ESL Podcast 779 - Giving CPR
lie down - a command for someone who is sitting or standing to take a horizontal position on the floor or other surface as if sleeping, usually resting on one's back
The doctor asked the patient to lie down and take a deep breath.
CPR - cardiopulmonary resuscitation; a way to help a person who is not breathing by pushing air into his or her mouth and pushing on the chest to make the heart move blood through the body
Never perform CPR unless you're absolutely sure that the person isn't breathing.
certification - an official document showing that someone has completed a certain amount of education or hands-on experience to be able to do something well
Ingrid earned a certification in technical writing as a way to demonstrate her skills to potential employers.
unresponsive - not reacting; unconscious
Francine was unresponsive for about 30 seconds after the accident, but then she regained consciousness and began talking.
cardiac arrest - a heart attack; what happens when one's heart stops beating and cannot move blood through the body
James thought he was experiencing cardiac arrest, but he was just having stomach pains from all of the food he ate.
heart rate - the number of times a heart pumps (pushes blood through the body) each minute, measured in beats per minute (bpm)
Hal's resting heart rate is 64 beats per minute, but of course it's higher when he exercises.
to breathe - to move air in and out of one's lungs through one's nose or mouth
Arturo has a cold and a lot of nose congestion that is making it difficult for him to breathe.
airway - the tube-like structures that air moves through between one's nose and lungs
Popcorn is dangerous for babies, because a little piece can cover their airway and make it so they can't breathe.
to block - to present an obstacle so that something cannot move freely, especially through a tube or hole
They used a piece of rubber to block the leak in the side of the boat.
still - motionless; without moving
Have you ever seen a three-year-old who could hold still for more than two minutes?
artificial respiration - the act of helping someone breathe, either by using a machine or by blowing air from one's own mouth into a person's mouth and/or nose
Grandma is hooked up to artificial respiration in the hospital, but she is aware of what's happening around her.
thank God for small favors - a phrase used to show relief, appreciation, or gratitude for something good that happens in a bad situation, often used humorously
A: Khaled accidentally left the stove turned on, but fortunately his roommate smelled the burning food and was able to put out the fire.
B: Thank God for small favors!
to restore - to bring something back to its original state or condition
How many years did it take Joanna and her husband to restore this old house to its original condition?
circulation - the movement of blood throughout one's body
People who have poor circulation may have cold fingers and toes.
chest compression - the act of pushing down on a person's chest (the area on the front of one's body, between the belly button and the neck) to make the heart move blood through the body
How many chest compressions are we supposed to give each minute?
defibrillator - a machine that applies a small amount of electricity to a person's chest to try to make the heart start beating again
A lot of office buildings have a defibrillator, but they aren't useful unless people have been trained in how to use them.
as far as (one) is concerned - a phrase used to show the limits of one's interest or influence in a particular area
As far as I'm concerned, whatever he does behind closed doors is his own business and I don't want to know anything about it.
do not resuscitate - a person's decision to not be helped to breathe by medical professionals because he or she prefers to die, often abbreviated as DNR
Wynona has suffered from cancer for years, so she decided to add a "do not resuscitate" order to her medical records.