Tagged with 'CPR Training'

Now’s the time for CPR and AED training.

Are you CPR and AED certified? If not, what are you waiting for? June 1-7 is National CPR and AED Awareness Week. It’s that special time of the year when we shine a light on how lives can be saved if more Americans know how to perform CPR and how to effectively use an AED. Celebrate by getting your CPR and AED certifications.

Did you know about 70% of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests happen in homes? If you are called on to give CPR in an emergency, you will most likely be trying to save the life of someone you love. Be the difference for your parent, partner, or child (American Heart Association).

Getting Your CPR and First Aid Certification is Easier than You Think

Excuse #1: I don’t want to take a CPR and AED class while Covid-19 is still around.

We understand; however, with cardiac arrest on the rise during the Covid-19 crisis, getting your AED and CPR certifications is more important than ever before. 

To help keep our trainers and students safe, Cardio Partners has implemented additional safety measures for all of our AED and CPR classes. Safe distancing techniques are being practiced during all in-person training sessions and skills tests. Disinfection protocols are in place for all teaching equipment between sessions.

Excuse #2: I don’t have the time to take a CPR class!

Actually, yes, you do have the time. The blended learning option combines in-person skills practice with safe, online learning. The lessons are quick, clear, and easy to follow. With focus and attention, passing the exam is a breeze. 

Excuse #3: I could never perform CPR. It looks too hard!

CPR with rescue breathing is easy to learn, and anyone can perform it. Hands-only CPR offers a safe way for bystanders to give someone experiencing sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) a fighting chance. 

Skilled CPR and AED trainers break the process down and demonstrate the procedure step-by-step. They take the mystery out of the process and offer gentle feedback to ensure that you’re doing everything right. Then, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to practice on life-like CPR manikins that provide real-time performance feedback. 

Excuse #4: CPR training is too expensive.

Costs may vary from provider to provider, but AED and CPR classes are priced to encourage participation. Check out the American Red Cross, the American Heart Association, or your local YMCA for an affordable course near you. Or, to arrange CPR and AED certification classes for your workplace or organization, contact Cardio Partners. 

Many employers will cover the cost of training. If they’re unable to offer classes onsite, they may reimburse you. It can’t hurt to ask! 

The American Heart Association, the American Red Cross, and the National Safety Council worked together to designate a nationally recognized CPR and AED Awareness Week. On December 13, 2007, Congress unanimously passed a resolution to set aside June 1-7 each year as National CPR and AED Awareness Week. 

We’d like to join these advocates for heart health and safety by encouraging you to celebrate National CPR and AED Awareness Week in your community by getting AED and CPR certified.

Cardio Partners offers CPR, first aid, AED, and bloodborne pathogen training courses in all 50 states. We offer training in traditional classroom settings as well as blended learning courses. To learn more about our classes, call our team at 866-349-4362 or email Cardio Partners at customerservice@cardiopartners.com. 

DISCLAIMER: Information and resources found on the aed.com website and blog are intended to educate, inform, and motivate readers to make their health and wellness decisions after consulting with their healthcare provider. The authors are not healthcare providers. NO information on this site should be used to diagnose, treat, prevent, or cure any disease or condition.

For many medical or trauma-related emergencies like accidents, overdoses, shootings, and 911 emergency calls, law enforcement officers are first on the scene. But will they administer CPR before EMS arrive? The answer is a little complicated.

Because police officers are on roving, decentralized patrol around-the-clock they’re often able to respond to calls more quickly than firefighters or other EMTs. And, unlike firefighters or EMT teams, law enforcement officers can leave non-emergency to respond to more pressing situations.

Performing CPR and defibrillation with an AED within the first 3-5 minutes can dramatically increase survival odds, it makes sense for law enforcement officers to administer CPR and arrive on the scene with an automated external defibrillator (AED).

Each year, more than 350,000 Americans experience an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) and only 41% receive bystander CPR. Equipping law enforcement vehicles with automated external defibrillators and ensuring that officers are trained in CPR and AED use allows lifesaving interventions to be delivered as quickly as possible. 

However, this isn’t always the case. The answer to “will law enforcement officers administer CPR if they arrive before EMS” is: it depends on the department’s policy.

Is it hard to train law enforcement officers to perform hands-only CPR?

Not at all! Hands-only CPR — also known as compression-only CPR — is easy to learn and highly effective.

“Despite being positioned to make an impact on emergency cardiac survival rates, law enforcement remains an under-utilized component of the chain of survival. Police officers trained to deliver high-quality cardiocerebral resuscitation [hands-only CPR] can not only be the difference between life and death but also determine good brain outcomes post-incident” (Police1.com).

Will equipped police vehicles with AEDs help improve cardiac arrest survival rates?

Absolutely. Cardiac arrest victims who received a shock from a publicly-available AED that was administered by a bystander (or, in this scenario, a police officer) had 2.62 times higher odds of survival to hospital discharge than those who did not receive a shock (EHS Today). 

“Law enforcement officers are often the first public service providers to arrive at the scene of an emergency. The research in support of AEDs, naloxone, and bleeding control methods supports the training of officers to provide immediate and life-saving care for patients experiencing cardiac arrest, overdose, and traumatic injury” (Boundtree.com).

You wouldn’t send your officers into the field without the training and equipment they need to respond to an active shooter call. If your department isn’t CPR/AED trained and your fleet isn’t equipped with a first responder AED package, now’s the time. 

Cardio Partners offers CPR/AED/first aid training courses in all 50 states. To learn more about our traditional or blended courses, call us at 866-349-4362 or email Cardio Partners at customerservice@cardiopartners.com.

DISCLAIMER: Information and resources found on the aed.com website and blog are intended to educate, inform, and motivate readers to make their health and wellness decisions after consulting with their healthcare provider. The authors are not healthcare providers. NO information on this site should be used to diagnose, treat, prevent, or cure any disease or condition.

Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is one of the leading causes of death in the United States. Assuming stats will hold steady — and not increase as a result of COVID-19 — more than 350,000 Americans will suffer from sudden cardiac arrest this year, many of them while at work. 

Which is all the more reason to stay calm and stop SCA.

Purchase AEDs for your office

Nothing brings more peace of mind than a readily accessible automated external defibrillator (AED). An AED is the only effective treatment for restoring a regular heart rhythm during SCA. Modern AEDs are easy to operate, even for someone with no medical background.

Spring for training

You know what breeds calm? Confidence and know-how. Schedule CPR/AED training for your entire team. Blended learning options offer affordable and flexible training opportunities for your employees. 

Take a deep breath

We humans have a tendency to hold our breath or take quick, shallow breaths when we’re experiencing a stressful situation. And let’s face it, witnessing SCA is one of the scariest, most stressful things that could possibly happen in the workplace. Our brains need oxygen to function and focus. It’s absolutely essential to keep on breathing, so your employees can help those who can’t! 

Call for help

Call 911! The operator will offer guidance and support until emergency responders arrive.

Be laser-focused

It’s hard to think clearly when something as life-threatening as SCA is happening right in front of you. However, when an emergency happens, it’s vital to keep your wits about you. Encourage your employees to focus on the big-picture details: who, what happened, when, where and how bad is it. Then determine whether or not there are any pre-existing conditions, document the steps your team took to help the victim, and gather any other data that might be useful for first responders. These kinds of details will help the medical team and it’ll keep your employees focused.

Speak slowly

Project calm to your team by speaking loudly — don’t shout! — and slowly. Offer reassurances and make sure you’re messaging clearly and confidently. Your team will follow your capable lead.

Keep it cool. Cardio Partners offers CPR/AED/first aid training courses in all 50 states. To learn more about our traditional or blended courses, call our team at 866-349-4362 or email Cardio Partners at customerservice@cardiopartners.com.

DISCLAIMER: Information and resources found on the aed.com website and blog are intended to educate, inform, and motivate readers to make their health and wellness decisions after consulting with their healthcare provider. The authors are not healthcare providers. NO information on this site should be used to diagnose, treat, prevent, or cure any disease or condition.

Take a peek inside a CPR response kit

If you have an AED, you need a CPR response kit. A CPR response kit should always be kept with your AED. And if you use it, replace it!

The Curaplex Response Kit includes tools to expedite the application of AED pads as well as personal protective equipment (PPE).

What’s included in a CPR Response Kit:

• (1) Pouch, response kit, red
• (1) Pocket mask w/ O2 inlet
• (1) Pair of large Triton nitrile exam gloves
• (1) Gallant disposable prep razor
• (1) Pair of 7.5-inch trauma shears
• (1) Package of Sani-hands wipes

Now, let’s break it down!

Why the red pouch?

The easy-to-grab bright red pouch is lightweight and water-resistant. Keep all your critical CPR response items in one convenient, transportable pouch.

Why are pocket masks so important?

In our Covid times, pocket masks are more important than they’ve ever been. A CPR pocket mask is a protective device with a one-way valve that protects rescuers while they’re performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). An oxygen outlet and inlet make it easy to attach to an oxygen bag or supplemental oxygen. A CPR pocket mask with an O2 inlet helps ensure that infectious diseases, germs, blood, and other bodily fluids are not transferred from the rescuer to the patient or from the patient to the rescuer.

Why nitrile gloves?

These heavy-duty sterile, hypoallergenic gloves protect the rescuer from infectious diseases, germs, blood, and other bodily fluids. They also protect the victim from possible infection.

What’s up with the razor?

Let’s just say that some folks are a bit furrier than others! To ensure a firm seal between the pads and the (hairy) victim’s chest, use the disposable Gallant prep razor to clear the path!

Who needs trauma shears?

These shears are designed to cut through denim, seams, and thick materials so rescuers don’t lose a minute of time affixing an AED’s pads to the victim’s chest.

Why the Sani-hands wipes?

You could use them on your hands, but you’ll already have donned the nitrile gloves. So why the hand wipes? We’re so glad you asked! The wipes in your CPR response kit are for cleaning the victim’s chest so the AED’s pads adhere securely.

For information about AEDs, CPR training or to purchase a Curaplex CPR Response Kit for your organization, contact Cardio Partners at 866-349-4362 or email us at customerservice@cardiopartners.com. And a friendly reminder: If you have recently used your CPR response kit, now’s the time to replace it.

DISCLAIMER: Information and resources found on the aed.com website and blog are intended to educate, inform, and motivate readers to make their health and wellness decisions after consulting with their healthcare provider. The authors are not healthcare providers. NO information on this site should be used to diagnose, treat, prevent, or cure any disease or condition.