4 Tips to Get a CPR Certification

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) certification is vital for both career and self-growth. You can get CPR certification online or in person from the American Red Cross (ARC).

It shows that your skills are well developed under the direction of a trusted national organization. Also, it shows that you can carry out specific medical methods. And these methods can boost the chances that a patient will recover from a cardiac arrest.

Employers tend to consider such certificates when hiring staff for childcare or healthcare positions. Statistics show that 350,000 Americans die from cardiac arrest in one year alone. But, the ability to perform CPR may enable you to aid others in medical distress.

In this article, you’ll go over the tips to get a CPR certification and the perks of doing so. Read on.

Tips on How to Get a CPR Certification

1. Find a Reputable Institution

Know that no prior education is needed to get the CPR certification alone. But, you may need a high school diploma for many jobs that call for CPR certification. If that’s already accomplished then finding a CPR training facility is the first step to take. It can be a CPR certification online or offline training program. But ensure that whichever one you choose, it must be;

• Approved by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO).
• Compliant with the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR) standards and guidelines.

For example, firms like ARC have approval. Finally, check to see if the institution issues CPR cards or diplomas.

 2. The Type of Class

The next tip for you is the type of class to choose from. After finding a trusted institution, you must select the type of class you wish to enroll in, whether via CPR certification online or on-site.

You can do a quick search with your phone for ” CPR classes near me”. However, below are three types you can choose from to narrow your search.

• In-Person CPR Certification Class

It is the most popular CPR class. The reason is that it provides both theory and practice training. It also uses real people and dummies for practical tests. As a result, every student takes turns practicing compressions or mouth-to-mouth on a dummy.

Furthermore, you’ll have direct access to instructors and materials. But you’ll have to commute and adhere to a schedule, which is a drawback.

Another drawback is that most areas of the country have banned access to physical CPR classes. The reason for the ban was due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Also, some of the in-person courses are not instructed by licensed experts.

• Online CPR Certification Class

You can learn the skills you need to act quickly in life-threatening events through online CPR classes. It uses video and virtual settings that mimic emergencies. The virtual scenes use CPR tactics in a variety of ways. For example, virtual actors of diverse ages and health states.

Also, the scene may be where there are crowds and limited resources to make the rescue harder.

Online CPR training classes are more helpful and cost-effective than in-person. It provides you with 24-hour access to the course materials. As a result, you can study at your own pace whenever and wherever you choose.

With online CPR classes, you can enroll in the certification program of your choice. And you don’t have to worry about distance or bus fare.

The only drawback of online CPR classes is that you have no hand on training from the instructor.

• Hybrid CPR Certification Class–

The two classes above get combined to form the hybrid class. The class provides you with easy access to online CPR materials. It also provides hands-on instruction at fixed times. Although a hybrid training class gives you flexibility, you will still need to adhere to a timetable.

Ensure that the class you choose has a licensed CPR instructor. The reason is that an unlicensed instructor could put you in future lawsuits.

Consider the scenario where you give CPR to a person who passes away during the process. If the parents learn that you received your training from an unfit instructor, they have the right to sue you.

In such cases, you are jointly liable for the person’s death.

3. Pass the Exam and Practical Test

Once you have completed the basic CPR training, you are now qualified to get a CPR certificate. But first, you must pass both the written exam and a practical test. Below are the areas the exam questions and practice tests will come from.

CPR

• Rescue plans and methods.
• Heimlich maneuver choking response (abdominal thrust)
• How to arrange a basic First Aid kit bag with bandages, antibiotic ointment, aspirin, and so on.
• Adult, infant, and child care CPR.
• Artificial ventilation and chest compression.

BLS( Basic Life Support)

• First Aid strategies and techniques.
• Handling stroke victims.
• Additional chest compression and rescue breathing practice.
• Bloodborne pathogen education.
• Basic life support for traumas, shock, and drug overdose.

First-Aid

• Stings and bites from insects and animals.
• Unconscious people.
• Burns of different degrees.
• Internal and external bleeding.
• Heat stroke and fainting victims.
• Allergic reactions.

4. Get Your CPR Certification

After a few weeks of passing the exams and practical tests, students get identity cards attesting to their CPR certification.

Students who took in-person classes will receive theirs personally. For online students, they will get theirs sent to their emails. Note that CPR certificates have a timeframe. For example, ARC gives out a two-year certificate to its students. And for that reason, you need to ensure you maintain it.

When you hear about maintaining a CPR cert, it means to recertify it after some time. And to do that, you need to take recertification courses. The reason is that the courses will help you stay abreast of the newest methods and renew your CPR skills. Online students can do their recertification online.

Final Thoughts

Every day, infants, teens, and adults die due to unsafe events like drowning, falling, choking, and so on. But these deaths can easily be prevented if an aid or CPR instructor had been around.

Knowing the basics of life support enables you to add back to society. And getting your certification shows your strong desire to help people.

One of the best choices you can make is to learn first aid, serve, or work as a first aid or CPR expert. So with the tips given to you above, use them to work towards your certification. Good luck.