Between A Rescue and A Hard Place

The first task in performing good CPR is positioning the patient correctly. CPR will not be effective if the patient is not lying flat on a hard surface, whether that is placing a board beneath the patient or placing them on the floor. If a patient is lying in a bed at home, roll them onto a backboard or place them on the floor. If they are on a stretcher or hospital bed, roll them onto one of the half-length CPR boards typically kept on the side of the crash cart, or remove the headboard from the bed and pass it beneath the patient.