To minimize fatigue and ensure high-quality chest compressions on an adult, when should rescuers quickly switch doing compressions?

• A. Every 5 minutes
• B. After 1 minute
• C. Every 10 seconds
• D. About every 2 minutes

Answer: (D)

The main idea is to keep chest compressions as high quality as possible by preventing fatigue from lowering depth and rate. Fatigue sets in quickly, and shallower, slower compressions reduce blood flow to the heart and brain. To prevent this, switch the person doing compressions about every two minutes. This timing keeps the cycle continuous and helps maintain the recommended compression depth and rate.

Switching every five minutes would allow quality to decline; doing it after only one minute can still be too tiring; switching every ten seconds would cause unnecessary interruptions and disrupt the rhythm. So, about every two minutes best preserves effectiveness.