In adult CPR for a drowning victim when performed by a single rescuer, what is the correct compression-to-ventilation ratio?

• A. 30:2
• B. 15:2
• C. 5:1
• D. 10:1

Answer: (A)

The main idea being tested is how many chest compressions to breaths a single rescuer uses when performing CPR on an adult drowning victim.

The correct approach is 30 compressions followed by 2 breaths. This 30:2 cycle balances keeping blood circulating with providing oxygen to the lungs. Chest compressions maintain perfusion to vital organs, and the breaths help oxygenate the blood. Doing compressions in larger, steady sets minimizes breaks in chest depth and rate, which is why this ratio is used for a single rescuer. Aim for about 100–120 compressions per minute and a depth of about 2 inches (5 cm) for adults, then switch to breaths after every 30 compressions.

In drowning, ventilation is especially important because hypoxia is the primary issue, but the single-rescuer protocol still uses 30:2 to maintain circulation while delivering breaths.

The other options aren’t the standard single-rescuer ratio for this situation. A 15:2 ratio is associated with other teaching contexts (such as some two-rescuer scenarios or pediatric guidance), while 5:1 and 10:1 are not used CPR ratios for adults.