CPR training

Performing Bystander CPR During COVID-19

Many studies have shown a significant increase in cardiac arrest survival rates when CPR is started immediately – before emergency responders arrive. However, many people hesitate to perform bystander CPR, due to a lack of training or fears about causing greater harm. With the COVID-19 pandemic spreading throughout Minnesota and the United States, those fears are even more pronounced.

According to the American Heart Association, bystander CPR remains vitally important, especially during coronavirus. Emergency response systems could be overloaded in some hard-hit areas. This may increase the wait time for an ambulance – and lower the likelihood of survival for cardiac arrest patients.

The Risk of Contracting Coronavirus When Performing Bystander CPR

Because COVID-19 symptoms don’t show up for several days after infection, there is a potential risk of contracting the virus while performing CPR on a stranger. Current guidelines advise bystanders to take their own risk factors into account when determining whether to perform hands-on CPR in a public setting. Placing a mask over your own face and that of the patient may help prevent the spread of the virus.

Whatever you decide, call 911 first. If there’s an AED nearby, use it.

CPR Could Save Your Family Member

It’s estimated that about 70% of cardiac arrests happen in the home. So, there’s a good chance that you may need to perform CPR on a member of your household. Brush up on hands-only CPR through an online class, so you’re ready if the need arises.

Protect the hearts of all those around you by taking a CPR/AED course through HeartCert CPR. Register for a virtual course today.

HeartCert CPR is your trusted training partner for CPR, ACLS, PALS, EMR and First Aid in the Twin Cities and throughout greater Minnesota. 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 headquarters, HeartCert CPR Eagan.

HeartCert CPR to Offer Virtual CPR Training Options

5 years ago by bwadmin Leave a Comment

At HeartCert CPR, the health and safety of our students is our top priority. During these unprecedented times, we’ve taken extra precautions to ensure that our in-person courses remain safe, while also offering expanded virtual CPR course offerings.

virtual CPR classes — photo credit: @bongkarn-thanyakij-683719 accessed 4/14/20 via CC0

As we all know, healthcare workers are providing an essential service during the COVID-19 crisis. In addition, many organizations are seeking additional healthcare staff, with CPR certification required for employment. HeartCert remains ready and able to provide CPR education and instruction for all essential workers.

Continue reading for an overview of our virtual CPR course options, as well as the precautions we’re taking to keep our students and instructors safe.

Precautionary Measures

For our in-person CPR courses, we’ve limited class enrollment to nine people. All students will be placed at least six feet apart, with no sharing of manikins or supplies. We’ve also implemented extra sanitation measures. We are asking students to stay home if they are ill, have been exposed, or have recently traveled.

Blended Learning

HeartCert CPR offers online/in-person blended learning options. In these courses, participants watch and complete interactive training videos and written tests. Then, come in for a short in-person skills course (following all precautionary measures listed above) to become certified.

Provisional Certification

After completing the online portion of a blended learning course, receive a provisional certificate that will be valid for 90 days. Within that 90-day period, simply attend a one-hour skill session, and the certificate will be converted to an official two-year CPR certification.

Distance Learning – Coming Soon!

In these virtual CPR courses, participants will be sent a manikin and equipment. After completing the online training and testing, an instructor will virtually test your skills via videoconferencing. Watch our Facebook page for more information on these new CPR certification course options!

Protect the hearts of those around you by taking a CPR/AED course online or at one of HeartCert CPR’s convenient Minnesota locations. Register for a course 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 headquarters, HeartCert CPR Eagan.

How Does Stress Impact Heart Health?

5 years ago by bwadmin Leave a Comment

In today’s busy world, stress seems unavoidable. There is more to do than there are hours in the day, and our digital lifestyle means that we’re always on call. Self-care seems like a luxury and it often feels impossible to prioritize ourselves and our health.

Not only is this constant, chronic stress bad for our mental health, but it can have a significant impact on physical health as well. Several studies have found links between stress and heart disease, according to the American Heart Association.

Stress Can Harm the Heart

Specifically, stress can lead to high blood pressure, which, in turn, can increase the risk of heart attack, stroke and related incidents. In addition, stress often causes us to adopt unhealthy lifestyle choices as we struggle to cope. These habits, such as overeating, lack of physical activity and smoking, can also negatively impact heart health.

There are other physical ailments that are stress-related, including headaches, insomnia, upset stomach, muscle aches and low energy. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, contact your doctor to eliminate other possible causes.

How Can We Reduce Stress?

The best way to minimize stress is to get back to basics. Focus on eating well and moving more. Try to get more – and more high-quality – sleep. Spend time with family and friends. Yoga, meditation and journaling can create feelings of balance. If feelings of stress persist or feel unmanageable, talk to a doctor or mental health professional.

Protect the hearts of those around you by taking a CPR/AED and first aid course at one of HeartCert CPR’s convenient Minnesota locations. Register for a course today.

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?

5 years ago by bwadmin Leave a Comment

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.

Find your CPR class at any of our convenient Twin Cities locations, including our new headquarters, HeartCert CPR Eagan.

HeartCert Designated an AHA Training Center

5 years ago by bwadmin Leave a Comment

HeartCert CPR is pleased to announce that, after serving the public for over 10 years, it has recently entered into an agreement with the American Heart Association (AHA) to become an official AHA Training Center.

This puts HeartCert in a better position to serve its customers, instructors and the general public. As an official Training Center, HeartCert will be able to operate directly under and with the AHA for more efficient operations, lower costs and greater potential for continued growth.

When designating its Training Centers, the AHA looks at a multitude of factors including the company history, marketing, past and future growth, company stability, operations and more. The fact that HeartCert was selected through such an in-depth process validates our years of hard work to serve you.

Training Centers operate directly with the AHA and are able to teach instructor courses, sell CPR certification cards and provide support to anyone wanting or needing to teach or take a CPR class. We are humbled, honored and excited about this next step for HeartCert, which will help us better serve the entire Twin Cities CPR community – and beyond!

If you are interested in taking a CPR course or becoming an instructor, HeartCert has the tools, processes and instructors to serve you. Contact us today to see how we can help!

HeartCert CPR is your trusted training partner for CPR, ACLS, PALS, EMR and First Aid in the Twin Cities and throughout Minnesota. We now offer online, night and weekend classes to fit your busy schedule!

Find your CPR class at any of our convenient Twin Cities locations, including our new headquarters, HeartCert CPR Eagan.

Did you know Good Samaritan laws protect bystanders who perform CPR?

5 years ago by bwadmin Leave a Comment

In an earlier blog post, we discussed some of the common reasons that bystanders don’t perform CPR when they encounter someone in cardiac arrest. The reasons given include fear of causing additional harm and of touching a person inappropriately. Another common reason is the fear of legal action should something go wrong.

legal — photo credit: @jaifoto accessed 11/20/19 via CC0

According to new research, that fear isn’t really justified. There are very few lawsuits ever filed in connection with performing CPR. In fact, the failure to perform CPR has led to significantly more legal action.

Good Samaritan Laws Protect Bystanders

Every state in the U.S., including Minnesota, has some form of a “Good Samaritan” law. These laws offer legal protection to people who provide reasonable assistance if they believe someone is injured or in danger. This is one of the primary reasons that people who perform bystander CPR are not very likely to be brought to court, and if they are, that they will be protected. Everyone should call 9-1-1 and give help to the best of their ability.

Ultimately, the best way to avoid any apprehension or fear over performing bystander CPR is to take a CPR training course! All of these barriers to act are comprehensively covered to help you feel prepared in case of an emergency. Sign up today and be ready if and when the need arises.

HeartCert CPR is your trusted training partner for CPR, ACLS, PAL, EMR and First Aid in the Twin Cities and throughout Minnesota. We now offer online, night and weekend classes to fit your busy schedule!

Find your CPR class at any of our convenient Twin Cities locations, including our new headquarters, HeartCert CPR Eagan.

Performing Bystander CPR During COVID-19

The Risk of Contracting Coronavirus When Performing Bystander CPR

CPR Could Save Your Family Member