What Happens in a CPR Class?

CPR classes are used to certify people in basic life-saving skills. After you register, you go to a designated area such as a hospital, gym or fire hall to take the class. You sign in when you get there and then the class begins.

Seat

• The first thing you do is find a seat. At your seat, there will be a manual and some tools you are going to need in the class. These are gloves, wet wipes and a plastic mouth shield.

Reading

• The instructor then goes through the manual. She reads some, and she usually asks students to read some as well. The material that you read is the process of CPR, case studies and details about breaths and compressions.

Videos

• After you go over the manual, you then watch videos that match the material you read about. For example, the videos show simulations of possible situations that you might face in the real world like heart attack victims, choking victims and accident victims.

Practice

• You then get your gloves, wet wipes and mouth covers out and go to a practice dummy. The instructor then walks you through various situations and you practice checking the scene, calling for help and caring for the victim. This is called "Call, Check, Care". Then you practice the breathing and compressions.

Test

• After reading, watching and practicing, you take a break and come back into the classroom. You then sit down and take a twenty-question written test that is located in the back of the manual.

Results

• You then hand in your test and your instructor grades it in the spot. If you pass, you get a wallet-sized certification card. If you fail, your instructor will go over your answers with you and you will get a revised version of the test.