So Frustrated about CPR Renewal

[NurseQT]

My AHA BLS/CPR certification expired last Sept... My employer has always provided the class for the employees, not only paid for the class but paid everyone while taking the class.. I was gone for a year, came back and mentioned that my certification was about to expire and asked if they would be holding a class soon. The DON said there was no class scheduled and they weren't sure when they would be having one.. Well crap. So I check out our local tech school, and discover the next available class was over a month away! Go back to my DON and inform her of this. She gives me this website for an online CPR course, I questioned the authenticity of the site as well as the certification. I'm reassured that it's fine. So I do the online course, pay for it out of my own pocket, pass the course with flying colors (not that so was nervous or anything!).. Fast forward 12 months.. The state has changed their regulations and all facilities must provide CPR and all licensed staff must hold a current CPR certification that had a "hands on" training, online certs are no good! Last week I'm pulled into the DONs office and informed I need to go through another renewal course and they want it done by the end of the month! Not only do I have to pay for it myself, I have to find an avail course myself as well! First they tried telling me I'd have to find a full certification course (which is 6 hours and costs more!) which I said uhh Heck No!! I've had my certification for 16 years, I am NOT going through the entire course again! Looked to the tech school again, only renewal course avail was tonight (I called them last week) and the course is full! Next class in end of Oct! I contacted the hospitals, the YMCA, and the local AHA office. There are no classes avail in the area anytime soon! Closest class is 2 hours away and costs $50!

I'm so frustrated that this was thrown in my lap at the very last second and that I'm expected to pay for a renewal course again as well as do it on my own time!

What makes it even more frustrating is there were three other nurses whose certs either expired or were due to expire at the end of this month (they managed to get the last remaining spots in tonight's class!) and we were all expected to find our own renewal class when they could have set up a class with an instructor from the hospital and had everyone who needed to renew sign up through work. But they didn't do that. Heck, we could've paid for it ourselves. All the other facilities provide the class to their employees which is why it's hard to find the class elsewhere...

So now I'm stuck., I emailed my DON and informed her that I could not find a class before the end of this month and didn't know what to do. We have a new DON that will be starting in a few weeks and rumor has it she is one who is a stickler for perfection..

Oh and they're allowing me to continue working since there's always at least 3 other nurses with CPR certs in the building at the same time. But whose to say that won't change once the new DON starts.. I can't afford to be off work right now, I was off for three weeks in Aug d/t a shoulder injury and I'm now trying to play catch up while saving up my PLT so I can have surgery on my shoulder in Dec..

[elkpark]

Every place I've ever worked, the employer provided occ. BLS classes but, if you didn't get signed up in time to take an employer-provided class before your certification expired, you were expected to find a class elsewhere, take it, and pay for it yourself.

I'm surprised that anyone found an on-line renewal course with no "live" check-off of skills, at least, acceptable. And I'm shocked to hear you are being allowed to continue working. Any place I've ever worked, you would be off the schedule until you came back with a valid BLS card. I'm sorry you're going through this, but things could be a lot worse. Best wishes!

[SimonJester]

Sounds like my wife's place of work. In the past they always offered a group class for everyone. Now this year its was you are on your own. Luckily for DW this LTC facility is attached to a larger hospital network, and since DW worked in the hospital before she was able to signup for a class the hospital was offering. Her other co workers were out of luck.

[Nibbles1]

Omgosh, this happened to me. I did an online class last October, found out that they aren't "certified". I drove 1 hour to the nearest American Heart Saver CPR class. I learned my lesson; always do the hands on CPR.

[mtjoanna]

When I realized my CPR was about to expire, I asked my work about it and was told that we had to find our own classes--and this is when I found out that none of my CNAs have their CPR, because it's not required! I was shocked--I had simply assumed that working in a healthcare setting would require at lease BLS, and I also found out that not all nurses have to have it--as long as there's one on shift with it, but the office doesn't track that. Ah well. I was told to check with the volunteer fire department, but ended up calling the American Heart Association and found a class "near" me (about an hour away) that would fit my timeline; I also paid for mine. I'm sorry for the headache you're encountering.

[NurseQT]

Ended up finding a pretty sweet renewal plan!! Took part of it online through the AHA website then found an AHA certified instructor at one of the two big healthcare networks in my city to do the skills check off part. Super fast, and convenient!