CPR for the professional rescuer is a vital skill that one must simply have.
Who Needs to Take It?
Let’s just get it out of the way and take this on this question directly. Everyone should have CPR training because of the indispensable benefits it brings. There is simply nothing better than taking comfort in the fact that you have the capacity to save a life when the situation demands it.
However, it should also be stated here that this also comes in handy in certain fields. For instance, lifeguards are required to pass an exam in order to get certified for their job. This is perfectly understandable. After all, their job goes beyond simply enforcing the water safety rules.
On the contrary, in emergency situations, they can be the difference between life and death. This is because their training provides them with all the tools they need to do so. Needless to say, their knowledge in first aid, CPR, as well as their superior swimming skills, all come together and play a role in those situations.
The importance of a CPR training course also plays a vital role for first responders and emergency workers. This includes everyone from paramedics and firefighters to police officers. As one would expect professional workers like them need to be prepared for all types of scenarios. In order for them to be able to do their job properly, they simply must have the right kind of training.
Of course, this is not to say that CPR training is strictly limited to these professions. In fact, employers would find it extremely appealing if one had this kind of training. For instance, people working in construction and industrial sites should receive some form of emergency training. This is because they are working in extremely stressful environments and the risk of accidents occurring is at an all-time high.
In addition to this, it is also highly encouraged for people working with children to be CPR certified. It is no secret that children need adult supervision at all times. This is primarily because of the fact that they are more vulnerable and are more likely to get into dangerous situations. That is why it is vital that nannies, babysitters, teachers, daycare providers, gym teachers, and social workers take this class.
Now, some people may have gotten their CPR certification years ago and most of them think that that is already enough. Sadly, this is not the case at all. For instance, lifeguards working in the state of New York are actually required to retake this course on a yearly basis as a requirement for them to renew their licenses. This is done with good reason.
Readers need to understand that people get rusty without practice. Learning a new skill and letting years go by without actually practicing it will inevitably leave you inadequate. This is because you will eventually forget all about your training. Now, this is simply unacceptable when we are speaking of a skill as essential as CPR and First Aid.
Benefits of Knowing CPR
The primary benefit of taking these classes, as stated earlier, is that it gives you the ability to save a person’s life. Readers should take note that no less than 383,000 people per year undergo sudden cardiac arrest. As you probably know, heart diseases often go unnoticed and undiagnosed. These happen to average people, not just the sickly and the old. Most of these occur far away from hospitals. This just means that emergency situations can arise anywhere and at any time.
To make things worse, if there is no first responder on the scene then heart attacks would usually end in a fatality. This is because of the way Cardiac arrest interferes with the body’s oxygen supply. As the heart’s ability to pump oxygenated blood to the brain is compromised, the brain cells start dying at an alarming rate. This happens within minutes of the initial attack. So, it is hardly surprising that by the time the ambulance arrives, the damage has already been done.
Remember, for people who suffer a cardiac arrest outside hospitals, only a measly 8 percent of them live to tell the tale. Now, just imagine if there was someone on the scene who could have helped these patients. Think about it, their chances of survival would have tripled with the correct application of the CPR procedure.
As if that was not enough, readers should take note that by taking this class, you may even end up saving the life of your own loved one. This is because the statistics show that 88 percent of cardiac arrests typically happen at home.
It should go without saying that people stand to learn a lot from these classes. This applies even if you have already received your CPR certification in the past. Most people do not know this, but the fact is that CPR training is no longer the same as it was a couple of years ago. It offers you the chance to not only further develop your skills, you can also learn new ones along the way.
We are not kidding when we say that some of its fundamental rules have changed. For instance, rescue breaths are no longer a part of the procedure. This is because it has been deemed unnecessary by experts. So, the chest compressions are now your sole focus. By simplifying the procedure, the victim’s chances of survival go up as well. Moreover, the elimination of rescue breaths also drastically reduces the transferring saliva-borne pathogens between the two parties.
Sadly, the greater majority of people do not feel comfortable administering this emergency procedure. In fact, only around 32 percent of cardiac arrest victims are lucky enough to receive CPR from bystanders. This is due to the fact that most people do not know how to do the procedure in the first place. This is a tragedy in its own right as hands-only CPR is actually extremely simple and easy to learn.
In emergency situations, this skill can be the difference between life and death. That being said, we highly encourage everyone, not just professional rescuers, to enroll in a CPR training class.