Arlington is the crown jewel of Tarrant County, a county in which 16% of adults have reported poor health. A quarter of the county residents have also stated they don’t participate in any physical activities, leading to obesity (38%) in the population and an additional 11% of people living with diabetes. These health concerns can lead to various emergencies, including sudden cardiac arrest (SCA).
Considering these statistics, CPR emerges as an important skill and knowledge that can be the difference between life and death in an SCA emergency. CPR-certified individuals can offer help before first responders arrive and even prevent emergencies from happening or escalating.
However, CPR training provides psychomotor skills that start to wane about 6-12 months after the course. That’s why a CPR refresher course ensures you retain the knowledge for longer and be current with the latest developments in CPR techniques and standards. This article will examine the reasons for and benefits of CPR recertification in Arlington.
Why CPR Recertification in Arlington Matters
The majority of sudden cardiac arrest cases happen outside-of-hospital (OHCA), around 350,000 annually in the US. Only about 40% of these receive appropriate bystander help, resulting in a high mortality rate.
The most prominent reason for these numbers is the lack of sufficient knowledge of the proper CPR methods and techniques. While 65% of Americans have received CPR training, only 18% renew it regularly. The numbers are even lower, considering only 2.4% of US citizens receive CPR training and certification annually.
In addition, to comply with OSHA standards in your place of work, both employers and employees must renew their CPR certification to ensure workplace safety. This is another reason why the importance of CPR recertification in Arlington cannot be overstated.
Why Refresh and Renew Your CPR Certification
Medicine and technology are constantly progressing and evolving, driving the advancement of the methods and guidelines for CPR. New CPR standards emerge, making it a more effective life-saving procedure. We’ll examine some of the updated guidelines below.
Hands-Only CPR
The American Heart Association has recently removed the mouth-to-mouth technique from the then-recommended steps to perform CPR. It has introduced a new, hands-only method suitable for people unable or unwilling to include mouth-to-mouth in their resuscitation procedure. For now, it is only recommended for teen and adult victims of SCA. So far, this method has proven helpful in reducing the risk of transmission of any airborne viruses.
C-A-B Instead of A-B-C
A-B-C stands for Airway, Breathing, and Circulation, and it’s how most people know CPR to work. This method functions by checking whether the victim is breathing, clearing the airway and giving rescue breaths, and finally doing chest compressions in order to restore blood circulation. However, a 2010 CPR guideline revision established that focusing on the airways first is not the most critical step in the CPR procedure. Instead, it’s the heart.
During a cardiac arrest, the brain and nervous system are the most vulnerable out of all organs, suffering the most damage and beginning to deteriorate when blood flow halts. This is why keeping the heart operational until sufficient professional care is provided is the most important step when applying CPR.
Checking For A Pulse Is Not Recommended
In the past decade, research has shown that checking for the victim’s pulse in case of a cardiac arrest is unnecessary, as it wastes valuable time that can be spent on resuscitation. The American Heart Association urges both responders and rescuers to proceed with the CPR or defibrillation procedure instead of checking for a pulse, until professional and proper care can be administered. This minimizes the interruptions of chest compressions and ensures better quality CPR.
Refresh Your Muscle Memory
It is a common misconception that CPR skills remain at a set quality once learned. CPR is a function that activates certain groups of the resuscitator’s muscles. To perform an adequate CPR procedure effectively means training those groups of muscles beforehand to carry out that function when called for.
Furthermore, research shows that psychomotor memory starts to degrade a few months after CPR training, leading to suboptimal quality chest compressions during the CPR process. Recertification helps work out these muscles and renew one’s muscle memory, preventing this degradation by refreshing it.
Improved Response Times
Responding effectively to a sudden cardiac arrest means knowing what to do in the moment, and before SCA happens. CPR training involves learning and relearning the signs and symptoms of an impending cardiac arrest, some which are not so obvious to the untrained eye, and can easily be forgotten as time passes.
Recertification regularly refreshes this knowledge and adds to it with newer and more effective practices, making for a safer and faster CPR response.
Being A Service To The Arlington Community
While there is a personal benefit to being CPR trained, regular CPR certification helps foster a culture of preparedness and support in the community. This is especially important in a big city such as Arlington, as it might take a while for first responders to arrive at the scene of a sudden cardiac arrest.
When more people are knowledgeable in resuscitation and other first aid practices, the community’s safety level increases. Better response times and general preparedness make the community more resilient and ready to deal with emergencies.
A Service To The Workplace
A safe and healthy workplace is a guaranteed right for all employees under OSHA’s General Duty Clause. Employers are required to provide a hazard-free working environment, which involves first aid training, supplies, and equipment for all employees.
Additionally, sudden cardiac arrest is more common in stressful work environments. Work-related stress leads to cardiovascular diseases, which are a significant factor for SCA, so employees and employers need to be regularly CPR-recertified.
Professions that Need Regular CPR Recertification
Paramedics, emergency medical technicians, firefighters, and police personnel are just some professions requiring regular CPR certification. In general, CPR is a valuable skill in all sorts of occupations. Caretaking jobs, such as elderly and child care workers in particular, require a deft touch when handling emergencies at their place of work. Still, CPR isn’t limited to just medical-adjacent fields.
The state of Texas requires all sports-related or extracurricular activity-related coaches in schools to maintain and submit proof of an up-to-date CPR certification regularly. Teachers also benefit from CPR training should emergencies happen in the classroom or other school facilities.
Healthcare Professionals Working Optimally Under Pressure
A study shows that only 61% of healthcare professionals feel confident in their CPR performance. The questionnaire noted that in their most recent real-life CPR situation, 30% were worried about causing complications, 57% felt stress during the process, and 27% were anxious.
The survey concludes that regular recertification reduces all inhibiting mental factors and keeps competence at a steady level among CPR-trained individuals. So, if you’re a healthcare worker, recertification will help you stay on top of matters and reduce anxiety in an SCA emergency.
AED Training
An automated external defibrillator (AED) is a portable defibrillator most commonly found in hospitals and other healthcare facilities. However, AEDs have been a helpful addition to schools and offices as well, particularly since 10,000 sudden cardiac arrests happen in the workplace every year.
AEDs have been proven to be the most effective way to deal with sudden cardiac arrest, and using it correctly on someone undergoing an SCA improves their odds of survival.
Although there are no federal laws regarding AEDs in the workplace, every US state has statutes and regulations on AED placement. The state of Texas requires AEDs in company offices, dental offices, and nursing homes. It also states that you should be recertified every two years for CPR and AED to stay up to date with OSHA standards.
The Importance of CPR Recertification in Arlington: Final Words
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation is a lifesaving skill in more ways than one. It requires learning both how to perform the procedure and the signs and symptoms before a sudden cardiac arrest occurs. It makes for strong and resilient communities and work environments, and overall healthier and happier people.
Thanks to advancements in the fields of medicine and technology, CPR as a practice is constantly being updated with newer and better methods. This makes renewing and refreshing your CPR skills not only helpful but a must.
CPR recertification in Arlington is more accessible and less time-consuming than you might think. You can attend on-site classes or receive training at home or the workplace. The courses are held at convenient times that fit anyone’s schedule, from nurses and care workers to anyone willing to learn how to save a life and be an upstanding member of the community.