How should you position yourself when giving rescue breaths to an adult?

When providing rescue breaths to an adult, positioning yourself appropriately is crucial for ensuring an effective airway and achieving the best possible ventilation. The correct approach involves kneeling beside the victim and tilting their head back. This position allows for a proper alignment of the airway by elevating the chin and pulling the tongue forward, which helps to open the airway and facilitates the delivery of breaths.

This method ensures that the rescuer can achieve a good seal over the victim's mouth, allowing the rescuer to deliver breaths effectively. It also enables the rescuer to monitor the victim's chest rise, which is an important indicator that the breaths are going in correctly.

Other positions, such as standing or sitting in front of the victim, can compromise the efficiency of giving rescue breaths. Standing may limit your ability to maintain the proper seal and monitor the results of your breaths, while sitting can hinder your reach and effectiveness in providing aid. Laying the victim flat without tilting the head does not address the airway obstruction appropriately and can obstruct proper airflow, making it difficult to provide effective rescue breaths.