Finding the Right Pediatric CPR Classes

The idea of having to provide life-saving CPR or first aid on a child or infant is anxiety-provoking when you think about it. Certainly if you’re going to get pediatric CPR training, you want to receive the best training there is, because if something should actually happen, you want to know what you’re doing. Unfortunately, when you search the internet, there are tons of pediatric CPR classes out there. How do you know which one to choose? There are a few factors you may want to consider when shopping for one.

Why are you taking the class?

Your motivation for seeking out pediatric CPR classes is important because you may end up choosing a training with content that is incongruent with your needs. Many CPR classes are geared towards certain audiences. Are you a mother desiring information on emergency care, a healthcare employee needing certification, or an employer needing on-site training for employees? If you look at this webpage, for example, http://www.jtacpr.com/child-care-industry-classes/, this company offers multiple options for on-site trainings and individual training with varying levels of cost. The company’s pediatric CPR training is valid in all 50 states and is EMSA approved for California. But not all companies offer this broad of a variety of options and one size may not fit all, so make sure you are getting a class which suits your needs.

Are you getting training in the type of emergencies you will see?

Look at the descriptions of the pediatric CPR classes to see what the specific content will be. All classes should be updated to reflect CPR content for the revised American Heart Association 2010 guidelines, but you also want to see what is being covered in the first aid section. A review of various programs indicates some dramatic topics being covered; open chest wounds, impalements and other severe injuries that do not seem to fall under the topic of typical pediatric first aid.

Taking another look at the website previously referenced, http://www.jtacpr.com/child-care-industry-classes/, there’s a pretty good listing on there of first aid emergencies that should be covered and first aid tools that people should know how to use, such as an Epinephrine pen and a nebulizer. There is an entire module on asthma care, a common first aid need that can be frightening for children and bystanders. An online resource library consisting of the supportive handouts given in class is offered to participants in case it is needed.

Look for the personal and the professional

Finally, take a look at who is doing the training. How qualified is the trainer, and who are they? Does the company send just anyone to do the training, or does the website have pictures, biographies and information on his or her qualifications for teaching this class? Is the company willing to come to your home, business, or organization or must you come to a different location? If you are getting CPR and first aid training in a setting where an emergency is likely to take place, it may be better to have on-site training.

There are many factors to consider when choosing pediatric CPR training, but once you have some guidelines, it becomes easier to make a decision that is a good fit for your needs.

Weston Barnes is a write and an avid reader. When he's not writing about business, marketing, health, pets, or relationships, he's immersed in his latest book.