Final answer:
Adult CPR chest compressions should be at least 5 cm deep and performed at a rate of 100 per minute with full chest recoil to effectively pump blood to vital organs.
Step-by-step explanation:
Compressions on an adult victim should be at least 5 cm in depth, at a rate of about 100 compressions per minute, and should always allow adequate recoil of the chest. These chest compressions help to manually pump blood throughout the body, particularly to the brain, to reduce the risk of irreversible damage due to lack of blood flow. The rhythm for the compressions is often compared to the beat of the song 'Staying Alive' by the Bee Gees. Performing high-quality chest compressions is emphasized over artificial respiration in CPR, and this is continued until the patient shows signs of life or is declared deceased by a healthcare professional.