Are you worried about losing the lifesaving skills you learned from BLS, ACLS, or PALS courses? Regular practice is essential to retain your knowledge, but not everyone has access to professional equipment. If you make a CPR DIY manikin at home, it will be easy to maintain resuscitation skills even after receiving certification.
It might seem challenging to find the right materials to make a manikin at home, but did you know you can easily create a DIY CPR manikin using everyday household items? If you’re curious about how to make your own cost-effective CPR dummy, this blog will guide you through the process, offering practical tips to ensure you stay on track with your training even after completing a certified CPR course.
What is a CPR manikin?
CPR manikins, also known as CPR mannequins or CPR dummies, are essential tools used for practicing high-quality chest compressions. It provides an authentic simulation experience while practicing chest compression. It is an essential cardiopulmonary resuscitation tool for healthcare professionals and trained bystanders to gain hands-on experience and maintain their CPR skills effectively. CPR dummies come for different age groups, including infants, children, and adults.
How to create DIY manikins at home?
You can keep your CPR skills sharp at home without needing expensive commercial manikins. Once you understand the basic steps, you can easily maintain your resuscitation skills at home by using a DIY CPR manikin. It can be hard to buy expensive CPR manikins right after completing the ACLS, BLS, or PALS course. That’s why creating your own DIY CPR manikin is a practical and affordable solution for practicing proper hand placement at home.
Materials you need to make a DIY manikin
With just a few simple materials, you can build a functional manikin that helps you stay prepared for cardiac emergencies. Here are the things you need to make a DIY manikin:
- 1 Pillow or Cushion: To represent the chest.
- 2 toilet paper: To practice heart rhythm
- 1 Foam Pool Noodle or Rolled Towel: To mimic the chest’s firmness.
- 1 Piece of Cardboard: To add stability.
- Duct Tape: To hold everything together.
- Marker: To mark the chest compression point.
Steps for making a CPR manikin at home
DIY manikins are a practical solution for you after completing an advanced course. It allows you to practice anytime and stay prepared. Here are a steps for making a CPR manikin at home by everyday material.
1. Lay the Pillow:
The first step to creating a DIY CPR manikin is to place a pillow or cushion on a flat surface, such as the floor or a table. Make sure the surface is stable so the manikin doesn’t move during practice. The pillow serves as the torso of your manikin, mimicking the upper body where CPR compressions are performed. Use a medium-firm pillow because it works best and provides enough resistance to simulate the human chest.
2. Create the Chest Area:
Next, lay a foam pool noodle or a rolled towel horizontally across the pillow’s center. This piece will serve as the simulated chest area, where you will perform compressions. It is crucial to place it because it represents the correct spot for chest compression during CPR.
Alternatively, you can use two toilet paper rolls side by side to practice chest compressions and get familiar with the rhythm of a heartbeat. This simple setup helps you practice applying consistent pressure in the right place, building muscle memory for real-life emergencies.
3. Secure the manikin with tape
Once you have assembled the parts of your DIY manikin, it’s important to secure it to the pillow. Wrap duct tape around both the pillow and the noodle or towel, and make sure to fasten them tightly enough so they don’t move when you press. Properly securing these components is crucial because loose parts can make CPR practice difficult and less realistic. Wrapping the tape a few times will provide the necessary stability.
4. Stabilize the Manikin:
Place a piece of cardboard underneath the pillow to keep the manikin stable. The cardboard serves as a firm base that provides the entire setup with the necessary stability. This step ensures that the manikin stays securely in place, even when you apply force during CPR compressions. For extra support, you can also tape the pillow to the cardboard to prevent any movement during practice.
5. Mark the Compression Spot:
Finally, take a marker and draw an “X” in the center of the chest area, right on the foam noodle or towel. This marking indicates the exact spot where your hands should be placed during CPR practice. Proper hand placement is essential for effective chest compressions, as pressing in the right spot directly impacts the quality of CPR. Make the “X” large and bold to ensure it’s easy to spot during practice, helping you build accuracy and confidence.
6. Practice on DIY manikin
It’s time to practice on DIY manikins and be prepared to handle the emergency. Practice hands-only CPR on the DIY dummy by pressing down on the marked spot. Use the American Heart Association recommended compression rate based on age:
- Adults: Push hard and fast, about 2 inches deep, at a rate of 100-120 compressions per minute.
- Children: About 2 inches deep, at the same rate.
- Infants: About 1.5 inches deep, also at 100-120 compressions per minute.
Benefits of DIY CPR Manikins:
DIY CPR manikin helps you to gain practical experience and improve hand placement while handling real-life emergencies. If you practice regularly on DIY, you can be able handle emergencies, choking, drowning, cardiac arrest, and shock. Here are a few benefits of making DIY CPR manikins:
- Cost-Effective: DIY manikins are affordable and can be made using readily available household materials.
- Portable: Lightweight and easy to assemble, these manikins can be conveniently moved and stored, making practice accessible anywhere.
- Customizable: You can adjust the firmness and resistance of the manikin to better simulate real-life CPR conditions, allowing for more realistic practice.
- Practice Anytime: Having a DIY manikin means you can practice whenever you want, keeping your CPR skills sharp and prepared for emergencies.
Conclusion
A DIY CPR manikin is an affordable and practical way to practice lifesaving skills without spending money on expensive commercial models. It enables you to stay prepared for real-life emergencies by allowing you to practice regularly at home. This consistent practice helps you retain the essential skills learned from your training center.
If you’re looking for one of the best CPR training centers in California, trust HeartStartCPR for expert instruction in lifesaving techniques. Our experienced instructors are dedicated to building your confidence in handling life-threatening situations by providing practice with high-quality CPR manikins. We offer a range of courses to suit your needs, including blended learning options and CPR renewal courses to suit your time. Explore our course and visit us today in your nearby location. Stay prepared, stay confident!
