CPR & First Aid Instructor Training

The American Heart Association and the American Red Cross are the best known organizations for cardiopulmonary resuscitation and first aid classes. They spread public health information and teach CPR to workers, professionals and communities all over America. To become a CPR and first aid instructor, it will be useful to seek training from an accredited organization that schools, organizations and community centers will recognize.

Background

• When taking class from a nationally recognized organization, it is likely that the student will spend the first portion of the class reviewing that organization's history and mission statement. Most humanitarian organizations focused on public health are led by volunteers and instructors who work for the mission rather than the pay. The organizations must ensure that they present a consistent and professional face to the public they teach and serve.

Skills

• Teacher training classes not only go over CPR and first aid material. Instructors will be taught effective teaching methods, how to present information, how to facilitate discussions and task groups and how to teach psychomotor skills, as stated in the American Red Cross teacher training manual. Potential instructors are taught important nuances in setting and environment that can make or break a class. Most instructor classes will involve public speaking exercises to ensure that teachers will feel comfortable in front of students for long periods of time.

Assessment

• Potential instructors must be taught how to assess student progress openly and fairly. Because instructors are teaching lifesaving skills, there can be little room for student error. Each organization will have its own objectives that students must complete to gain certification. Most importantly, instructors must be taught to be assertive with each student, assessing skill practice and tests equally regardless of age, gender or background.

Teaching

• Potential instructors will be taught to use multimedia provided by the organization they wish to teach for. The American Red Cross requires instructors to use video, lecture and monitored skill practice on manikins. Once an instructor has demonstrated that he understands CPR and first aid, can perform all the skills, can speak easily in front of students and can teach fairly and assertively, he will be asked to sign the organization's code of conduct. Upon instructor certification, that instructor can work independently at schools, community centers and companies that require certifications. He will borrow class materials from his organization, the organization will take a predetermined amount of the profits made, and the rest goes directly to the instructor for his time.