CPR Planner Certifications

If a co-worker fell to the floor and showed no signs or breathing, would you know what to do?

CPR certification is important no matter who you are or what type of job you have. An accident or sudden illness can happen anywhere. When seconds count, knowing what to do can make all the difference, even save a life.

Certification gives people the knowledge and skills necessary to prevent, recognize, and provide basic care for the injured or a sudden illness. The purpose of certification is for someone to be able and confident to provide those in need with care until advanced medical personnel arrive and take over.

CPR stands for cardiopulmonary resuscitation. It is done when someone is suffering from cardiac arrest or requires rescue breathing. It is used because it helps to circulate blood containing oxygen to vital organs. CPR is preformed by compressing the victim's chest and giving rescue breaths.

A certification class should include adult, child and infant CPR. There are major differences in CPR methods when treating an adult, a child, and an infant. CPR should only be done by someone who is certified.  There is much more to it and one needs to know what the signs are to make sure a victim really does requires CPR.

Check-Call-Care:

Check the scene, then the victim.
Call 9-1-1.
Care for the victim to the best of your abilities.

Always call for medical help.\Dial 9-1-1 first before doing anything further with the victim. The sooner advanced medical help arrive, the better.

CPR can only be preformed properly if the victim is flat on their back, but only move the victim if you have to and you know for sure there is no neck or spine damage.

The differences between adult, child, and infant CPR cycles in very general terms are:

• An adult is 15 chest compressions and 2 rescue breaths. The chest compressions should be done with two hands, one on top of the other. All Rescue breaths must be done with the head tilted back.
  
• A child is 5 chest compressions and 1 rescue breath. The chest compressions should be done using only one hand because their bones are thinner than an adult’s.
  
• An infant is 5 chest compressions and 1 rescue breath. The chest compressions should be done with two fingers, the index and middle finger applied lightly on the infant’s chest. Infant CPR is done on a baby that is still small enough to be held.

Along with CPR Certification, First Aid and automated external defibrillator (AED) are taught as well because they all go hand in hand.

First Aid is used when someone is hurt. This can be as common as putting on a Band-Aid or knowing what to do if someone is suffering from heat stroke. The AED is a machine which today should be available in most large buildings just as a first aid kit would be.  

AED is an automated machine that should be used on a victim who is not breathing and has no pulse. Once the machine is on, it will tell you exactly what to do. What the AED machine does is analyze the victim's heart rhythm. It will know if the victim is in need of a shock or not. It will tell you if you should stay clear if a shock is being initialized.

According to the American Red Cross, sudden cardiac arrest kills 220,000 people a year. Immediate use of an AED machine can save up to 50,000 of those lives.

CPR certification can be done in a day or broken up into a few days depending on the class and hours. Certification classes should be available in any community, www.redcross.org is a wonderful resource.



Adult CPR/AED Skills Card. American Red Cross. 2001.

First Aid/CPR/AED Program: Participant's Booklet. American Red Cross. 2001.

"Health and Safety Services." American Red Cross. The American National Red Cross. 21 Sept. 2006.

Infant and Child CPR Skills Card. American Red Cross. 2005.