Being prepared is the best way to combat an emergency. You can do a lot to keep yourself prepared in your everyday life. Reading the lesson beforehand will keep you ahead of the game when a pop quiz falls on your desk. Keeping your eyes on the road could help you avoid an accident. Learning a skill could even help you stay prepared, because when a life is on the line, being able to administer CPR could save a life.
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) is a lifesaving medical intervention to use for a person whose heart has stopped. The procedure consists of a combination of chest compressions, rescue breathing, and airway management that are all used in tandem to jumpstart a person’s heart.
Why is a CPR certification important?
Consider how many lives have been saved by CPR, and all the accidents that may create a CPR emergency. It happens every day around the country. The problem is that not all of those patients who needed help ever received CPR.
If more people were CPR certified, the likelihood that someone would receive help during an emergency greatly increases. Having a certification will prepare you to give CPR to adults as well as children, and the elderly. You’ll learn how long to perform artificial respiration. Most importantly, being certified could help you save someone’s life.
Who needs a CPR certification?
Hospitals and other businesses in the medical field certify their employees to administer CPR, but there is a wide range of careers where you may need to be ready for a medical emergency. Jobs ranging from first responders to flight attendants even require employees to have a certification in CPR. Even some teachers are required to have experience in this life saving procedure. That means companies and institutions recognize that something could happen at absolutely any moment, and they make strides to ensure that employees are prepared.
In a recent conversation with Dr. Lachel Story, she recalled a moment where her training came in handy when she least expected it.
“One day I was picking up my children at their daycare,” Dr. Story began. “The daycare owner’s father had collapsed. He had no pulse and was not breathing. Luckily, an EMT and a nursing student were also picking up their child. We started CPR while the owners of the daycare called an ambulance. Early initiation of CPR until the ambulance could get there with a defibrillator was critical in saving the man’s life.”
What you should remember
During our talk with Dr. Story, she offered this advice, “I have dealt with many emergency situations both at and outside work. The most important thing to remember in an emergency situation is to remain calm. You will be more effective if you are calm. Additionally, others will be more likely to remain calm. The more effective you can be, the better the person’s outcomes will be.”
If you are interested in more tips for medical professionals and ways to stay prepared in an emergency, read our full interview with Dr. Story. Are you looking for information about making an impact in the nursing field? Southern Miss offers a number of nursing programs online, so you can make a career out of being prepared to save a life. Programs include RN to BSN, and a Nursing Leadership PhD.
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