“Stayin’ Alive” isn’t just one of the greatest disco songs ever; it’s also a fabulous way to actually keep people alive. Unfortunately, only half of the American adults understand why this Bee Gee’s hit can be lifesaving. Now, Alzein Pediatrics wants all our families to groove to the beat – and learn CPR.
Our pediatric group is offering free CPR classes at 6:00 pm on Wednesday, September 7th, and again on Wednesday, September 21st. Both classes, taught by taking Action CPR, will be held at our offices at 5540 W 111st Street in Oak Lawn. Click here to register for a class and read on to discover what CPR really is, bust some CPR myths, and understand CPR training.
What is CPR?
CPR, Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation, is the act of reviving someone’s heart (cardio) and lungs (pulmonary), using a combination of chest compressions and rescue breaths. On the surface, it sounds like you might need a medical degree to understand how to do this, but in reality, any trained bystander can safely administer this noninvasive procedure, providing critical minutes of assistance until trained medical professionals can get to the scene.
The steps for this procedure vary for babies, young children, and adults, which is why proper certification is crucial. CPR is used when the patient does not have a pulse and is not breathing. Common instances when CPR is needed include:
- Chocking
- Drowning
- Suffocation
- Accidents/Injury
- Cardiac Arrest
If anyone under your care experiences one of these events, administering CPR immediately and successfully can be the difference between life and death.
Busting Three Myths About CPR
There are common misconceptions that prevent people from taking the initiative and registering for a class.
Myth #1: If the person dies, I am liable, so it’s better if I stand back and let a trained, insured professional do this.
Laypersons who are CPR-certified are protected under the Good Samaritan Act. You cannot be sued if the patient experiences complications, such as bruised or broken ribs, because of CPR. You also are not responsible if CPR is unsuccessful and the patient passes away. You are certified, doing your best to save someone’s life in good faith.
Myth #2: I’m not comfortable giving rescue breaths so I’m not a good candidate for CPR training.
Just 1 in 6 adults understand that bystander CPR recommends only chest compressions and not rescue breathing. The American Red Cross recommends anyone who is not comfortable doing rescue breaths to still do chest compressions at 100-120 beats per minute. The easiest way to remember this and keep time is to perform compressions to the beat of – you guessed it – the Bee Gee’s “Staying Alive.”
Myth #3: CPR training takes too much time.
Alzein Pediatrics is proud to offer this free training to our families. The training takes just one evening, about two hours for initial certification. To keep the certification current, you are required to take a refresher class every two years. Obtaining and retaining CPR certification is an incredibly short time commitment with an unimaginably huge return when you are present in a medical emergency.
What does a CPR Class Typically Look Like?
At Alzein Pediatrics CPR Classes, you’ll learn:
- recognize and assist a choking infant, child, or adult
- place an unresponsive, breathing person in the recovery position
- perform one-person CPR
- perform CPR with rescue breaths
- perform hands-only CPR
- administer CPR as part of a 2-person team
- administer a shock from an AED
The two-hour CPR class will be broken into two parts. The first part is instructional. Your Take Action CPR instructor will walk you through standard procedures and current recommendations, as well as various scenarios where CPR will be needed for babies, young children, and adults.
The second part of the class is practical. You will be given a disinfected Rescue Annie doll to practice the procedures that you just learned. Rescue Annie dolls are built to provide you a real, understandable feel of how forceful chest compressions need to be effective.
You will practice with your assigned Rescue Annie doll either by yourself or with a partner, depending on the size of the class. Once you are comfortable with all the steps, you will alert the instructor and they will give you a scenario in which you need to perform CPR. Once you are able to go through the steps correctly, you will be CPR certified. If you do not complete the steps correctly, your instructor will guide you through, have you practice further, and then try again. There is no limit on your attempts.
Prioritize CPR Certifications: for Yourself and Everyone
There are over 350,000 instances of cardiac arrest that happen outside of a hospital in America every year. Administering immediate CPR can double or triple a person’s chances of survival.
Hopefully, you will never once be in a situation where you have to give CPR. But if your child – or even a perfect stranger – ever chokes in front of you, goes into cardiac arrest, or stops breathing, your CPR training will help you help them – and possibly save their life.
Prioritize getting CPR certified today, and bring a few friends with you – and you’ll never think of staying alive as just a song again.
Click here to register for our free CPR classes at 6:00 pm on Wednesday, September 7th, or Wednesday, September 21st. Classes will be held at our offices at 5540 W 111st Street in Oak Lawn.
