Should teachers be CPR certified?

Enabled · Mar 21, 2003

Here in Florida there are many counties that do have the 911 operator stay with the person on the phone and help do an assessment and begin rescue breathing or CPR if needed. Many times here it is a small child who has fallen in a pool. Even when CPR has been started there have been more negative results than one would want to hear about. But then there are the success stories and when on the news of such events Iwish people would really take a look at how precious life really is. The same happened to a few Alzheimer's patients who had wandered away toward either a pool or retention pond. Again, because nothing has been started or known the down time their is a terrible loss.

CPR could be made a part of the continuing education courses teachers have to take. Therefore it is required for work so it is tax deductible if someone wants to get down to pennies. Most teachers are rather younger as school systems don't want to pay the higher salaries of more experienced teachers and I would think that a percentage would want to know in the event a child went down, their own child had a problem, or another member of the faculty and staff. The cost is insignificant. Many people would spend more on a night out and spend about the same amount of time going out to a movie or dinner or both. Have it at the school on a teacher's conference day.

Once the students are big enough to do compressions in regard to their own weight being a requirement then they to should be taught in PE. Members of teams should have all or at least a portion certified and then rotate the next year that way there is always someone who is in the know. Who knows someone taught just might save mine or your life if we were to visit a school and something happened.

ShandyLynnRN, BSN, RN · Mar 21, 2003

ya know, that brought to mind something our school system does twice a year. It's called Camp Bandage. They have fire drills, get pretend bandages, get to see the life flight helicopter, AND get to learn the basics of CPR.

My 6 year old came home from it a few months ago, and although it was very very elementary, he knew to call 911 and to "push on their chest and pinch their nose and breathe in their mouth".

I remember going and "teaching" CPR to the kiddos when I was in nursing school as a break from a clinical day. They had a lot of fun and learned valuable tools.

SmilingBluEyes · Mar 21, 2003

Now THERE is a great idea, Shandy!

katscan · Mar 21, 2003

I am a school nurse certified in CPR and BLS. We just got our AED in January. Teachers were given an option to be certified or not. I definitely think all ssecretaries who "cover" for the school nurse should be certified in both. I agree with one of the above posters that it adds one more thing for teachers to be responsible for, but who is with a student for the majority of the day? Why not be certified? I know that it will take me time to go to the gym, say, if someone arrested there. By the time I would get there, someone in charge could have already begun the process. I am only one person, and an arrest may be occurring during an acute asthma attack at the other end of the building. Sure 911 will be called, but someone needs to be able to step in and help at the very begining. I know it would make me more assured that we are safer as a school.

nursedawn67, LPN · Mar 21, 2003

Oh yeah I think teachers should be CPR certified, as well as CNA's....can you believe there are facilities that don't require that from CNA's? I think they should know that and the heimlich manuever. And as an added note: our facilty requires our activiities people to become a certified nursing assistant, they don't work the floor as one, but this way at outings and the such they can assist a resident with toileting or whatever.

nursedawn67, LPN · Mar 21, 2003

Originally posted by ShandyLynnRN
ya know, that brought to mind something our school system does twice a year. It's called Camp Bandage. They have fire drills, get pretend bandages, get to see the life flight helicopter, AND get to learn the basics of CPR.

My 6 year old came home from it a few months ago, and although it was very very elementary, he knew to call 911 and to "push on their chest and pinch their nose and breathe in their mouth".

I remember going and "teaching" CPR to the kiddos when I was in nursing school as a break from a clinical day. They had a lot of fun and learned valuable tools.

Our schools do the same thing for the kids, I just wish more kids would sign up for it. But I hear tell it is very informative for them.

webbiedebbie · Mar 21, 2003

I agree with Katscan. Everyone should be certified, including the secretyaries. In this day and age, AEDs are placed in workplaces, but what good will they be if you don't know the fundamentals of CPR or BLS? These people are resonsible for our KIDS! Yes, I think this should be mandated and an annual practice. You can't wait for one person to run across the school yard to get to the child who is down!

disher · Mar 21, 2003

CPR advocates have been promoting the importance of learning CPR to the public for more than 30years. We can say people should learn CPR all we want, but the reality is most people do not know CPR.

The majority of sudden deaths are going to occur in the home not at school. To reach the greatest number of sudden death victims you need a service that can be used in the home, school, and the workplace. The American Heart Association recommends you advocate for enhanced 911 services.

In enhanced 911 a computer automatically confirms the caller's address. Also 911 dispatchers are trained to offer prearrival instructions to rescuers. This means that they can give instructions for immediate care based on the clinical criteria of the emergency.

http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=1200000