Should You Take a CPR Training Course?

SHOULD YOU TAKE A CPR TRAINING COURSE?

I finally took a CPR training course in July. For years I’d been asking myself how I would respond to someone having a sudden cardiac arrest emergency. Probably helpless! I took definite action after I read that this someone could very well be a family member—spouse, parent, child, grandchild—or a good friend in my own home because something like 4 out of 5 cardiac arrests happen at home.

I checked out the American Red Cross website (www.redcross.org) and found they continually offer CPR training courses combined with AED and basic first aid nationwide. I chose a blended learning course where I’d learn the essentials online and then finish off practicing the basic skills on mannequins in a classroom. (I also could have chosen a 4-hour course with exam given completely in a classroom.) It cost $90. I finished the online portion in just a couple of hours and the next day drove to the class. When I returned home my certificate, good for 2 years, had already been emailed to me.

The CPR Training Course

 The primary purpose of the CPR/AED program is to help participants recognize and respond appropriately to cardiac, breathing and first aid emergencies. The program teaches persons the knowledge and skills needed to give immediate care to an injured or ill person and to decide whether advanced medical care is needed.

 CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) If a person stops breathing, or their heart stops beating effectively, this lifesaving technique is used to restore oxygenated blood flow to the vital organs. At the core of these skills is the providing of effective chest-compressions to pump blood through the body, and/or the giving breaths to oxygenate the blood being pumped.

Successful outcomes for victims of cardiac arrest are increased when an AED (Automated External Defibrillator) is used in the first few minutes after a person has collapsed. The CPR training course teaches you the simple steps of using an AED to deliver a controlled shock to a victim’s heart and help it restart a normal pattern.

Something else I learned in the course is that you’re legally protected if something happens while performing CPR.  All 50 states and the District of Columbia have Good Samaritan Laws on the books, affording you protection should you choose to assist in an emergency.

The class also includes instruction on the techniques used to relieve severe choking in victims should their airway become blocked including the Heimlich Maneuver and how to specifically treat airway emergencies in children and infants.

Plus First Aid for:

• External Bleeding
• Burns
• Stroke
• Anaphylaxis (acute allergic reactions, such as to a bee sting)

 

Additional Reasons for Taking a CPR Training Course

You never know when someone nearby may need the lifesaving skills of CPR.  Being properly trained to assist in an emergency is an important part of helping others.

An emergency that occurs in a public setting oftentimes garners the attention of anyone nearby, especially those trained to respond with CPR.  If other rescuers have started CPR and you’re trained, you can assist.  Teamwork is always better when providing help in an emergency.  The more people trained to provide CPR and use an AED, the better the chance of survival for the victim.  Your CPR training course will help teach you how to switch out roles, assign important duties like calling 9-1-1, and perform other tasks important during an emergency.