You have learned that you need CPR certification. However, you do not know which one you need. And you do not know whether the certificate of the American Heart Association, the American Red Cross, or another organization is the right choice. If you are disappointed, this is understandable: choosing the right CPR certification class can be very confusing! Here are four questions to ask yourself to make sure that you are subscribed to the correct CPR certification class:
- Which CPR certificate do I need: standard or health care provider?
- Do I need an AED certificate?
- Should my CPR certification focus on babies and children?
- Should I choose American Heart Association or American Red Cross?
What kind of CPR certification do I need?
Most people need standard NGN certification, often called CPR for the layperson. Professionals that usually fall into this category:
- teacher
- Trainer
- Counselor
- School bus driver
- Personal trainer
- Child worker
- Nanny
- Home care worker
- Builder
Health care providers must pass a more advanced CPR class. Professionals who usually need a CPR certification of a health care provider:
- Nurse
- Junior Nurse
- Doctor's assistant
- Respiratory therapist
- Dentist
- Dental assistant
- medical assistant
- EMT
- Police officer
- Firefighter
- Physiotherapist
- Professional therapist
Do I need AED certification?
Make sure you also need to get certified to use AED. AED means an automated external defibrillator - a mobile defibrillator designed for use by the public. Most CPR classes contain material on how to use AED, but not all of them.
Do I need a medical certification?
Some people need their NGN certification to focus on infants and children, such as foster parents or day care workers. The American Red Cross can be very helpful in resolving this, because they break up their CPR classes into children's, children's and adult components.
Should I choose American Heart Association or American Red Cross?
There are many organizations that will certify you in CPR, but usually two preferred organizations are the American Heart Association (AHA) and the American Red Cross (ARC). Some employers or regulatory organizations will also agree to certification by the American Institute for Safety and Health (ASHI). If you need to get a CPR certificate, ask someone else if they prefer certification from AHA or ARC. Some accept the one, but not the other.
If you’ve been looking for a CPR class on the Internet, you’ve probably seen ads for online CPR classes that cost $ 19.95 Stay away from them! Most employers are not going to take an online course only. And they should not. You need to practice life saving skills, not just reading about skills.
American Heart Association
This is the current list of CPR classes for the American Heart Association:
- Heartsaver CPR AED - includes adult, child and child CPR and AED.
- Basic life support for health care providers is a CPR course for health care professionals. Because the class has a long name, you will see differences in how it is listed, for example, “BLS” or “CPR for healthcare providers.”
American Red Cross
The American Red Cross breaks its CPR classes into components of babies, children, adults, and AED, which can be useful and confusing. For example, they often offer CPR for babies and children as one class. Adult CPR is often taught as a class of its own. Classes with infant, child and adult CPR are also offered.
The course for ARC health professionals is called “CPR For The Professional Rescuer”. Some health care employers do not accept this course to meet their requirements. Of course, first contact your employer.
Before you sign up for the ARC CPR class, make sure you know exactly what components the class covers.
Registration for the class
AHA and ARC have upcoming classes listed on their sites. If you cannot find a class at the right time and place, try a private training company that can certify you with AHA and ARC. Another option is to hire a private company to study on-site AHA or ARC CPR. These classes offer planning flexibility and can often be less expensive for larger groups.
