Tag: aed training

The AED Saves Lives (but only if we use it!)

ucm541360There is good news and bad news in the world of the AED. The good news is that Automatic External Defibrillators, the portable “shockers” that have taken emergency CPR to new levels of success, are more available than ever.  The bad news? Many regular folks – the people for whom the AED was designed – are afraid to use them.

Every day you read an article about some city or county mandating that AED’s be installed in every municipal building, recreational facility, or police car. Retail, office, and manufacturing settings are getting involved as well. Just as often, you read a story about how the guys on the factory floor or the basketball court – some trained, some not – saved their buddy’s life with CPR and an AED.

The fact is, CPR + AED has twice the survival rate of CPR alone. We need more regular folks to step up, grab the AED down from the wall, and take action!  BUT…

  • “…the number of cases when an AED is used is very low — just 0.15-4.3% of cardiac arrests that occur outside of hospitals.” StudyFinds.org
  • “When asked if they were willing to use the AED, over 80 percent of people said they were wary.” EMS1.com
  • “Less than 5 percent of the public feels comfortable using an Automatic Electronic Defibrillator when someone has a heart attack.” WTOV.com

images_227So why do we hesitate? The studies suggest two big themes:

  • Lack of confidence: No way can I figure that thing out during a crisis!
  • Fear of doing harm: What if I do it wrong and make things worse…and maybe get sued?

If you have ever had these thoughts, you are not alone. Fortunately, there are two things that can combat these doubts: Knowing the machine and knowing the laws.

First, the AED pretty much tells you what to do. Some even “speak” to you and give audio instructions. And it’s nearly impossible to shock a person at the wrong time, because the AED won’t let you.

Second, South Carolina – like at least 36 other states – has a Good Samaritan Law that protects you from liability when giving aid in an emergency.

CPR/AED Training Improves Confidence and Effectiveness

That’s the brief take on fighting the ignorance and fear of the AED. But you can gain real confidence, and deeper knowledge, with proper CPR/AED training. Southeastern-CPR trainers, first responders with decades of life-saving experience, can give you the confidence and know-how to make a difference in time of emergency. If you are in Charleston, the Lowcountry or anywhere in South Carolina, contact us today!

 

 

 

CPR Training: Certified and RE-certified!

As we go about our day to day lives here in Charleston SC, it’s hard to overstate the importance of CPR training. Knowing how to perform CPR is one of the most critical skills you can possess in case of a cardiac emergency. Without it, the survival statistics are pretty grim. That’s why the trainers at Southeastern-CPR of Charleston SC – retired first responders who have seen it all – are passionate about offering CPR training in offices, factories, and healthcare facilities all over the State.

The Importance of Refreshing Your CPR Training

Earning your certification through CPR training is important. But equally important is CPR RE-certification. For many professionals in healthcare and other fields, CPR recertification is a requirement. For the rest of us, it’s just a REALLY good idea. Why? Because skills fade with time. If it’s been a while since your CPR training, you might be rusty. Feeling rusty affects your confidence. And acting confidently and decisively is critical to CPR success!

cpr training

What’s more, CPR training changes over time. Every few years, the American Heart Association revises its CPR training guidelines. The AHA is constantly using heart science as well as real world situations to improve CPR training and save even more lives.

In fact, that’s the goal of the latest AHA revisions. These changes hope to improve CPR effectiveness by improving CPR training. And the tool is something called an instrumented directive feedback device.

New CPR Training Tech Improves Your Performance

cpr training

An instrumented directive feedback device will help improve CPR training by “providing learners with real-time, audio-visual corrective feedback on aspects of CPR such as chest compression rate, depth, and recoil.” According to one nursing instructor at the University of Texas, “Specific and targeted feedback is critical to students understanding and delivering high-quality CPR when faced with a cardiac emergency. Incorporating feedback devices into adult CPR courses improves the quality and consistency of CPR training, which increases the chance of a successful outcome when CPR is performed.”

The new technology will be required for all AHA-certfied CPR training in 2019.

CPR Certification (and Recertification) from Southeastern-CPR

In Charleston SC, and throughout the state, Southeastern-CPR provides real-world CPR training in your work environment. If you need CPR certification, or recertification, contact us today!