As a healthcare provider, you understand the importance of every life. Sometimes, you are all that stands between a patient and death. One of the best ways to be prepared for serious situations is to be certified in CPR and first aid!
CPR certification is also required in your career field, whether by your employer or the state licensing board. If you’re not yet CPR certified, you need to find a class, stat. If your certification is about to expire, it’s time to take the course again and refresh your knowledge.
Some of you may be annoyed at having to take a CPR class because your work keeps your hands full and your schedule packed. Where are you going to find the time to look for a reputable CPR training course for healthcare providers? How are you going to arrange your busy schedule to go sit in a classroom for hours?
Fortunately, the Internet has your back. Today, we’re going to look at how you can get your CPR and first aid certification online to save yourself time and stress.
What type of CPR/first aid class should healthcare providers take?
If you are a healthcare provider, you can’t take a basic CPR class. General CPR classes do not cover everything you need to know concerning situations that can arise as part of your job duties. Even classes labeled as CPR + first aid are not always sufficient for healthcare providers.
You probably already know that you are required to take a CPR and first aid course designed for healthcare providers. In these classes, often referred to as basic life support or BLS classes, you learn the steps that you, as a healthcare provider, need to know when it comes to the basics of saving a life.
We’ll get into what BLS classes offer in a moment, but first we need to know something very important – who counts as a healthcare provider?
Which occupations fall under the category of “healthcare provider?”
Some people new to the healthcare field may be confused when it comes to whether or not they need to take a BLS class and get their certification. The following occupations generally qualify as healthcare providers. If you see your job listed, enroll in a BLS class right away.
- CNAs
- LPNs
- LVNs
- Firefighters
- Lifeguards
- Forestry
- Physicians
- Nurses
- Nurse practitioners
- Physician assistants
- EMTs
- Paramedics
- Physical therapists
- Respiratory therapists
- X-Ray Technologists
- Pharmacists
- Dentists
- Personal trainers
- Other medical professionals
What do you learn in BLS+first aid classes?
A typical BLS+first aid class for healthcare providers follows standard guidelines set by the American Heart Association, which are derived from the standards set by ECC/ILCOR. The typical curriculum is as follows:
Introductory first aid training
In this section, you learn the five fears of CPR rescue, discussing why a person may be reluctant to perform CPR on a person in need.
Heart attacks and strokes
This portion of the curriculum educates you about these two common medical emergencies. You are taught how to respond to give the person a better chance at survival.
Cardiac arrest training
When a person suffers from cardiac arrest, it is your job to perform CPR. This section of your training teaches you how to perform CPR, including:
- Adult CPR
- Child and infant CPR
- Neonatal CPR
- Two Rescuer CPR
- Hands-only CPR
You are taught the appropriate steps for each type of CPR so that you are prepared for any emergency.
AED training
An Automated External Defibrillator, or AED, is a device that analyzes a person’s heart rhythm, tells you whether or not they need to be shocked, and allows you to deliver a shock when necessary. You are instructed on how to use an AED on people of all ages and how to perform two-person AED procedures.
Choking training
This class also teaches you how to respond to a person of any age who is choking, both in situations where they may be conscious as well as those in which they are not.
Bleeding and shock control
When a person is bleeding and it doesn’t stop quickly on its own, you have to jump in and stop the blood loss as effectively as you can. You also get a better understanding of how to respond when a person goes into shock or when a person faints.
Assessment of injuries and illness
In this section, you learn about various types of emergencies that you may encounter throughout your career and how to respond to them. Some of these illnesses/injuries include:
- Snake bites
- Diabetes
- Seizure
- Spinal injuries
- Eye injuries
Heat and cold emergencies
In this section of your BLS+first aid course, you learn about the emergencies and injuries that arise due to extreme temperatures, including:
- Hypothermia
- Burns
- Prevention of further injury in heat and cold emergencies
Prevention
This part of the class covers injury prevention, focusing mainly on the following:
- Car backing
- Childproofing a home
- Child abuse and neglect
- Pool safety
- Poison control
Since these are very common and serious situations, being prepared for these scenarios helps you make the world a much safer place.
Respiratory arrest training
You will also learn how to respond to respiratory emergencies in people of all ages and how to perform rescue breaths and use a bag valve mask.
Two-rescuer skills training
If you are a healthcare professional, you’re probably working with other qualified people when emergencies happen. In this course, you also learn how to work with other healthcare providers to perform two-person CPR.
Bloodborne pathogens
Your BLS class should also include an overview of bloodborne pathogens and how to reduce the risk of exposure and infection.
Where can healthcare providers get CPR and first aid certification online?
Now, back to the main issue at hand: as a healthcare provider, where do you go to get your CPR and first aid certification? Believe it or not, you now have the option of getting certified entirely over the Internet!
For classes that you can trust, enroll in the BLS course or the BLS + first aid course for healthcare providers from ProTrainings. All classes follow the latest AHA and ECC/ILCOR guidelines. Certificates are nationally accepted and are good for two years, the standard for this type of certification. You only pay when you pass the class and you can print out your certificate without leaving the house. If you are a healthcare provider, the instructors at ProCPR are waiting to make life easier for you and your busy schedule.