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CPR Refresher Training

CPR refresher training is intended for individuals who are already certified in CPR but whose certificates will expire soon or for those who feel they need to update their skills to be more confident in an emergency situation. Occasionally, refresher courses are required by employers who might pay for them. Many CPR refresher and recertification courses are available in a variety of settings, including online, and are generally a relatively inexpensive way to keep up with your CPR and emergency skills.

  1. Online CPR Refresher Courses

    • One of the easiest ways to complete your CPR refresher and recertification training is to use web-based classrooms. Make sure the course is certified by the American Heart Association and follows Red Cross guidelines before taking it. Some websites that offer this course are www.cpraedcourse.com, www.iCPRi.com and www.proCPR.org.

    Other CPR Course Possibilities

    • Beyond the Internet, many community colleges offer CPR and CPR refresher programs as well as first aid and emergency training courses. If the CPR refresher is required by an employer, an instructor might teach it at the place of employment.

    What to Expect

    • CPR refresher courses provide an overview of the general CPR guidelines. Topics include CPR training, reviewing major CPR procedures and when it should be performed and how it works.

    Airway

    • Students should understand and be able to perform the head tilt/chin lift procedure for infants, children and adults.

    Breaths

    • Initial breaths should be two breaths at one second per breath before moving on to compressions. For foreign body airway obstructions, back blows and abdominal thrusts are required for adults and children, while infants receive back slaps and chest thrusts.

    Compression

    • Compression should be performed in the middle of the chest between the nipples for adults and children and just below the nipples for infants. Depending on the age and size of the individual, the compression method will vary. Adults and older children should have hard compressions using two hands--the heel of one hand and the other on top. One hand is used for small children, while only two fingers should be used for infants. The compression rate for all individuals is 100 compressions per minute, at a ratio of 30 compressions to one breath.

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