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CPR Certification Overview
CPR certification is important in saving lives and can be obtained through comprehensive First Aid and CPR training classes. We explore cpr steps and the details on how to properly administer CPR, the application of AED units in the emergency and medical services fields and how the CPR certification can enrich your career.
CPR Techniques & Information
CPR (cardio-pulmonary resuscitation) is a technique that is performed on someone who is in cardiac arrest, meaning that their heart has stopped pumping blood. It is a procedure that can deliver blood to the heart of the victim in order to maintain the brain and body function until care arrives and for the person to be transported to a medical facility. CPR is a skill that can be learned by almost anyone and can save a life, especially in cases where medical help is not immediately available.
Most health care professionals such as chiropractors, doctors, nurses, dentists and licensed physical therapists are required to have their up-to-date CPR certification much like phlebotomists who require their phlebotomy certification. There are also many other occupations that often require employees to carry CPR certification including lifeguards, teachers, and camp counselors and in many cases, food service workers must also be trained in CPR.
There are varying levels of CPR certification and which one a person trains for will depend largely on their occupation and on whom they are likely to have to perform the procedure on. The basic or community level certification focuses on performing the technique on adults and older children with some classes that include the use of electronic defibrillation units for use on those who suffer a heart attack. Anyone that has young children of their own or who work with young children such as nannies, babysitters and daycare providers are ideal candidates for infant and child CPR certification.
For those in the health care field, firefighters, ski patrol staff, lifeguards, emergency medical technicians, etc, the professional level certification classes provide all the basic CPR training as well as advanced techniques like:
- Removing obstructions from an airway in all ages
- Keeping airways open by way of inserting a tube
- Use of oxygen tanks
- Two-person CPR techniques
- Use of artificial breathing apparatuses
Basic CPR certification is a valuable skill whether your profession requires it or not. Serious accidents can happen anytime or anywhere and having someone on hand that has been trained in CPR can certainly save a life. Most communities offer CPR and first aid training through a number of venues such as:
- Local hospitals
- Community health clinics
- Canadian or American Red Cross Society
It’s also a good idea to check with your local board of education as they often offer CPR certification for parents other residents within the community.
Once you have obtained your CPR certification, at any level, it must be renewed regularly. This is a critical part of any CPR certification since new techniques are frequently developed along with updated protocols and guidelines. Although there are many organizations that offer CPR classes, all training is required to be taught according to the guidelines set out by the American Heart Association and the Red Cross. This ensures that anyone who has achieved their CPR certification will have been taught the same skills according to the level they have been trained in. CPR certification is no longer a technique that is reserved for medical personnel and the more people that have their certification, the more lives that can be saved in an emergency.