CPR training has been around since 1740, yet the majority of people in the United States don’t know how to perform it safely. In fact, 70 percent of Americans feel as if they would be unable to help in the event that someone around them goes into cardiac arrest.
Are you a part of that 70 percent? Learning this basic life-saving technique is relatively simple, yet many people choose not to seize the opportunity. An emergency can strike at any time, and CPR is a widely applicable practice.
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What is CPR?
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a lifesaving technique that can be applied to many different types of emergency situations. For example, someone suffering from a heart attack would be in immediate need of CPR. A person who is drowning will also need cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Essentially, any occurrence that causes a person’s breathing or heart rate to stop may be mitigated by CPR. This is because CPR helps keep oxygen-rich blood flowing to the brain and other organs.
If this is done until emergency medical treatment arrives, they may be able to restore a normal, natural heart rate. A lack of oxygen-rich blood can cause brain damage after just a few minutes, so time is of the essence in every situation. In June, the American Heart Association urges Americans to learn Hands-Only CPR through a straightforward, one-minute video.
Hands-Only CPR refers to the chest compression technique that is used in cardiopulmonary resuscitation efforts. After completing the educational video, they encourage people to share it with 5 people they love. Sharing the Hands-Only CPR video with your loved ones is especially helpful because it is where 88 percent of cardiac arrests occur.
How can I learn CPR?
The Hands-Only CPR video is an excellent start to learning the basics of CPR. However, the best way to prepare yourself to act in an emergency is by taking a CPR certification course. For a long time, the only way to obtain a CPR certification was to attend an in-person class. Typically, these are held in public, easily accessible places like your local recreation center or library.
These classes may still be a viable option for you, depending on your residential location’s COVID-19 restrictions. However, there is another, much easier way to obtain your certification from the comfort of your own home. An online CPR certification equips you with the knowledge you need to save lives without ever having to step foot in a classroom.
Why should I learn CPR?
In short, CPR saves lives. You could harness the ability to turn a fatal situation into a miracle. Unfortunately, only eight percent of people who go into cardiac arrest outside of the hospital survive. Failure to act quickly and efficiently in a cardiac emergency leads to unnecessary death. Bystander CPR can double or even triple a victim’s survival chances, but only about 32% of people will receive it.
Some people may feel concerned about mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, especially in the climate that the COVID-19 pandemic has created. Fortunately, the Hands-Only CPR method has shown to be equally effective as the method involving breaths in adults (when executed correctly.) If you are untrained and happen to be a bystander in an emergency event that may require CPR, get to a phone as quickly as possible.
Even if you do not have the life-saving expertise that CPR training provides, a 911 dispatcher may be able to instruct you in proper CPR procedures until professional medical assistance arrives. It is important to note that CPR procedures for children and infants differ from those associated with adults. The best way to be prepared is to take a reputable CPR certification course.
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