Cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or CPR, is a simple but precise technique that can save someone's life in cases where the person's heart has stopped beating. Being trained to act quickly in these situations is essential because a person may sustain brain damage within just a few minutes and die within eight to 10 minutes. Anyone can learn lifeline CPR and first aid to be more prepared with life-saving techniques in emergency situations.
Training Providers
The American Red Cross and the American Heart Association schedule training events and workshops through local chapters, so any organization can schedule a convenient time for members to receive lifeline training by contacting their local branch. The Red Cross and American Heart Association also certify authorized providers, so private training providers can offer the same standard training content. Your organization can also send a representative to become certified as a Red Cross trainer, who is then authorized to provide CPR and first aid training for others.
Content Areas
CPR and first aid training providers may offer multiple types of emergency preparedness classes. Red Cross and American Heart Association certified providers, for example, provide CPR training, first aid training and training in the use of an automated external defibrillator. CPR training includes how to do chest compressions you're your hands and how to do mouth-to-mouth rescue breathing, and these techniques differ depending on whether the person in need of CPR is an adult, child or infant. You can also get specialized add-on training in understanding infectious diseases, administering oxygen and preventing injuries.
ABCs
After checking to see if a person is actually unconscious and unresponsive, the Mayo Clinic advocates thinking of CPR administration in terms of ABC---airway, breathing and circulation. CPR training should help you learn how to clear the airway, breathe for the person and use chest compressions to get blood circulating.
Audience
CPR and first aid classes can be tailored for different types of workplace to meet OSHA guidelines, and can even be arranged for youth audiences to provide children with emergency preparedness skills. The Red Cross also provides training materials and classes in Spanish.
Certification
CPR and first aid training courses that have nationally recognized standard curriculum should also offer a training completion certificate or card. The Red Cross also keeps a database of everyone currently trained in CPR and first aid. You can receive free lifeline CPR training resources without becoming certified, however, from educational organizations, such as the University of Washington School of Medicine (See Resources) or the American Heart Association's CPR and first aid iPhone application (See Resources). The Mayo Clinic and American Heart Association suggest that even uncertified and untrained people can help save lives by administering hand-only CPR, which consists of chest compressions only, until trained personnel arrive.
