Why is CPR training important?

CPR training is important. It can save your life, your children’s lives, your parents' lives, or even a stranger’s life. Getting trained is easily accessible to anyone who wants it and not hard to complete. Learning the basics can be empowering, and it is something you will remember throughout your lifetime.

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation, more commonly known as CPR, is a life-saving technique that helps maintain blood flow to the brain and heart in an emergency situation. Knowing CPR is a requirement for some professions such as lifeguard, child care provider, and health care assistant. Here are a few reasons why CPR training is so crucial.

CPR is life saving

If you are ever in an emergency situation, the first step is to always call 911. But in some cases those few minutes spent waiting on a medical professional are precious. If you are certified in CPR, you will be able to confidently and effectively apply these skills to help aid the victim until the first responders arrive and can take over.

CPR is not performed enough

Recent studies suggest that less than half of those who suffer from cardiac arrest receive any type of CPR assistance from a bystander. When these types of situations arise, the common response is that no bystander was certified in CPR or that there was an aspect of fear involved, causing those around to hesitate in administering these critical skills. Taking a CPR course will alleviate any fear you may have in administering proper CPR techniques should an emergency occur.

CPR is empowering

Not all emergency situations requiring CPR occur in a public forum. Almost 85 percent of all cardiac arrests take place in the home.

Spouses, children, and parents alike should consider taking even the most basic CPR certification course in preparation for any dire situation. We all know children under the age of five are known to get into quite a bit of mischief. Should your child become unresponsive due to his own curiosities, you will feel confident in knowing there is something you can do until professional medical help arrives.

The same rule applies if your husband, father, wife, or mother appears unresponsive while in your home. Knowing proper CPR will give you the courage and assuredness you may need to take swift, and potentially life-saving, action.

CPR is better in numbers

Should an emergency situation arise while you are in a restaurant, crowded shopping mall, or grocery store, having more than one person who is adequately trained in CPR can be beneficial. Depending on how long it takes for an ambulance to arrive, a single person performing CPR could grow tired or frustrated. This is where a second CPR trainee could step in and relieve the first person of his or her duties. They could then trade off applying their CPR skills until help arrives.

CPR is a work skill

As already mentioned, CPR licensure is required for some occupations. While many job descriptions do not call for their applicants to be professionally trained in CPR, those certifications are certainly useful and valued in any workplace. Being certified in CPR may set your resume apart from the crowd and ultimately earn you an interview with a potential employer.

CPR can save someone’s life or even your own. It’s crucial to get trained, and it is easily accessible. At Reynolds Memorial Hospital, CPR classes are offered regularly to the community. For more information, call 304-845-3211.