If you have received your cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) certification in the past, well done. But how long has it been since you were recertified or took a refresher course? The more time that has gone by since you learned CPR, the more you’ve likely forgotten.
The current recommendation is to take a CPR certification course once every two years to keep the knowledge and skills fresh in your memory so you can remember what to do in case of an emergency. Read on to learn more about why you should take a CPR refresher course.
1. Techniques and Best Practices Change
CPR best practices and techniques change over time. Even in the past 10 years, the recommended way to perform CPR has changed in pretty significant ways. Thanks to advancements in medical research and practices, the way we provide CPR today looks different from years past.
For example, mouth-to-mouth resuscitation is no longer considered necessary. Instead, today’s CPR methods call for administering more chest compressions and fewer breaths than in the past. This both reduces the risk of sharing saliva-born pathogens between the CPR giver and receiver and helps administer lifesaving treatment faster.
Getting your CPR recertification ensures that you stay up to date on the best ways to properly give CPR. You’ll see what’s changed since your last CPR course and learn how to administer this lifesaving technique in the current, most effective way.
2. Memory Fades Over Time — and Quickly
So you have your CPR certification, which is great news. But do you remember exactly what to do in the event of an emergency? Chances are, even if you think you do, you may not remember everything. And this can mean the difference between life and death for someone who needs your help.
Studies show that CPR skill retention begins to fade within a few months of initial training and continues to decline as more time passes. In fact, less than half of people who have CPR certification can pass skills tests a year after their initial training.
If you feel like you’re beginning to forget exactly how to perform CPR, you are not alone! Taking a CPR refresher course can keep these lifesaving techniques fresh in your memory so you can immediately and confidently take action when someone needs your help.
3. It Is Easier Than Ever to Get Recertified
It wasn’t too long ago that the only way to get certified in CPR was to take an in-person class. Today, online CPR courses offer high-quality instruction and course materials you can access from the comfort of your home, on your schedule. Online CPR courses make it easy to stay current on these lifesaving skills without spending time commuting to class and using up precious “free” minutes that you could spend doing something else. When you take an online CPR refresher course, you can access your course material at any time, day or night, anywhere you have access to the internet.
4. Your Employer May Require It
In many careers, being up to date on your CPR skills and renewing your certificate is a requirement, particularly in the healthcare field. If you want to keep your job, you must get your CPR renewal every two years (or more often, depending on the job). Even some office jobs and other positions (e.g., childcare, law enforcement) requires employees to be CPR-certified.
Even if your job doesn’t require CPR certification, it’s a great way to demonstrate your drive to learn and be helpful. Getting your CPR recertification is a great way to stand out from the crowd when applying to new jobs or when asking for a promotion, too.
5. CPR-Certified Individuals Are Needed Now More Than Ever
Only a little over 2% of Americans are certified in CPR. This is a startling statistic, considering that nearly 350,000 people experience sudden cardiac arrest outside of a hospital setting, most often at home. Learning and performing early CPR can increase a person’s likelihood of survival significantly, and chances are, it will be someone you love and care about. Keeping your CPR certification up to date is the best way to keep your skills fresh and feel confident.
6. Stay Confident in Your Ability to Save a Life
If you don’t regularly practice your CPR skills, you may forget certain details in the event of an emergency. Realizing you’ve forgotten these essential skills when facing an emergency is the worst time to discover that you don’t remember what to do. CPR refresher courses are designed to help you move quickly through the skills you remember and spend more time on the course material that you may need to revisit. This will give you the confidence you need to think clearly, act quickly, and do the right thing in an emergency.
Where to Take an Online CPR Refresher Course
The American Academy of CPR and First Aid offers online CPR training courses, online CPR recertification, and online CPR refresher courses for medical professionals, first responders, and the general public. Over a million people have received their CPR training from our affordable, accessible online courses that are accepted by organizations and institutions throughout the country.