
CPR, First Aid, and Emergency Response Procedures
As a child care provider, you may be the first — and only — person available when a child stops breathing, begins choking, or is injured. The American Heart Association (AHA) and American Red Cross set the skill standards you must meet for your CPR/First Aid credential. This lesson walks through each skill so you can practice with confidence.
Why CPR and First Aid Matter in Child Care
Childhood emergencies can happen without warning. Brain damage can begin within minutes of cardiac arrest. Early, high-quality CPR and rapid use of an AED dramatically improve survival. Many states require all licensed child care providers to hold a current CPR and first aid certification — without it, your facility may lose its state license.
CPR: Rate, Depth, and Ratio
The core of CPR is chest compressions that keep oxygenated blood moving to the brain and heart. The AHA and Red Cross use consistent, evidence-based standards:
- Rate: Push at a rate of 100–120 compressions per minute for all age groups.
- Depth — Adult: At least 2 inches but no more than 2.4 inches. Use the heel of both hands, one on top of the other, on the center of the chest (lower half of the sternum).
- Depth — Child (1 year to puberty): At least 2 inches. Use one or two hands on the center of the chest.
- Depth — Infant (under 1 year): At least 1.5 inches. Use two fingers (or two-thumb encircling technique with two rescuers) just below the nipple line.
- Compression-to-breath ratio: 30:2 for a single rescuer of any age group. For two-rescuer infant or child CPR, the ratio changes to 15:2.
- Allow full chest recoil between compressions; do not lean on the chest.
- Minimize interruptions: Pause no longer than 10 seconds for breaths or AED analysis.
When giving rescue breaths, use a barrier device (face shield or pocket mask) to protect both you and the child. Each breath should last about 1 second and cause visible chest rise. If the chest does not rise, reposition the airway and try once more before resuming compressions.
AED Use
An Automated External Defibrillator (AED) can restore a normal heart rhythm in sudden cardiac arrest. Steps:
1. Turn on the AED and follow its voice prompts.
2. Attach pads to bare, dry skin — one pad to the upper right chest, one to the lower left side.
3. For children under 8 years old or under 55 lbs, use pediatric pads or a pediatric key/mode if available.
4. Clear everyone away and let the AED analyze.
5. Deliver shock if advised, then immediately resume CPR.
Never use an AED near water or on a metal surface. Dry the chest first if wet.
Choking Relief
Infant (under 1 year): Hold the infant face-down on your forearm, supporting the head. Give 5 firm back blows between the shoulder blades with the heel of your hand, then flip the infant face-up and give 5 chest thrusts using two fingers on the center of the chest. Alternate until the object is expelled or the infant becomes unresponsive — if unresponsive, begin CPR and look in the mouth before giving breaths.
Child or Adult: Stand behind the person, make a fist, and place it just above the navel and well below the breastbone. Cover your fist with your other hand and give firm upward abdominal thrusts (the Heimlich maneuver) until the object is expelled or the person becomes unresponsive. If unresponsive, lower to the ground, call 911, and begin CPR.
Practice only: During training with a partner, demonstrate fist placement without delivering actual thrusts.
Wound Care and Bleeding Control
1. Put on nitrile gloves before touching any wound — standard precautions apply in child care just as in any health setting.
2. Apply direct pressure with a clean bandage or cloth. Maintain pressure; do not remove a soaked bandage — add more material on top.
3. If bleeding does not slow within a few minutes or is severe, call 911.
4. For minor cuts, clean with water, apply an adhesive bandage, and document in the child's record.
5. Dispose of soiled materials in a sealed bag; wash hands thoroughly after removing gloves.
Fever Management and Febrile Seizures
A fever in a young child can sometimes trigger a febrile seizure. If a seizure occurs:
- Stay calm; clear the area of hard objects.
- Place the child on their side (recovery position) to keep the airway clear.
- Never put anything in the child's mouth during a seizure.
- Time the seizure; call 911 if it lasts longer than 5 minutes or the child does not wake up fully.
- Notify parents and document the event.
Do not give fever-reducing medication without written parental permission and facility policy guidance.
Documentation Is a Legal and Safety Requirement
After any emergency, complete an emergency log immediately while details are fresh. Record the time, what you observed, every action taken, who was notified, and the child's condition. This record protects the child, the family, and your facility during any licensing review.
Safety Reminders
- Wear nitrile gloves and a barrier mask during any contact with blood or bodily fluids.
- Check that your CPR/First Aid certification is current — cards typically expire every two years.
- Know the location of the AED, first aid kit, and your facility's emergency action plan before an emergency occurs.
Key terms10
Materials: Infant, child, and adult CPR manikins (minimum one per two students), AED trainer unit, barrier masks or face shields, gloves (nitrile), AHA or Red Cross BLS/First Aid course materials, emergency log forms, first aid kit for demonstration (bandages, gloves, cold pack, epi-pen trainer)
Check: Each student passes the AHA or Red Cross hands-on skills checkoff administered by the certified instructor (rate, depth, hand placement, ratio, AED steps all correct); written first-aid scenario responses score 80% or higher.
Practice check8
Answer each question, then check it. Nothing is recorded; this is your own practice.
