Many people are required to take a CPR certification course for work or school. Others take one because they simply want to learn how to save lives. There are several major organizations that offer this type of course including The American Red Cross and The American Heart Association. The length of the course can vary depending on the class size and the instructor; the class can be as short as two hours or as long as six hours.Some people opt to get certified in first aid and the use of the Automated External Defibrillator (AED) and that can also prolong the length of the course.
All CPR certification courses follow the same basic format. The students will be handed out a book that explains how to perform CPR. The instructor will read through the book and then do a demonstration of CPR. Some instructors may show a video to help students get a better understanding on how to perform CPR. After that, the students will have to demonstrate CPR to the instructor. They will have to perform the routine until they get it right.
Some CPR certification courses only require that a person know how to perform CPR. Others require that a person have to take a knowledge test in addition to performing a demonstration. After that, a person will be eligible to get his or her card stating that he or she is CPR-certified. Some instructors give the students a card as soon as he or she successfully completes the courses. Other students may have to wait a couple of weeks to receive their cards in the mail.
The length of certification can vary depending on where a person took the CPR course at. Most companies, such as the American Red Cross, have certifications that last for a year, but some companies offer two-year certifications. It is important to note that people who are CPR-certified are protected by the good Samaritan law, which states that a person cannot be sued for trying to provide medical assistance to someone else as long as their intention is to help not hurt.
Life Saving Institute offers CPR Certification Course and first aid classes. For more inforemation be sure to check out their website.