The number of cardiac arrest cases in Texas is comparable to the national average. However, deeper insight reveals that survival outcomes in such cases greatly vary among communities in the state, specifically regarding OHCA.
Each year, many medical institutions try to raise awareness about the importance of CPR. To that end, some states have included the adult CPR certification in schools’ curricula, at work as part of OSHA law, etc.
This article reviews the adult CPR certification classes you can find in Arlington, TX, what they cover, the benefits, and what the candidate can expect by signing up for the class.
What Is Adult CPR Certification?
The adult CPR certification is a document that verifies a person is capable of performing CPR on adults older than 12. The person who’s passed the examination can recognize cardiac arrest outside the hospital and help them on the spot.
CPR doubles or even triples (if responding to the accident straight away) the survival chances of the casualty, and the more certified bystanders we have, the better.
Mind that the adult CPR certification usually has a two-year expiry date, after which it has to be renewed to remain valid. In the content below, you will learn what adult CPR classes cover and what to expect by signing up.
What the Adult CPR Certification Classes Cover
The focus of the adult CPR certification classes in Arlington is predominantly on the technique. The aim of the class is to help you further develop your skills, deepen your knowledge, and boost your confidence when performing CPR.
Below, we discuss the curriculum in detail to help you understand what you can expect to learn from these classes:
Knowledge: The Candidate Should Learn the Basics
Many people fail to recognize when a person is ready for CPR and how to respond in such a situation, making matters worse. As such, the theoretical part of the CPR class focuses on the technique, correct positioning of the hand, ways to start with the heart compressions, and establishing a rhythm.
However, even more importantly, during the theoretical part, the candidates will get familiar with many cases a person can undergo a cardiac arrest. For example, the candidate will learn how to differentiate between choking or sudden cardiac arrest that’s caused the casualty to collapse. Consequently, the candidates will learn how to respond to a particular situation.
Related to various responses in cardiac arrest, some adult CPR classes involve the practice of the automated external defibrillator or AED. In fact, the majority of CPR Classes involve the use and practice of the AED, as it significantly improves the survival chances of the casualty.
Ultimately, during the theoretical part, the instructor will teach you how to recognize when it’s time to start CPR on a victim and how long you should do it.
Skills: Candidate Develops the Rescue Reflexes
This is when the instructor demonstrates the CPR technique on a manikin. It’s fair to say that this part of the adult CPR certification class is most important because candidates can experience providing CPR, test their skills, and identify any weaknesses.
Your assigned certified instructor will methodically explain the steps of the CPR technique, and the candidates will have the opportunity to try it out themselves. This gives the candidates the opportunity to train with an instructor who will give them feedback and correct their mistakes on the spot. Practicing in front of a certified instructor boosts the skills, as the instructor eradicates any attempt that derails from the appropriate and efficient way to conduct CPR.
By the end of the adult CPR class, you should be able to perform hands-only CPR as well as provide rescue breaths. The instructor will also train you how to recognize if the casualty needs bigger support and use the AED and when it’s time to stop.
Practice: Candidate Must Train in Consistency
Consistent practice of the techniques is crucial for learning the CPR technique. The candidate has to be fully ready to perform the hands-on CPR and with rescue breaths without hesitation, losing too much time or panicking.
For that reason, training instructors will give candidates hypothetical scenarios where the candidate will have to assess the situation rationally and show how well they perform under pressure. Then, the candidate will have to perform the CPR technique without assistance from the instructor.
Practicing the technique in different scenarios allows the candidate to improve their skills and become more proactive in tense situations.
Confidence: The Candidate Is Encouraged to Initiate the CPR
Last but not least, during the Adult CPR Certification program, you will learn to become more confident and how to believe in your skills and abilities.
Mind that while you’re practicing, you’re allowed to make mistakes. In fact, it’s even better because you will learn better. However, just because you’re allowed to make mistakes and learn from them does not mean you should react based on your primal emotions. Make sure that in each situation, you rely on your knowledge and try to ignore all triggers that may cause you to panic.
Putting yourself out of your comfort zone in terms of practice prepares you to the fullest so that in case of a real accident or cardiac arrest, you will be able to respond correctly.
Adult CPR Certification: Available Class Formats
CPR providers in Arlington nowadays offer various class formats to suit their candidates and organize their time. Classes provided by the AHA or Red Cross are always the most reliable and pander to every type of candidate.
Classes can come in three formats: online, in-person, and blended. Let’s check them out below:
- Online class: These classes are most recommended for candidates who want to learn the basics of CPR in theory and don’t have time to commute back and forth to the training center. This means they can follow the class from their homes. However, the certificate they receive does not verify their practical skills.
- In-person classes: These classes take place in a training center, where a certified instructor teaches the material in theory and practice. Candidates who opt for in-person classes have the opportunity to see the technique closely from their instructor and practice it themselves on a manikin.
- Hybrid classes: Hybrid classes are a combination of online and in-person classes. To be precise, the theoretical part is taught online, while the practical part is done on the spot. So, candidates have to go to the training center to develop their skills and become independent in providing CPR.
These classes allow more flexibility for candidates who cannot always make it to the training center. This way, they have the option to wrap up the theoretical part from home and only show up at the training center for the practical exercises.
Note: Some candidates need the CPR certification for work because the state falls under OSHA compliance. If that is the case, mind that online classes do not meet OSHA requirements, as you will have to demonstrate your skills in front of a certified instructor. Therefore, make sure that you always look for in-person or hybrid classes. That way, you can be sure that the adult CPR certification you have is valid for your line of work.
Conclusion
Adult CPR certification is the most opted CPR class among many providers in Arlington. These classes cover hands-on CPR and rescue breaths for casualties over 12 years old. The target audience does not have an age restriction, meaning anyone who wants to learn how to provide bystander CPR is free to sign up.
Many states in the US fall under OSHA. This act protects workers in many industries and requires the private sector to have their employees pass the adult CPR certification exam. If that’s the reason you’re applying for the certificate, make sure to sign up for an in-person or hybrid class where you can get your practical skills assessed to meet the OSHA requirements.
Finally, learning CPR isn’t only done as a work requirement; many take these classes to enrich their first-aid knowledge and help strangers in need. After all, an OHCA can never be predicted, and you never know when you’ll find yourself in the midst of an intervention.