How Long Is CPR Certification?

Learning CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) is easy and can provide a lifetime of satisfaction for the person learning the skills in knowing at any moment they can save a life. But, as with any skill, there are recertification requirements to assure those that know CPR are up on the latest techniques. Certification periods range from a year to two depending on the organization providing the training.

Facts

• About 350,000 people suffer a cardiac arrest each year, with about 166,000 of them dying, according to the American Heart Association. CPR initiated by bystanders the moment someone collapses can dramatically increase the survival rate of sudden cardiac arrests.

Function

• CPR is used when a person has stopped breathing and has gone into sudden cardiac arrest, meaning their heart has stopped and they have no pulse. CPR is used to artificially keep blood moving through the body and provide some level of oxygen until trained medical help can arrive. Once it's confirmed a person is pulse-less and not breathing, a rescuer places a hand on the victim's head, tips it back, and while holding the victim's nose, blows two breaths into their mouth. The rescuer then places the heel of one hand on the center of the person's chest and interlocks their fingers. They then press down, roughly 1½ to 2 inches. After 30 compressions, give two breaths.

Types

• Although basic CPR skills are the same, each training organization has slightly different educational and certification programs. The organizations that oversee CPR training the American Heart Association, the American Red Cross, American Safety and Health Institute and the National Safety Council. Each of the organizations provides different levels of training for professionals, such as nurses and emergency medical services workers, and for the average citizens, or laypeople.

Time Frame

• Recertification periods for the American Red Cross are two years for professional level CPR, and one year for lifeguard CPR. The American Heart Association requires recertification every two years for all levels of CPR training. The National Safety Council's CPR recertification is every two years for professional level, and every three when combined with a first aid course for laypeople. The American Safety and Health Institute's certification period is two years.

Considerations

• If being proficient in CPR is the goal, then follow the guidelines of each training organization's recertification process. The techniques and procedures do change over time, and, at the very least, recertifying allows a person to get some experience doing CPR before a trained instructor.

Benefits

• Statistics suggest an overwhelming majority of the people suffering cardiac arrest die before they get to a hospital. Getting bystanders to begin CPR immediately is a way to improve those statistics. In doing so, the bystander becomes a link in the chain of survival.