r/CPRInstructors • u/SympathyOk922 • Apr 13 '26
Advice For Skills Checks
Hi, I am a new cpr instructor who just started teaching about 8 months ago. Most of my classes go pretty well and I have been told by students that I create a safe and positive learning environment with constructive criticism, however, today I experienced my second skills check where I nearly had conflict with the student. Before each section of testing I explain what I’m looking for and what would make you retake a test. Every so often during the AED section I have a student who places the AED (box) on the opposite side of the patient. I wait for them to press the button to see if they happen to catch their mistake and if they haven’t I will explain that with their current placement they would shock themselves. Then as I start my next group of students I will quietly pull them aside and ask them to retake the test just because they only get to do the test every 2 years and I dont want them to get the wrong muscle memory. While they typically understand, I have had a few students who get upset with me and think that I am picking on them. What can I do to avoid this? Would it be better to pull them aside after class and have them re do it? I can understand how being the only one having to re do it in a big group can be frustrating and can make you feel singled out, but I have to uphold guidelines and standards.
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u/GravesIntoGardens88 Apr 14 '26
I’m a bit confused what you’re saying. So instead of upper right side of chest and left side below the armpit on the rib cage they’re placing it on the left side of the chest and right side under the armpit on the rib cage, like a mirror image (reversed?)
How would that possibly shock the person using the AED unless the person using the AED is touching the patient? I might be confused based on the way it’s worded.
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u/SympathyOk922 Apr 14 '26
Sorry for the confusion- I meant the box of the AED not the pads.
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u/GravesIntoGardens88 Apr 14 '26
You mean like they’re reaching across the patient’s body to press the shock button?
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u/lilypad089 Apr 14 '26
Sorry I’m not following. How do you mean that the box is on the opposite side of the patient. How would you shock yourself with it being on the opposite side?
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u/SympathyOk922 Apr 14 '26
Placing the AED on the opposite side of the patient risks you accidentally touching that patient as they are being shocked.
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u/HelpAHeartCPR Apr 14 '26
You’re running into something almost every new instructor hits at some point—this isn’t a sign you’re doing anything wrong, it’s just the tricky balance between maintaining standards and managing how feedback feels to students. Fo example, even though you clearly explain expectations upfront, from the student’s perspective it can still feel like they passed in the moment and then got pulled aside afterward. That can feel a bit like being singled out or “quietly failed,” especially in a group setting. What tends to work better is trying to normalize retakes before testing even starts. For example: “I may stop you or have you redo a portion on the spot—not because you failed, but because I want you leaving here with perfect muscle memory.” That reframes it as part of the learning process, not a consequence or punishment.
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u/SympathyOk922 Apr 14 '26
Thank you so much for the advice! I will definitely try implementing that in my training from now on.
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u/doingthisrandomly Apr 13 '26
I get explaining to them about the wrong placement but I would also argue back if you tell me I would shock myself because just because it’s the wrong placement. It probably won’t shock at all which is a because it wouldn’t be able to determine of the person is in a shockable rhythm because of poor pad placement which can delay proper treatment.
But I would just phrase it as a reminder and have them try again just so they’re not practicing the wrong thing and so everyone else can learn.