Emergencies can strike at any time, and we want to be as prepared as possible to handle those moments when they happen. In an instant, a medical emergency can affect a loved one, and we want to be prepared for more than just what we can fix with our first aid kit.
More and more people are now opting for CPR courses to have an understanding of how to recognize and respond to these incidents. Learning these skills has now become even easier with CPR training accessible online to accommodate just about any busy schedule.
The Importance of CPR Training
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or CPR, keeps blood and oxygen flowing. According to the American Heart Association, 88% of people who suffered a cardiac arrest outside of a hospital or clinic environment passed away. However, when properly and promptly performed, CPR dramatically increased their chance of survival.
With heart disease emerging as the leading cause of death in the United States, CPR training has become more invaluable than ever. While studies found a lack of people seeking CPR certification, there is a strength in numbers when people have an understanding of basic CPR skills. Imagine an emergency situation arising in a crowded restaurant—that person suffering a cardiac episode has a greater chance of survival if multiple people have an understanding of how to properly administer mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and chest compressions.
That’s why some workplaces are now requiring employees to take CPR courses either online or in-person, so that employees have this understanding in the event an issue arises during a workplace activity.
Signing Up for a CPR Course
With in-person classes limited by the COVID-19 pandemic, online CPR courses are still very much accessible to anyone of any age seeking to gain these important skills. CPR online classes cover the grounds of first aid and CPR training from recognizing emergencies to responding to an unconscious person in a variety of scenarios. Also included in the course materials is the use of an automated external defibrillator, or AED. You may have seen an AED utilized to help re-established an effective heart rhythm for a patient suffering a cardiac episode.
Online CPR courses have been made accessible through a variety of outlets, including the American Heart Association and the American Red Cross. An online CPR class is available for anyone with internet access, allowing for online training at a time that is fit for you. You can effectively work through training courses, and in some cases, stop and start on your time. This could give you time to take care of things at home, or even play with your kids using magnetic blocks to create a crazy, cool new structure.
Completing the Course
Upon completion of an online CPR course, you will receive a wallet certification card for you to download and print out. Some first aid certification courses will also mail you a hard copy of that certification card that you need on hand to prove that you are properly trained in basic first aid, CPR, and AED modules. This will include certification documents signed by certified CPR instructors.
It is important to stay on top of your certification. When the time comes for renewal, CPR recertification courses allow you to refresh your memory and skills, and even learn of newer techniques. In some cases, recertification courses are actually shorter in length than the original online CPR lessons you took part in. These renewal courses will even allow you to maintain certification for another two years.
The American Red Cross also recommends that those who are CPR certified take a refresher course at least once a year to maintain a solid understanding of these vital life-saving methods. After all, there could be someone counting on you to deliver in an emergency.