What Can I Do with a CPR Certification?

Anyone looking to be a part of the healthcare industry should be prepared for intensive levels of education and training. Healthcare professionals must be certified, and consistently recertified, in many life-saving procedures to ensure they can effectively and safely perform their duties. CPR Online certification is one example of an essential skill that every medical professional must be professionally trained to perform.

However, some may not realize that many other professions also require CPR certification and recertification. Almost any career that requires one to respond to a medical emergency, whether as a paramedic, police officer, or firefighter, will also require CPR training. It can also be beneficial to know this procedure if you work with small children or adolescents. Even if your career doesn’t require this type of certification, being trained in CPR can make you a more valuable employee and a more confident bystander in the event of an emergency.

Here, we explore some of the many careers that require CPR knowledge and certification. Additionally, we look at some key statistics on cardiac arrest and why it’s easier than ever to become certified in CPR.

FIREFIGHTERS

We all know that firefighters extinguish dangerous flames and save lives, but did you know they’re also trained in CPR? As first responders, firefighters are often the first on the scene of a wide range of emergencies (not just fires) so they need to be trained in providing medical care.

CPR, in particular, is important for firefighters because smoke inhalation can cause cardiac arrest. When breathing in excess amounts of smoke, the victim doesn’t receive the needed levels of oxygen, which can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning and cardiac arrest. Additionally, this skill is vital for this profession because it can be used to save other firefighters in the line of duty.

POLICE OFFICERS

Similar to firefighters, police officers are usually the first to arrive at the scene of an emergency. We may generally think of police reporting to crimes, but they also respond to medical emergencies. Therefore, being trained in CPR is critical for anyone in this profession.

Front line workers, such as police and firefighters, are trained in CPR because every minute counts after someone suffers from cardiac arrest or a heart attack. After a cardiac arrest episode, the victim’s survival rate decreases by seven to ten percent for every minute that they go without receiving CPR or an AED. This is also why it’s so important for bystanders to learn this life-saving procedure.

CHILDCARE WORKERS

Anyone who works closely with young children should be trained in CPR and other first aid skills, including teachers, coaches, counselors, childcare assistants, and even babysitters. While cardiac arrest is much rarer in children and adolescents, it does still occur. Every year, in fact, over 2,000 children lose their lives to sudden cardiac arrest in the United States.

What makes these incidences of sudden cardiac arrest even more complex is that there generally aren’t any warning signs. If the children do have pre-existing conditions, such as congenital heart disease or heart abnormalities, the families may not even be aware that these conditions exist.

LIFEGUARDS

You may envision many lifeguards as just teenagers looking for a summer job, but this position requires much more than that. Lifeguards must be trained in CPR and first aid to respond to a variety of possible medical emergencies. Whether positioned at a beach, community pool, or recreational area, lifeguards are trained to treat victims suffering from cardiac arrests, heart attacks, and drowning.

When someone is drowning, the sudden intake of water prevents oxygen from circulating throughout the body. This lack of oxygen, even within just minutes, can cause serious damage to the brain or liver and cause cardiac arrest. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are thousands of unintentional drowning deaths in the United States every year—averaging about ten deaths per day. In these scenarios, lifeguards are truly lifesaving first responders.

WHY YOU SHOULD LEARN CPR

Even if your profession doesn’t require CPR certification, you should seriously consider gaining this valuable skill. Every year in the United States, nearly half a million people die as a result of cardiac arrest. If a bystander is trained in CPR and has the confidence to perform the procedure, these numbers could be drastically reduced. Since so many cardiac arrest episodes occur outside of a hospital, there often isn’t time for trained medical assistance to arrive.

STATISTICS ON CARDIAC ARREST

To better understand the scope of this life-threatening condition, and thus, the need for CPR training, here a few key statistics on cardiac arrest in the United States:

· Every year, there are over 475,000 cardiac arrest deaths

· Over 350,000 cardiac arrests occur outside of a hospital

· 90 percent of cardiac arrests that occur outside of a hospital prove fatal

· CPR can double or triple a victim’s chance of survival

· Only about half of cardiac arrest victims receive bystander CPR

ONLINE CPR CERTIFICATION

Today, it’s easier than ever to become fully certified in CPR. Many programs now offer 100 percent online courses, which means you’ll never need to leave the comfort of your home to learn this valuable skill. Online CPR classes have many advantages over the traditional model. People are choosing these courses because they’re fast, more convenient, and often more affordable, compared to in-person classes.

Online CPR courses are taught by OSHA-trained professionals and these programs are respected and recognized worldwide. If you need CPR certification fast, an online course is right for you. In just hours you can complete a 100 percent online CPR class and gain the skills and knowledge you need. After you complete the class, many programs also allow you to instantly download and print your CPR certification wallet card. This provides immediate proof of your successful completion of the course.

CONCLUSION – WHAT CAN I DO WITH A CPR CERTIFICATION?

Ultimately, the most important thing an individual can do with a CPR certification is to save a life. Being trained and certified in CPR, in addition to other life-saving procedures, can give you the knowledge, skills, and confidence to act in the event of a medical emergency. When the heart is unable to pump blood through the body, every second counts. Whether you’re a police officer, teacher, flight attendant, or even just a bystander, your knowledge of CPR could make all the difference.