Which of the following helps maximize CPR efforts?

• A. Keep hands on the chest at all times during compressions
• B. Change rescuers every two minutes
• C. Ensure proper hand placement
• D. Pause compressions to check for breathing

Answer: (C)

Proper hand placement is essential for effective CPR because it directly controls how hard and where you push on the chest. Placing your hands on the center of the chest, over the lower half of the sternum, with the wrists and elbows straight and your body weight used to press straight down, ensures you deliver the correct depth with each compression. This depth is what generates blood flow to the heart and brain, and full chest recoil between compressions lets the heart refill. If hands are too high or too low, you risk shallow compressions or injury, and the chest may not return fully to its normal position, reducing perfusion.

Other practices can support CPR quality, like rotating rescuers to prevent fatigue, but they don’t directly improve the mechanics of every individual compression as effectively as correct hand placement. Pausing to check breathing during compressions interrupts blood flow, which lowers effectiveness. Keeping hands on the chest without allowing recoil also prevents full chest expansion, which diminishes perfusion.