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CPR Instructor Resources

An active CPR instructor will have to acquire certification through an accredited company, such as the American Heart Association or the American Red Cross. At the teacher training class, materials (instructor manual and class DVD) will be given to him so that he may study on his own time. Although CPR classes have a specific structure, there is some room for creativity in presentation. Outside research may also be beneficial to prepare him for student questions not covered in his manual.

  1. Instructor Manual

    • After taking a teacher training class at an accredited company, a CPR instructor will be given a manual and in some cases a DVD covering all class material. The instructor's manual for the American Red Cross lists the course purpose, the course prerequisites, the required student-to-teacher ratio and the minimum amount of information that can be given on each topic presented for students to be properly trained. It lists the materials needed for each segment so that the teacher may be prepared ahead of time. It signals the teacher on when he should play video segments, when he should stop to demonstrate skills, when he should have students join him in skills practice and when he should give the test. It also includes a copy of the tests, which can be duplicated according to how many students are in each class, and the answer key for the teacher to correct the tests.

    Quick Reference

    • It is possible, even with sufficient training, to forget details and make mistakes during CPR practice and application. Students, like teachers, will have a book to take home with summary charts of the skills they learned. The teacher may recommend that they cut out these charts from their books for quick reference. The American Red Cross student booklet has quick reference charts for the following skills: adult CPR, child CPR and infant CPR; first aid for wounds to soft tissue; first aid for injuries to muscles, bones and joints; how to use an inhaler; how to use an epinephrine auto-injector; and what to do for poisoning.

    Online Resources

    • To aid his classroom lecture, a CPR instructor should understand why CPR helps the victim instead of simply listing the steps. For example, Firstaidweb.com states that a failing heart "prevents oxygen from circulating throughout the body, rapidly killing cells and tissue. In essence, Cardio (heart) Pulmonary (lung) Resuscitation (revive, revitalize) serves as an artificial heartbeat and an artificial respirator." Another class motivator is the presentation of statistics, such as this statistic from the American Heart Association: "Effective bystander CPR, provided immediately after cardiac arrest, can double a victim's chance of survival." An instructor may collect statistics relevant to the state in which he and his students live and work.

    Guest Speakers

    • If an instructor would like to make his class especially engaging, he may contact an emergency medical provider in his area and ask for off-duty emergency medical personnel to come and speak at his class. He should ask specifically for stories involving successful CPR performance from a civilian.

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