Friday, February 24, 2017

CPR Certification




Life is crazy! The days are long and the years are short. We are constantly on the go and never really stop to relax. But it can all change in a minute. You never know what is going to happen in the future. That’s why I think we should all be prepared for emergencies. One of the easiest ways to be prepared for an emergency is to be CPR certified.
CPR…what the heck is that?

In case you don’t know what CPR certification is, (but seriously, have you been living under a rock? But seriously—have you?) it is cardiopulmonary resuscitation. It’s a lifesaving technique people use in emergency situations. The most common emergency is when the heart stops beating and you go into cardiac arrest. There are many causes of cardiac arrest including: heart attack, drug use, an irregular heart rhythm and traumatic injury.
Without the heart beating, blood will stop circulating in the body and breathing will stop too. Without oxygen to the body, cells begin to die. CPR will help to keep oxygenated blood flowing through the body to keep vital organs alive until paramedics or other advanced personal can arrive. Amazing!

Why you should be CPR trained?
1.       Heart disease is the number one cause of death in the US according to the CDC
2.       No negatives!

I’ve never heard anyone say “I should of never got my CPR training”. It’s like an ace in your pocket if you ever see a medical emergency.  I have never personally had to use it (thank GOD!) but I know how to and feel confident in case an emergency should arise. Most cardiac arrest happens at home so having everyone in the home certified increases the chances of survival. Early CPR is key!
It’s easy and anyone can do it

A lot of people probably decide it’s not for them because there are too many steps to do and what if they forget something or maybe even the fact they don’t want to get involved in case they do something wrong. There are different levels of CPR training for different people.
BLS is Basic Life Support and its designed for healthcare providers both pre and in-hospital: think nurses, physical therapists, athletic trainers, dentists, lifeguards etc.

Heart saver is for the general public: think daycare workers, educators, construction workers, office staff, coaches, grandparents, babysitters etc.
If you still are not convinced to get certified I urge you to at least know about the signs of a heart attack and hands only CPR. Hands only CPR has 2 steps:
1.       Call 9-1-1
2.       Push hard and fast in the center of the chest

There is no mouth to mouth breathing involved. Hands only CPR take one minute (yes—I’m serious!) to learn and you can watch the hand-only CPR video here: Hands-Only CPR
Get certified!
Call your local Red Cross or go to the American Heart Associate website to learn more about CPR or register for a course in your area: www.cpr.heart.org

TheraCORE is offering CPR classes this spring so follow-us on social media to get upcoming dates and times of classes.
Now go on and start saving lives!

Rachael Patera, ATC
Office Manager, TheraCORE - Burr Ridge





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