One of the highest forms of community participation is offering help when it’s most needed. This means helping your elderly neighbors with their everyday activities and helping a fellow citizen whose life is in danger.
One of the main reasons for obtaining a CPR certificate is to be equipped with life-saving skills, enabled to respond effectively and calmly in dangerous situations. Knoxville Residents have an opportunity to learn these skills by taking CPR Classes and CPR + First Aid Classes and obtaining CPR Certification in Knoxville.
Learn more about the basics and advanced CPR Techniques and why every citizen should be trained in basic and/or advanced life support, and find out which professionals have to maintain their certification due to the nature of their job.
Basic CPR Techniques
Nearly 6.5 million Americans have experienced heart failure, a number that might rise to 8 million in 2030. Hence, the significance of possessing life-saving skills is evident.
One of the three basic life-saving skills Knoxville Residents can improve is giving BLS – Basic Life Support. This skill set generally refers to the type of care that has to be given to anyone experiencing respiratory distress, an obstructed airway, or cardiac arrest. Besides healthcare providers and public safety professionals, it can also be given by first responders and laypeople.
CPR Level A involves skills related to Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), choking, and circulatory emergencies for adults. This skill set often requires the basic knowledge of using an AED. Since more than 350,000 cardiac arrests happen outside the hospital, having CPR Level A skills is vital when helping a family member, friend, or neighbor during an emergency.
CPR Level B teaches skills in performing CPR Techniques on infants and children and the use of an AED on children. Nearly 6000 hospitalized children in the United States receive CPR annually, and this is why obtaining a CPR Level B certificate is non-negotiable when it comes to choosing a childcare worker.
Advanced CPR Techniques
Specific professions require knowledge of advanced CPR Techniques. The most common advanced CPR levels are Level C and proper usage of AED devices.
CPR Level C is described as a combination of Level A and Level B CPR Techniques, and going beyond the basics means maintaining skills and knowledge from both levels. Having a comprehensive knowledge of the exact CPR steps for infants, children, and adults, as well as proper usage of AED devices, is crucial. This is especially important for professions like healthcare workers, social workers, firefighters, coaches, and trainers.
AED is another advanced CPR Technique worth mastering. It may seem overwhelming and frightening to use for a person whose job is not directly associated with healthcare. In reality, AED devices are sophisticated yet easy to use.
AED devices are used when someone is experiencing a sudden cardiac arrest. The device is used to analyze the rhythm of the heart and deliver electrical shocks to help it re-establish the rhythm.
The Importance of Learning Advanced CPR Techniques
Only 40% of individuals facing OHCA (Out-of-Hospital-Cardiac-Arrest) receive immediate assistance prior to the arrival of a professional team. SCA can happen anywhere – during a quiet day at work, lunchtime in school, or an ordinary day at the gym. How bystanders react in such emergency situations is vital in saving a life.
Using advanced CPR Techniques and having the knowledge of AED will help in saving the person’s life until EMS teams arrive.
Numerous jobs positions require advanced CPR skills, and some of them include the following:
- Healthcare professionals
- Fitness Trainers and Instructors
- Childcare workers
- Residence assistants and staff members
- Firefighters
- Lifeguards
- Social workers
- Teachers and school staff
- Managers and servers
The Knoxville Fire Department is first to initiate the need for a CPR Certificate 85% of the time, and yet, on average, it takes them 3.5 minutes to respond to the scene of the incident. This goes to show that going beyond the basics when it comes to having life-saving skills is mandatory in various professions. At the same time, urging laypeople to get CPR certified will cover the time till the arrival of the emergency teams to keep the victim alive.
CPR Classes in Knoxville
Knoxville Residents can find CPR classes for BLS CPR Certification offered by American Heart Association Certified Training Centers. The classic CPR classes teach basic BLS, CPR, and AED skills you need to give when being in an emergency. The course will teach you to:
- provide assistance to victims of any age
- perform the 7 CPR steps
- use an AED device
- be confident when an emergency occurs
CPR + First Aid Classes offer comprehensive BLS, CPR, AED, and First Aid training to equip Knoxville Residents with a set of skills to ensure they can provide the finest emergency response when needed.
Participants will receive a CPR / CPR + First Aid Certification Card the same day the candidate completes the course and passes the test. The course is delivered in a relaxed environment with a trained instructors. The classes are not complex but still require in-person training to master life-saving skills.
Before you sign up for a class, ensure that you find a reliable and trustworthy training provider with a valid and proper license.
Age requirements for learning advanced CPR in Knoxville
There is no mandate on the lowest age a person can become CPR-certified. This is because the ability to perform CPR depends on the person’s body strength. Recent studies have shown that children as young as 4 can get introduced to CPR skills. A child at this age can identify the need to call 911 in case someone’s life is endangered.
Teaching kids CPR skills at an early stage will turn that 4-year-old who can recognize an emergency into a 10-year-old who can actually perform chest compressions if they have the body strength. This is why many states, including Tennessee, made CPR training mandatory in high schools.
If a child can understand the theory and use the life-saving skills as well as an adult, there are no age requirements for becoming CPR Certified.
CPR Certificate Validity in Knoxville
Once an individual completes the CPR Class, the certificate is valid for two years. Once the validity period expires, you can sign up for CPR renewal classes to refresh your memory, upgrade your knowledge, and learn new skills and techniques.
Renewal classes are particularly designed for individuals whose credentials are still valid but approaching the expiration date. Therefore, all you need to do is check on your certificate expiring date and check out the next CPR Renewal Class.
CPR and AED Tennessee Legislation
CPR and AED training can be attended by laypeople who will later use these skills to help people in real-life situations. Although they may seem easy to do, complications are possible, which is why governments enforce legislation that protects both the victim and the responder.
The state of Tennessee is one of the states that enforce regulations for the use of AED. Certified individuals like healthcare professionals or anyone with a CPR/AED certificate can use an AED. AED owners must follow the manufacturer’s guidelines and keep written records of all maintenance and testing conducted on the AED.
Conforming to Tennessee’s Good Samaritan Law, anyone assisting a victim in an emergency until the medical professionals arrive shall not be liable for any civil damages. If you want to help and get trained in CPR but are afraid of being legally liable, read the Good Samaritan Law to learn how you are protected when acting in good faith.
Today, many have a signed DNR Order to restrict resuscitation attempts by third parties. An attending physician completes the form, and once it becomes effective, resuscitation will not be performed once an emergency happens.
However, when a cardiac arrest occurs, a bystander cannot know whether a person has signed a DNR Order or not unless the information is provided by a person familiar with the victim’s wish. Accessing this information can be extremely challenging during emergencies. Under circumstances when time is crucial, this type of information can’t be easily accessed. That’s why educating yourself to be prepared for these situations is crucial.
Advanced CPR Techniques for Knoxville Residents: Wrapping up
Community participation is one of the highest forms of creating a sense of belonging among individuals. Being skilled in offering advanced help to your loved ones, your colleagues, or simply a fellow citizen when it’s most needed is one of the highest forms of humanity.
Whether you are a highly-skilled professional or simply a fellow citizen willing to offer help when needed, you can always attend CPR training in Knoxville. Be among the ones participating in the community and make a difference by being a life-saver when an emergency arises.