CPR licenses are easily attained, and the knowledge of CPR is tremendously valuable to have. Among many other venues that offer CPR classes is the Red Cross. The Red Cross offers courses both online and in the classroom, whichever is most convenient for students. In addition, CPR training is also often available through local fire and police departments.
The American Heart Association offers training to approximately 12 million people each year who want to earn their CPR licenses. Once an individual gets their license, it is suggested that they take a refresher course every two years or so in order to keep on top of any changes made in the course or any new findings. It is estimated that 750,000 people in the United States fall victim to heart attacks every year, and about 15% of those will lose their lives as a result.
A typical CPR and first aid course will teach students several important things. To begin with, they are taught how to check the scene of an emergency, basically to assess what the needs of the victim are might be. The student will learn under what conditions it would be necessary to call 911. They are taught how to treat injuries, to control bleeding, to handle bug bites, bee stings, and even snake bites. Recognizing the symptoms of a heart attack and choking are demonstrated, as is what to know about treating a sudden illness.
Parents earning CPR licenses already understand that small children will put anything and everything into their mouths, toys of all sizes and even bugs. The ability to perform CPR on people of all ages is inestimable. In addition, those who will be working as caregivers to both young and old are more in demand if they already come equipped with CPR licenses. Families want to know that their loved ones are as safe as they can be with whomever is employed to care for them.
Suggestions by organizations that offer CPR and first aid courses include putting together what they refer to as a “nanny bag”. This will contain first aid items that can be kept on hand for emergencies of any kind, whether it be simple cuts and scrapes, or even more serious predicaments such as car accidents and earthquakes. Items like band aids and bandages of different sizes, aspirin, gauze, scissors, and antibiotic ointment should all be standard in the “nanny bag”.
As mentioned earlier, one aspect of a CPR course is learning to recognize the symptoms of a heart attack. A heart attack can be mild or serious; however, either way it is not something to be treated lightly. Its symptoms can be dealt with by medicating or by surgery. A patient who experiences a sudden heart attack anywhere other than in a hospital only has a 1% to 5% chance of survival. All of these facts point toward the importance of people nearby the victim having CPR licenses.
There are several heart attack symptoms that do not always prove that the patient is, indeed, suffering a heart attack, but they do pose the possibility and demand immediate attention. Chest pain is probably the most common symptom of a heart attack and the one that most people will recognize, even though it does not always mean a heart attack. A person experiencing pressure, a feeling of fullness or a squeezing in the chest, or pain could be receiving a warning that their heart is not functioning properly.
Many women who are having a heart attack will feel pain in their back or even the jaw. This happens more often in women than in men. Shooting pain down the arm is also a common symptom of a problem in the heart. Experiencing shortness of breath indicates that the body is not receiving enough oxygen, and, when signaling a heart attack, is usually accompanied by dizziness and fatigue. Profuse sweating is also a symptom as is severe anxiety. This is the result of the restriction of blood flowing to the heart. It is true that anxiety attacks are a problem for some people and have nothing to do with the heart, but, when anxiety is accompanied by a cold sweat, it is necessary to get immediate attention.
