Why Learning CPR Should Be On Your To-Do List
When every second counts, you want the knowledge and experience to take action. In medical emergencies, this means learning skills like cardiopulmonary resuscitation so that you can make a difference in someone’s survival. CPR is an extraordinary skill that can save lives and reduce the effects of medical emergencies. By learning this skill, you can keep someone’s blood flowing to critical organs and potentially help them breathe on their own again.
Emergencies can happen at any moment; understanding this life-saving skill can make all the difference. Let’s take a look at the impacts of learning CPR and how you can become a certified life-saver.
The Benefits of CPR Training and Certification
Going through CPR training and certification can have several benefits. The three main ones are as follows:
Saving Lives, Reducing Harm
CPR can help keep someone alive until medical professionals arrive on the scene. By performing CPR, you can increase the chances of survival for someone experiencing a medical emergency like cardiac arrest. Additionally, by helping keep their blood flowing to vital organs, you reduce their risk of developing a severe medical condition due to their crisis.
Increased Confidence
Having the proper training helps ensure you keep a cool head during an emergency— and not just a medical one! By having the tools and knowledge to respond calmly and effectively, you can be empowered to respond to many different situations in life that others would find stressful and overwhelming. You can also have the confidence to get others to help.
Professional Development
CPR certification can be valuable on your resume. While it may not be required for your job of choice, it’s a definite advantage. Every field of work can benefit from people trained in safety and CPR, from retail to education to lab work.
How to Go About Getting CPR Certified
Getting CPR certified is a fairly straightforward process that usually involves taking a course and passing a skills test. You can take courses in person or online, while some instructors offer a hybrid approach. In-person classes follow a schedule, whereas most online courses allow you to work at your own pace. Either way, at the end of your course, you will have to pass an exam to be officially certified.
Certifications generally last two years. Recertification options will vary on how you were originally certified. You may have to take an entire new CPR course. However, if you take a course through a program like ProTrainings, you can take a special recertification course that covers the latest changes and updated guidelines without making you go back over the basics.
Encouraging Others to Get CPR Certified
Convincing your friends, family, or community members to get certified as well can help create a safer, healthier community. Here are some ways to encourage others:
- Lead By Example: If you are CPR certified, share your experience with others and encourage them to get certified as well.
- Organize a Training Session: Consider organizing a training session for your workplace or community group. Ask your kids’ school to have local EMS workers or fire responders in to discuss first aid training. Talk to your local library about a community get-together to learn.
- Spread the Word: Share information about the importance of CPR, and have helpful links and information handy to share with anyone who is interested. If you give someone a firm starting point, they are more likely to follow through. You can also get fliers from training companies, the American Red Cross, or more to hang in public bulletin spaces.
Working Towards a Safer, Healthier Community
Each person armed with the knowledge and confidence to administer CPR adds to the safety of our communities. By taking the initiative to learn life-saving skills like CPR and how to respond in an emergency, you can empower yourself and extend a helping hand to those around you. Together, we can cultivate a culture of preparedness, compassion, community, and resilience.
By encouraging others to take this journey with you or to follow in your footsteps, you’re further spreading the light of hope during medical emergencies. The more people learn this life-saving technique, the more likely there will be someone around who can help during a medical emergency. From schools to sports fields, shopping malls to parking lots, medical emergencies can happen anywhere. Just imagine if there was always someone nearby who knew how to help until emergency services arrived.
