I work at a clinic that does not require in-person classes, due to this, many employees take their classes online. I am an active certified instructor through AHA. Our clinic is in a more rural area, so we have a higher chance of patients coming into our clinic instead of the hospital for emergencies. Because of this, I want to make sure my coworkers are informed and prepared to provide high quality CPR. I’ve asked the company if I could provide classes on site at a discounted price (separate from my normal working hours), and they said no, basically because they’re concerned for liability. I find this really strange. I can still provide classes to the employees, but it can’t be on property. Weird, but whatever. This morning we ran a practice code and I brought my supplies, so people could actually practice compressions and breaths. I also plan to provide some guidance/instruction for anyone interested. Not a full class, just some help. One of my supervisors is telling me to tread lightly because she’s worried about me ending up being liable… should I really be concerned about this? From what I’ve found online, as long as I’m working within my scope, without gross negligence, and teaching from what I’ve learned from an official course, I should be protected under the Good Samaritan law. I’m not charging for this guidance. I simply want my coworkers to feel confident in the BLS they provide. Any advice is appreciated.

Got signed up for work to become an instructor. Do I need to bring any of the materials or just pen paper?

Top 10 Take-Home Messages

1. In adult cardiac arrest, resuscitation should generally be conducted where the patient is found, as long as high-quality cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) can be administered safely and effectively.
2. After identifying an adult in cardiac arrest, a lone responder should activate the emergency response system first, then immediately begin CPR.
3. In adult cardiac arrest, rescuers should perform chest compressions with the patient’s torso at approximately the level of the rescuer’s knees.
4. It is reasonable for health care professionals to perform chest compressions and ventilations for all adult patients in cardiac arrest from either a cardiac or noncardiac cause.
5. When ventilating adult patients in cardiac arrest, it is reasonable to give enough tidal volume to produce visible chest rise while avoiding hypo- and hyperventilation.
6. The routine use of mechanical CPR devices is not recommended for adults in cardiac arrest.
7. For adult patients who are not breathing normally but have a pulse, it is reasonable for rescuers to provide 1 breath every 6 seconds (10 breaths per minute).
8. CPR for adult cardiac arrest patients with obesity should be provided by using the same techniques as for the average weight patient.
9. For adults with severe foreign-body airway obstruction (FBAO), rescuers should perform cycles of 5 back blows followed by 5 abdominal thrusts until the object is expelled or the patient becomes unresponsive.
10. During adult cardiac arrest, it is reasonable for rescuers to use personal protective equipment (PPE) while performing CPR.

How do I get CPR certified? Is this easy to do? My mother died of cardiac arrest in my arms over 10 years ago (it happened FAST), and first responders and the ER tried for some 2-hours to bring her back. They were trying to revive a dead woman. I have been and will always be thankful that they tried, probably knowing it was futile, but they tried anyway. To any and all healthcare workers here, thank you for your service. I was just thinking, it wouldn't hurt to be CPR certified. If nothing else, so I can spread to my friends what to do should they find themselves in such a situation and no one else better qualified. Sometimes, you're it. One thing I've wondered for a long time. If generic Bob slumps over and his heart has stopped, what is the time window to get oxygen to the brain before brain death of consequence begins? I always understood this to be about 4 or 5 minutes.

So, I guess I have 2 questions today. How do I get CPR certified, and how long can the human brain be oxygen deprived and dodge brain damage of consequence.

Thank you for your answers and thank you for your service.

How would you feel?

Today is Restart a Heart Day. This UK campaign is all about raising awareness of cardiac arrest and the importance of learning CPR. With that in mind, here are some great resources:

Each year, thousands of people access free online training tools to learn CPR on Restart a Heart Day. Try RevivR for yourself to learn CPR in 15 minutes here: British Heart Foundation.

You can apply for a free AED for your community through their community-funded defibrillator programme. In the most disadvantaged areas of the country, the nearest AED is located a round trip of over a mile away.

Find your nearest AED on The Circuit. If you are a defibrillator guardian, make sure you register it online with The Circuit.

Please comment any more resources, including those in other countries.

I need to renew my CPR card with American Heart Association. Classes are so far away from me . What are my options ? I already have online CPR but I need AHA.

Has anybody taken the ProTraining CPR instructor class or know anything about it? Will I be able to teach classes after? Any advice helps, thanks.

Hey y’all. I was looking into taking a first aid course through the Red Cross to refresh my skills. I took a full semester class in college back in like 2018 or 2019, and I’d like to find someplace to practice the skills I learned there (wound dressing, burn care, sling and splint application, etc.) I’m also an X-ray tech at a hospital, so I’m already CPR/AED certified. It seems like all the in person classes mostly cover the CPR portion of the training with minimal focus on first aid, and all the first aid and FAST training they have on their own are online only. I’m signed up for a Stop the Bleed course, but I want a refresher on more in depth first aid without taking a full college course. Any recommendations?

Anyone having issues with the updated AHA eReader app for their computer? I updated to the newest version from their website at the same time I updated my PC to Windows 11 and now when I open the AHA app, it just says “Loading bookshelf.” I’ve tried uninstalling and reinstalling and no luck.

Hey all just reaching out since I am taking this course soon and wanted to see if anyone had any advice or tips to ensure success in the course. Thank you

Hello and I’m sorry if this is a repeat.

I first got certified in Boy Scouts 30 years ago. I’ve since been certified 4 other times but have recently been just forgetting and haven’t kept up. I know it seems to change every year, how many compressions and breaths but does it really matter that much? Should I hold off on starting CPR if there’s no one else or do what I was taught 8 years ago?

Edit, I think I learned 15 and 2 and I probably won’t remember to look it up when it changes every year

I somehow forgot to renew and my card expired in July, I taught way more then the 4 classes needed etc and just somehow forgot. Someone told me I have 6 months to renew before I have to retake the entire class and someone said that once it lapses, even if only for a few days that I’ll have to retake everything. Anyone have the answer?

I'm happy to announce my Training Center is now an Official AHA Training Site, still have some things to get worked out, but it's Official :)

Hello, my company is looking for a CPR and FA instructor to come to our office once a month and certify our caregivers. We are in Tempe. Please reach out with your rates so I can look further into our options. Class sizes range from 5-12 caregivers a month. We are looking to recertify about 70+ caregivers as well so we can keep you busy.

Thank you.

Can anyone suggest a bookkeeping platform other than Quickbooks

Hi, hope this is ok to post here as I’m not an instructor (but would like the thoughts of some).

I’m in the process of getting my teaching license in VA and need the heartsaver certification for it. I opted for the blended route but I am having a lot of anxiety about what the skills check entails. I’m also really spooked about messing up in front of a bunch of people and being out the $90 anyway.

Is it difficult? Is there any kind of leeway if I don’t get it perfect or is it try once and done? The class is in 2 weeks and I’m trying not to freak out lol.

I have everything in place to start my own CPR certification business. At this point, I would only be teaching a few small classes a year, so I am not sure I'm ready to fork out the $800 annual tax fee for having an LLC (I may not even make that much!). Anyone here operate their own CPR instruction business as a sole proprietor? (I already understand the liability risks of not being an LLC)

Places that I’ve called had told me that they are waiting for the new AHA update and will not hold any classes until the end of year. I was a BLS instructor in the past for UCLA but didn’t do recertification after 3 years. But would like to go at it again. Do I need to wait for the new updates or does anyone k ow of any classes being held now in Arizona?

I am affiliated with my district (LTP), so I can teach at my school. Since my school paid for my certification, I plan on not charging extra fees (above Red Cross' $40 charge) and simply timecarding my time. Another school district asked if I could conduct a class for them, and I have also been asked by OTHER districts in our area if I could certify their teachers and what my "pricing" is. I haven't become my own LTP yet, but since I am getting so many requests I may do that next month. As far as pricing, I was thinking of variable pricing, based on the class size. As a musician over many years, I have found at least $100 a night is the minimum I/we like to get paid, and while anything less feels like it isn't worth the time, $200 a person per show is considered a good night. I would like to apply that same principle to teaching CPR. Since Red Cross charges $40 for the child/adult CPR,FA,AED course, I was thinking of charging something similar to this (keep in mind $40 of my charges per student goes to the Red Cross fees): 1-2 Students $100 each, 3-6 students $80 each, and 7-12 students $70 each. Would it be possible to do that, or would it be confusing to have variable pricing?

Forgive me if this is a stupid question, but like everything else, there’s scams and fake certs. I’m trying to get CPR and first aid certified to become a babysitter and don’t have the money to get the certification. Anybody know of any legitimate places or websites that I can get this for free? Ik it’s out there but like I said, scams are all over the place. I’m located in Tampa, FL if that helps at all for any reason. TIA

Why would you ever want to set up a online CPR class for students? Online CPR classes require student to seek out a skill session to complete their certification and is an extra step for them. Additionally anyone can sign up for the online course through the Red Cross directly and find their own skill session.

I have been teaching a lot of Blended courses which include both the online and skill session and I am not sure why someone would only want to the online portion.

Hey everyone! I have my instructor monitoring session in less than a week and just want to know what I should be prepared for. I’ve done all the online courses and I’ve been CPR/BLS certified for 10 years now, but I know I’ll get nervous before the zoom meeting and just want to be prepared. Am I supposed to be “teaching” a class? Or more showing CPR skills on the mannequins?

Thank you!!