First Aid CPR/AED Training & Certification

Who Needs CPR and First Aid Certification?

CPR and First Aid certification is generally required by an employer or organization. This can be due to regulations from OSHA, state licensing boards, or an organization’s personal policy. Healthcare providers need to take the BLS for Healthcare Providers class. The following are examples of industries that require a current non-healthcare CPR certification.

• Manufacturing facilities
• K-12 Schools
• Foster Agencies
• Hotels
• Daycare centers
• Fitness Trainers
• Boy Scouts
• Recreation and sports
• Any organization that owns an AED

Aside from the above list, many people voluntarily choose to be CPR certified because they want to be prepared for an emergency. Most commonly, these groups that take CPR classes are:

• New parents
• Babysitters
• Proactive employers
• Churches
• Social clubs

Anyone can and should learn CPR and First Aid. The skills are invaluable, and people often take it for granted until faced with a crisis.

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What Is Taught In CPR and First Classes?

First, it needs to be clear that individuals can take CPR and First Aid as separate classes or as a combined class. In our CPR and First Aid classe (also commonly known as HeartSaver First Aid CPR AED), you will learn skills critical in handling common emergencies. The first few minutes of an injury of illness can be crucial to the victim's outcome, and you'll learn what to do until emergency medical services (EMS) arrives.

Topics in CPR Classes

Let’s start by talking about what’s covered in a CPR class. This class is broken into three modules: Adult, Child, and Infant. The Adult CPR is a required module, but the Child and Infant modules are optional add-ons. Unlike the CPR for Healthcare Providers class which makes Adult, Child and Infant all required modules, the basic CPR class has more flexibility.

All three modules of the CPR certification fundamentally teach the same thing. There are a few key differences, however, between Adults, Children and Infants. Below are the CPR steps students will learn in all three modules:

• Recognizing cardiac arrest and calling for help
• How to perform high quality chest compressions
• Giving breaths mouth-to-mouth and with a barrier device, such as a CPR mask
• Proper use of an AED (automated external defibrillator)
• How to help responsive and unresponsive chocking victims
• Using Naloxone (Narcan) for opioid overdose emergencies

Topics in First Aid Classes

First Aid certification is broken down into three sub-categories:

• Medical Emergencies

  • Stroke
  • Diabetes
  • Heart Attacks
  • Seizures

• Trauma Emergencies

  • Bleeding
  • Broken bones
  • Head and neck injuries
  • Concussions

• Environmental Emergencies

  • Hot and cold emergencies
  • Poisons
  • Bites and stings

CPR and First Aid Is Always Changing

Every five years, new CPR and First Aid guidelines are established (e.g. 2010, 2015, 2020, etc). The American Heart Association sets the guidelines and other agencies, such as the American Red Cross, adopt the guidelines and update their curriculum. Depending on the results from research, American Heart Association CPR and First Aid guideline changes can be more or less significant every five year. The important thing to remember is that these guidelines come from evidence-based research that has been gathered from around the world, and are proven to increase survival rates.

It’s important that students remain life-long learners. While it may be frustrating that things change so often, it's exciting to think about how survival rates are also changing- for the better! Individuals who trust in knowledge and skills from a CPR class 15 years ago are doing the community and potential cardiac arrest victims a disservice.

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How to get a CPR and First Aid Certification?

Depending on what company a student chooses to get their CPR and First Aid certification, the process should be very easy. Below are the steps someone should follow and the bare minimum of what should be expected from a training company.

#1 Locate a Reputable CPR and First Aid Company

Students looking for a place to get CPR & First Aid certified should start by choosing a professional CPR company. We caution students from using individual CPR & First Aid instructors that teach occasional classes as a side job. The benefits of using a reputable company include: better quality assurance, better customer service, liability insurance, timely receipt of CPR and First Aid certifications.

#2 Get the Right CPR and First Aid Certification

Don’t fall for an online CPR and First Aid class scheme. These online companies usually make guarantees or offer free printable CPR and First Aid certificates immediately after the online CPR and First Aid class. Those certifications are not nationally recognized, and most employers will not accept them. Find a local CPR and First Aid training company that provides hands-on training. Hands on training can be done in a traditional instructor-led class or a CPR and First Aid online blended learning class. However, almost every state and workplace requires hands on training for the certification to be accepted.

Keep in mind that some employers are no longer accepting American Red Cross CPR and First Aid certifications. Students should check with their employer before signing up with a class to find out which certification they will accept.

#3 Sign Up For the Class

Signing up for a class should be an easy process and it is! We list all of our upcoming public classes on our website and allow you to register online. When classes reach maximum capacity they are automatically removed from our online calendar, therefore you don't have to check availability. Furthermore, we NEVER cancel classes. Most students need their CPR and First Aid certification right away and we know you are counting on us, therefore we won't let you down!  You can view all our classes and register online.

#4 Take the CPR and First Aid Class

Prepare for your CPR and First Aid class by coming well rested and ready to learn. CPR and First Aid classes are meant to be very easy and there is no need to study before hand. There is a hands-on skills test that students are required to pass, but there is not a required written test.

#5 Get Your CPR and First Aid Certification

Students will receive their certification after the CPR and First Aid class in one of two ways. Depending on where they took a class, the card may be a traditional paper card or an eCard sent via email. Depending on the credentialing agency, certifications are usually required to be sent to students within 30 days. Prime Medical Training sends eCards and guarantees students will receive them within 24 hours. eCards should not be confused with 'online CPR class' certificates. eCards bear official seals and QR codes for employers to validate them. As of 2018 the AHA is requiring all Training Centers to issue eCards instead of paper cards.

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What To Expect In CPR and First Aid Classes?

Not all CPR & First Aid classes are the same. Prime Medical Training believes the following should be the standard for a student’s experience when taking a CPR and First Aid course.

#1 A Professional Atmosphere

The facility students attend to learn CPR and First Aid should be clean and professional. This may seem obvious, but we hear of classes taught in peoples living rooms or basements all the time. This can be uncomfortable for many reasons and is not acceptable. Furthermore, instructors should be dressed professionally and conduct themselves accordingly.

 #2 Proper Equipment

The instructor should provide every student with a CPR student manual. Also, instructors are required to provide at least 1 CPR training manikin and AED for every 3 students along with plenty of practice time.

#3 Instructors with Experience and Personality

Prime believes that instructors should teach with authority. Instructors must meet three criteria to teach for us:

1. They have a medical background and extensive real-world experience practicing the topics that they teach.
2. Instructors must conduct themselves professionally in appearance and character.
3. Our instructors are evaluated on their personability, dynamic teaching style, and skill level of topics they teach.

Every CPR certification card issued by Prime Medical training carries our reputation and our instructors take that seriously. Classes are made easy, but students will still be challenged and have to earn their CPR certification.

#4 Top Notch Experience

CPR and First Aid training does not have to be boring and Prime is proof of that. The minute you walk through Prime’s door you'll experience a different vibe compared to previous classes you may have taken. Our staff is friendly, the environment is welcoming, and our classes are active and engaging. Prime Medical Training does training like no other! Not everyone enjoys taking a CPR and First Aid class but our goal is to make it as painless as possible. If a student is in a CPR class, our philosophy is to make the best of it, have a few laughs and maybe teach them something new (things are always changing).

96% of students say our class is the best class they have ever taken. Listen, don't take our word for it. Check out what a few of our raving fans have to say about our CPR and First Aid classes.

Testimonials

"Best CPR course I have had in 11 years." -- Harold Fevrier

"Very helpful and professional training on adult and infant CPR as well as first aid. Excellent resource." -- Emily Bean

"I took the CPR/First Aid class today at prime medical and enjoyed the class. The instructor, Janet Bright was VERY knowledgeable." -- Ellie Eldridge Webb

"I was instructed by Andrew Randazzo in CPR/First-Aid and AED training and my experience was fabulous. He was very informative and explained everything in an easy to understand manner. I would definitely recommend this class to others." -- Curt Boston

"I had a great First Aid/CPR training session with Lynne. She was helpful, passionate, and very knowledgeable. I could tell that it mattered to her that everyone understood the material." -- Hannah Flemming

Frequently Asked Questions about CPR Classes

Can I get my First Aid and CPR certification online?

Yes and no. Any class that is completely online is generally not accepted by employers as OSHA and state requirements mandate hands on training. However, if you take an online blended class where part of the course is done online, and then you perform your skills in front of an instructor, that is a legitimate way of getting your CPR and First Aid certification online. We recommend the AHA Heartsaver CPR/AED and First Aid online course.

Do you offer a First Aid class online?

Yes. The AHA online blended learning class is nationally recognized and widely accepted. In addition to the First Aid class online, students need to complete a hands-on skills session. After completing the CPR training online and the skills session, students will receive a First Aid certification.

Can I get a First Aid only certification?

Yes. First Aid classes can be taken as a separate module from CPR.

What is First Aid training?

First Aid is the care given to someone who has suffered sudden illness or injury. The goal is to preserve life either by fixing the injury or getting the person to a higher level of care.

Is First Aid certification different from CPR?

Technically, CPR is part of First Aid care. However, in terms of courses, they are generally considered two separate things because of how much information and practice is involved in CPR alone.

What does it mean to be First Aid certified?

Being First Aid certified means that a person has been trained in the past two years to provide basic care to the most common and/or life-threatening sudden illnesses or injuries.

How do I get a First Aid certification card?

After successfully completing a First Aid class, a student should be issued their certification card immediately after the class but no more than 30 days after the class. The card may be a traditional paper card or be an eCard sent via email. We send our cards within 24 hours of the class.

How can I get a CPR and First Aid card replacement?

We wrote an article about getting a replacement card. Those who initially received an eCard via email can login to the AHA and retrieve it. If you initially received a traditional paper card, you will either need to contact the instructor who taught your class or the training center the instructor was aligned with at the time they taught your class. You may be charged a fee for replacement paper cards.

Where can I find CPR and First Aid certification classes near me?

Prime Medical Training offers local CPR classes at their offices and they travel to student’s locations. Search Prime’s class registration page to find upcoming classes in your location.

Is there a First Aid certification test?

No. Students are no longer required to take a test in order to obtain a First Aid certification card. This is a change that happened when the 2010 CPR guidelines were released.