| Characteristic/Component | Adult/Adolescent | Child (1 Year to Puberty) | Infant (Less than 1 Year Old, Excluding Newborns) |
| Scene Safety | Make sure the scene is safe for rescuers, bystanders, and patients. | ||
| Recognition of Cardiac Arrest | No breathing or only gasping (i.e., no normal breathing). Pro Rescuers: No breathing, no pulse (10 sec). | ||
| Activation of the EMS System | If alone with no mobile phone, leave the patient to activate the EMS system and get an AED before beginning CPR.
If not alone, have someone call EMS while you begin CPR immediately; use the AED when it becomes available. |
If alone with no cell phone and you witnessed the collapse or if not alone: Follow adult/adolescent protocol.
If alone and you did not witnessed the collapse: Give 2 minutes of CPR, then leave the patient to activate the EMS system and get an AED. Return to the patient and resume CPR. |
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| Compression-Ventilation Ratio without Advanced Airway | 1 or 2 or more rescuers: 30:2 | 1 rescuer: 30:2
2 or more rescuers: 15:2 |
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| Compression-Ventilation Ratio with Advanced Airway | Continuous chest compressions at a rate of 100–120/min. Continuous ventilations at a rate of 1 breath every 6 seconds (10 breaths/min) | ||
| Compression Rate | 100–120/min | ||
| Compression Depth | At least 2 inches (5 cm) and no deeper than 2.4 inches (6 cm). | At least one-third depth of the chest (about 2 inches or 5 cm) | At least one-third depth of the chest (about 1½ inches or 4 cm) |
| Hand Placement | 2 hands on the lower half of the breastbone. | 2 hands (or 1 hand optional for small child) on lower half of the breastbone. | 1 rescuer: 2 fingers in the center of the chest just below the nipple line.2 or more rescuers: 2 thumb-encircling hands in the center of the chest just below the nipple line. |
| Chest Recoil | Allow full recoil of the chest after each compression; do not lean on the chest. | ||
| Interruptions | Limit interruptions in chest compressions to less than 10 seconds. Do not recheck pulse and/or breathing. | ||
Source: American Heart Association 2015 ECC Guidelines
