Should teachers be CPR certified?

ShandyLynnRN, BSN, RN · Mar 19, 2003

geez! Take it easy! It seems to me that you are lashing out at someone that hasn't even done anything. WHy don't you save your anger for someone who really deserves it? Take it out on the one that actually offended you, obviously in your life dealing with the families at the school your husband is at, rather that flaming someone on here for having an opinion!

fab4fan · Mar 19, 2003

Originally posted by TracyB,RN
The firefighter that taught my CPR class said that only 50% of people who receive CPR will survive. Don't know if that is an accurate statistic or not, just something to think about.
The grammar school & high school I went to did not have a school nurse.
I would sure love it for teachers to know CPR AND be covered by the Good Sam act.
I would rather have a half assed attempt rather than no attempt at all.

I'm not sure about that statistic, but it is true that an arrest in the field often does not have a good outcome; the ED docs and medics I worked with all said the same thing.

sjoe · Mar 19, 2003

"A recomendation was passed to lay off 2 1/2 nurses"

Sounds rather messy to me.

RN2B2005 · Mar 19, 2003

I apologise for seeming to be flaming someone, specifically deespoohbear.

I was pointing out that teachers and school administrators aren't to blame for a lack of CPR training to someone who clearly thinks they are. The fact that anyone could think that teachers or school administrators are paid too much (and that cuts in their salaries would leave lots of money left over for school nurses, CPR training, etc.) absolutely knocked me off of my chair. This, to me, is as ridiculous as saying that if all the charge nurses and nurse supervisors at a hospital took pay cuts, the hospital would have enough of X supply or staff member. The nurses aren't the problem--just as administrators aren't the problem in most school district.

The school district my husband works for is very lucky, blessed with a good tax base and willing voters. Still, the state grabs for what money it can get--freezing raises for five years, or per-student spending for two years, for instance. If the voters don't make up the difference, the money isn't there for anything but the basics.

I'm going to take my grouchy self and find another cup of coffee. Let us know how that whole idea of having the hospital donate CPR classes to teachers goes, ShandyLynn.

DeeDee71 · Mar 19, 2003

This is my 3rd year as a school nurse, in the district I work in every school has a nurse or health aide who is CPR certified. We also have a district nurse that travels between buildings as needed. We offer CPR training in every building every year, but can only train 8 teachers at a time. I try to keep all my teachers spread out with at least one CPR certifed teacher in each hallway. In doing this I hope to avoid needing someone on the other end of the building to start CPR. All teachers in my building are also required to be trained in using an epipen every school year. I wish I were able to have an epipen in each hallway too but with the cost of epipens and now the cut backs I don't see that happening anytime soon. Our teachers would be covered under the states Good Sam law.

Also the state of Missouri does not require nurses to prove CPR certification before renewing your lisence I do think that would be a good thing though.

littlemack · Mar 19, 2003

Most definitely teachers should be certified in Basic Life Support and also First Aid. I do wonder though, where was the school nurse during this situation?

SmilingBluEyes · Mar 19, 2003

An unequivocal YES here...if military, daycare providers and many factory workers are required to have this important skill, why NOT teachers? Like many, I thought it was a job requirement and am disappointed to hear it is not. Crazy.

nurseleigh · Mar 19, 2003

I thought they were too. IT is sad that they aren't, but I don't necesarily blame the teachers themselves for it. I think I am going to have to talk to my daughters principal real soon to see how many staff members are CPR certified.

As with some of the others here, the school nurse travels to three different schools with about 5-10 miles between them. If something were to happen at the elementary school while she is out at the high school, she wouldn't even know about it til she got back. She does go to every school every day though.

Also, for this quote:

origianally posted by RN2B2005
extras" like CPR training for teachers (which, by the way, requires time away from the classroom or the teacher's own time)

I seem to recall that school gets out for the year mid-may and doesn't go back till late-august. Now before you get all irate, I know that many teachers do summer school and other such things during the summer, but it seems to me that there is plenty of time in that 3 month period that they could take a few hours to become CPR certified. So I don't see where doing it on their own time is an issue.

I dont get why any state says to Licensed day care providers that they have to and then say teachers don't.

Leigh

RN2B2005 · Mar 19, 2003

Now before you get all irate

Great, now I've gone and given myself the reputation of being a porcupine! :chuckle

Two cups of coffee and a shower later, I'm a much happier person...yes, I think that teachers should definitely be encouraged to take CPR classes in the summer, just as they take professional development classes. As I said, in my husband's district, all district employees are required to have current CPR cards, although the district does compensate for the time spent.

Administrators (principals, superintendents, etc.) and some classified staff (janitors, security guards, etc.) do not have summers off.

Forgot to add that in our county, the Medic One (911 response) funding has an allotment for community CPR education, which means we have one of the highest community CPR education rates in the nation--one out of every three county residents has a current CPR card.

nurseleigh · Mar 19, 2003

If it makes you feel better, I meant that comment for anyone who might think I was trying to imply that teachers do nothing but sit around eating bon-bons during the summer.

Leigh

SingingNurse2 · Mar 19, 2003

Wow, this has been an enlightening thread!

I am the PTA President of my child's school, and after reading this will definitely find out whether our teachers know CPR - and if not then our PTA will pay for it!

That's what the PTA is for - protection of our children and teachers. Maybe some more of you could go this avenue.

ShortFuse_LPN, LPN · Mar 19, 2003

Singingnurse, thank you!! I didn't even think of the PTO when I was trying to come up with suggestions on how to pay for it at our school. Thanks again!