What should you do between each chest compression?

Allowing the chest to fully recoil between each chest compression is crucial for effective cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). When performing chest compressions, a complete recoil of the chest helps to re-establish blood flow to the heart and facilitates the filling of the heart chambers. This is important because the heart relies on the negative pressure created during recoil to refill with blood.

Failing to allow full recoil can hinder the effectiveness of the compressions, potentially resulting in reduced circulation and oxygen delivery to vital organs. The physiological principle behind this is that during the compression, blood is pushed out of the heart but needs the chest to expand fully to draw blood back into the heart during the subsequent recoil phase.

The other actions, while important in a broader context of CPR, do not directly contribute to optimal chest compression technique. For example, pushing harder can lead to excessive force, which may cause injury. Checking for a pulse might interrupt the rhythm of compressions, and increasing the compression speed could compromise the quality and depth necessary for effective CPR. Therefore, ensuring that the chest fully recoils between compressions is the best practice to maximize the chances of maintaining adequate blood circulation during cardiac arrest.