Updating previous reports, at this time to keep the public safe we are canceling all public offerings of our trainings in our Mankato MN locations. We are still holding trainings for essential needs and community groups with heightened precautions and awareness (see previous posts for information) at our Twin Cities, Rochester and Duluth MN locations. Please contact our office with any questions.
AHA update on certification cards during Covid-19 situation
The AHA recently announced the following:
“With precautionary measures being taken globally to control the spread of COVID-19, and many countries and regions delaying training, the AHA has received questions from our Training Network about extensions, or “grace periods” for expirations of AHA Instructor and Provider Course Completion Cards. Please see the AHA’s recommendations below, and please disseminate to anyone who has a business need for this information (e.g., students, employers, medical or safety regulators, etc.).
For Instructor Cards:
• In cases where an AHA Instructor cannot conduct training due to COVID-19 (e.g., the Training Center is in an area with widespread COVID-19 cases), the AHA will allow an extension of the validity of the instructor card for 60 days.
• Management of this extension, and any record-keeping, will be the responsibility of the Training Center.
• This allowance may be extended based on the evolving COVID-19 public health threat. For AHA Provider Cards:
• The AHA recommends that employers and regulatory bodies consider extending recognition of an AHA Provider Card beyond its renewal date, for up to 60 days. However, please know that it is ultimately up to the discretion of employers and regulatory bodies who require current AHA Provider Cards to consider allowing extensions during this time.
• The AHA recommends considering extensions of up to 60 days, but this recommendation could be extended based on the evolving COVID-19 public health threat. AHA Policy on Expired Cards (included in AHA Instructor Manuals)
• Excerpt from ACLS Instructor Manual: “Students who present an expired provider card…may be allowed to take an update course but will not be given the option of remediation. These students will need to complete the entire provider course if they cannot successfully meet the full course completion requirements when tested. If the student fails any skills test, he or she should be referred back to the full ACLS Course.”
• Over the next 60 days, for providers whose cards have expired due to inability to complete training during the COVID-19 outbreak, the AHA will allow the Instructor to provide remediation during update courses. Interim Guidance on Extensions for AHA Instructor & Provider Cards during COVID-19 Outbreak
• This allowance may be extended based on the evolving COVID-19 public health threat. General Guidance for CPR Training during COVID-19 Outbreak As a reminder, the AHA advises all AHA Training Centers and Instructors to follow the existing recommendations outlined on the World Health Organization (WHO) website, and in the U.S., refer to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations, as well as the guidance of national, state, and local public health authorities, which will have the most up-to-date facts and will provide information on basic protective measures against COVID-19.
Corona Virus – HeartCert Precautions
- MAY 2021 – UPDATE: Following CDC guidance the HeartCert masking policy has been updated. All students should bring a mask to class but those individuals who are fully vaccinated will not be required to wear their mask in class unless there are special circumstances. We will continue to provide social distancing and extra hygiene/sanitization measures. For classes scheduled at a client’s location we will adhere to the regulations of that building and company. For Minneapolis CNA classes there is still a mask mandate from the Mayor so masks are required by all at that location. Please feel free to contact with any questions.
With the recent information on COVID-19 we here at HeartCert wanted to let the public know that we consider your health and safety our top priority and to take this opportunity to share with you our plans for minimizing transmission of this or any flu/flu-like illness during our training courses. We are still running courses but with heightened awareness and measures in place to protect everyone as this is deemed an essential service. We feel it is our duty to continue training people but in a safe manner. We have moved all of our public offerings to our secure location in Eagan and are allowing people to cancel or reschedule for any reason without fee while keeping class sizes minimal to allow for social distancing.
If COVID-19 disease begins to spread in Minnesota communities; state and local public health authorities will issue recommendations that HeartCert will follow. A recent memo from the American Heart Association (AHA) found near the bottom of this article, outlines just some of the steps we are taking to help ensure the health and safety of all of our participants. Decisions about the implementation of community measures would be made by state and local officials based on CDC guidance as well as the scope of the outbreak which will be followed.
We at HeartCert have always made great efforts to make sure our CPR training classes are as clean and safe as can be made and will continue to do so with heightened awareness. All of our training manikins are cleaned/disinfected to manufacturer recommended policies before, during and after each class and use. Students are given their own manikin for practical evolutions. Hand washing before and after all hands on practice shall be conducted. Wearing masks is required by all students and staff. We have a small supply to issue masks for class if needed. Gloves, manikin disinfecting wipes and individual breathing devices with one-way valves are used to prevent contamination and the spread of any germs. We have reduced class sizes to allow a minimum of 6′ of social distancing and now have a variety of online and virtual options as well. We will continue our efforts to keep everyone safe by following these essential practices and the recommendations of the MDH, CDC, ARC, AHA and all pertinent organizations.
If you feel ill, or that you may have been exposed to any kind of illness, you must stay home. We are more than happy to find arrangements, accommodations and reschedule anyone for no cost to reduce the potential of spreading any illnesses. All of our sites have soap, water, gloves, disinfecting wipes, individual breathing barriers and all appropriate precautions as well as social distancing adjustments.
To stay healthy, the Minnesota Department of Health is recommending common
sense precautions such as:
· Avoid close contact with people who are sick. If this is not possible, avoid touching
your eyes, nose and mouth.
· Stay home if you are sick, and for at least 72 hours after you are fever free.
· Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue. Wear a mask when out.
· Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
· Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. (If soap and
water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60%
alcohol.)
You can learn more information about COVID-19 and its status in Minnesota on the
Minnesota Department of Health website: https://www.health.state.mn.us/ . MDH has also set
up a hotline at 651-201-5414 to answer general questions or concerns.
We will continue to do ALL we can to provide the safest environment possible for everyone using our services.
Additionally, the American Heart Association recently released the following recommendations that HeartCert is also following which is standard practice for our business:
“Instructors should decontaminate the manikins after each student practices or tests on the manikin using an alcohol-based solution per CDC recommendations, so Faceshields should not be used, and direct mouth-to-mouth ventilations should not be practiced. Each student must be provided with a pocket mask and one-way valve when practicing one-rescuer skills. Pocket masks should not be shared during the course. Bag masks should be used when practicing two-rescuer skills {BLS classes}, and participants should wear gloves and clean bag masks between practices with an alcohol-based solution per CDC recommendations. When possible, manikins should be spaced apart at least 3 feet (1 meter) {this is now 6 feet} during training, based on WHO guidance on social distancing. These additional precautions should be practiced until April 30, 2020, and may be extended by the AHA, if needed. {extended indefinitely}”
We want the public to know that HeartCert values your health and safety, we are taking any and all precautions necessary and will keep a close eye on all information to stay on top of this current situation. There are more options for safe training now than ever before. Online, blended and virtual classes are all available. For details, questions, concerns of comments please do not hesitate to contact our office.
CPR Training Requirements for MN Child Care Providers
Caring for small children is a demanding, high-stakes job. In addition to feeding, comforting and teaching children, child care providers must also keep them safe and healthy. This is why the state of Minnesota has enacted laws requiring all providers in the state to be trained in CPR and first aid.
There are two categories of required CPR trainings for child care providers in Minnesota.
Pre-Service Training
This requires licensed child care providers to take a CPR and first aid training course before caring for children. There is no specified number of hours required. In family or in-home care centers, only the license holder must complete training.
Ongoing Training
Every year, the director and staff of child care centers must complete between 20 and 40 hours of in-service training. However, they have the ability to choose which trainings they complete during a given year. CPR and first aid is one of those options, but it is required to be completed by all teachers and assistant teachers every three years. The number of hours is not specified in the regulations.
The requirements are similar for in-home care centers, with two exceptions. The license holder and all adult caregivers are required to complete 16 hours of ongoing training every year. Again, CPR and first aid is an option each year, but it must be completed every two years.
Of course, these requirements only apply to licensed child care providers. Grandparents and other family members, babysitters and other unlicensed providers are not required by law to be trained in CPR. However, we strongly recommend that anyone who cares for an infant or small child for any period of time be able to perform CPR and basic first aid. Emergencies happen in any setting, and they often happen fast. It’s important to be able to provide lifesaving care for a child, should the need arise.
HeartCert CPR is your trusted training partner for CPR, ACLS, PALS, EMR and First Aid in the Twin Cities and throughout Minnesota. We offer online, night and weekend classes to fit your busy schedule!
HeartCert offers a variety of courses, including CPR/AED/First Aid and CPR/AED, Basic Life Support (BLS), Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), and Emergency Medical Responder – First Responder (EMR). Courses and certifications from both the American Heart Association and American Red Cross are available.
Find your CPR class at any of our convenient Twin Cities locations, including our new headquarters, HeartCert CPR Eagan.
Could Drone-Delivered AEDs Save Lives?
Every year in the U.S., more than 350,000 people have a cardiac arrest outside of a hospital setting. Only about 10 percent of those people survive. When bystanders step in to perform CPR, the likelihood of survival increases significantly. And when AEDs are available, the odds are even better.
But while AEDs are increasingly accessible in public places, they are not available where the highest number of cardiac arrests occur: in private homes. Emergency responders can be quickly dispatched with an AED, but in cardiac arrest, every minute counts.
Testing Drone-Delivered AEDs
To meet patient needs more quickly, researchers are testing AEDs delivered by unmanned drones – and initial research is promising. According to the American Heart Association, in a test between drones and emergency responders, the drone was able to deliver an AED much more quickly. In some cases, the drone beat the EMR team by up to 8 minutes!
Additional Research Needed
Of course, it will take some time before drone-delivered AEDs become a reality. Researchers are working on logistics, including how to help bystanders receive and interact with the AED. But some believe drone-delivered AEDs could be implemented in just one year!
If drone-delivered AEDs become reality in Minnesota, it could be a huge step in saving lives. However, researchers emphasize that human intervention – bystanders stepping in to perform CPR – will still be an essential part of the process. A bystander will always be needed to recognize when someone is in distress, call for help, perform CPR, and then apply an AED – no matter how that AED arrives.
Will you be that bystander? Register for a CPR class today.
HeartCert CPR is your trusted training partner for CPR, ACLS, PALS, EMR and First Aid in the Twin Cities and throughout Minnesota. We offer online, night and weekend classes to fit your busy schedule!
HeartCert offers a variety of courses, including CPR/AED/First Aid and CPR/AED, Basic Life Support (BLS), Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), and Emergency Medical Responder – First Responder (EMR). Courses and certifications from both the American Heart Association and American Red Cross are available.
Find your CPR class at any of our convenient Twin Cities locations, including our new headquarters, HeartCert CPR Eagan.
Your Spouse’s Health May Affect Your Heart
With Valentine’s Day on the horizon, many people are buying gifts and planning dates, thinking about the best way to show their love. Here’s an idea that could really be good for your partner’s heart: adopt healthier habits! That’s the takeaway from new research into the effect of one spouse’s health on another.
In the study, researchers examined five years of biometric and blood test data from more than 5,000 couples. They examined each participant’s overall cardiovascular health and levels of risk factors such as diet and exercise, smoking, total cholesterol and blood pressure.
Researchers found that couples were actually more likely to align on negative health habits, such as eating an unhealthy diet or not exercising enough. It followed that, in three-fourths of couples studied, if one partner had suboptimal heart health, the other partner did too.
The study findings didn’t come as much of a surprise, researchers said. We tend to marry people who are similar to us. Further, if one member of a household is exposed to a factor that affects health, such as lack of access to healthy food, the other members usually are too.
But researchers say that the study findings present a unique opportunity: to focus on one spouse’s health in order to improve the health of a couple, a family or even a community.
Want to protect your family’s health in just one day? Sign up for a Minneapolis CPR class with HeartCert CPR!
HeartCert CPR is your trusted training partner for CPR, ACLS, PALS, EMR and First Aid in the Twin Cities and throughout Minnesota. We offer online, night and weekend classes to fit your busy schedule!
HeartCert offers a variety of courses, including CPR/AED/First Aid and CPR/AED, Basic Life Support (BLS), Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), and Emergency Medical Responder – First Responder (EMR). Courses and certifications from both the American Heart Association and American Red Cross are available.
Find your CPR class at any of our convenient Twin Cities locations, including our new headquarters, HeartCert CPR Eagan.
