Are you considering becoming certified in first aid and CPR? There are many personal and professional benefits to receiving this type of training. Following are three great reasons why receiving proper first aid and CPR training will provide you with significant advantages in life.

You'll Increase the Safety of Your Loved Ones

If you have small children in your home, you probably already familiar with many first aid basics, such as how to properly clean, treat, and bandage a small wound, remove a splinter, and treat a sprained ankle. Formal first aid training will further prepare you to keep your children and other loved ones safe in the event of emergencies both inside the home and out.

For instance, first aid skills frequently come in handy during family camping trips where medical assistance may be many miles away, and they will also allow you to help others during the aftermath of natural disasters. You'll also be prepared to assist as much as possible if you should find yourself involved in an automobile accident.

  • If you've got young children in your care, you can take advantage of first aid courses specifically designed for common issues that may arise in infants and young children, including training in how to recognize the symptoms of meningitis.
  • On the other hand, if you care for elderly loved ones or work in a senior care facility, a first aid course designed for issues likely to arise in seniors will be beneficial to you, such as how to proceed in the event of sudden cardiac arrest.

You'll Expand Your Career Possibilities

With more and more workplaces requiring employees to be skilled in first aid and CPR basics, you'll significantly expand your career options by receiving the proper training. Many companies have designated safety officers who are responsible for making certain that Occupational Health and Safety Guidelines (OSHA) regulations are adhered to in the workplace at all times, and these officers are usually required to have current first aid and CPR certificates.

In many industries such as mining, transportation, and manufacturing, state and federal regulations specify that a certain number of employees are qualified to administer first aid and CPR in the event of everything from minor mishaps such as small, accidental cuts to major emergencies such as cardiac arrest.

  • OSHA guidelines are becoming increasingly stricter in many industries, meaning that companies are increasing the number of employees who possess official safety certifications.
  • Companies may also receive breaks on insurance costs by maintaining a certain percentage of staff that's trained in first aid and CPR.
  • According to the American Heart Association, companies stand to gain significant financial benefits by investing in workplace wellness.
  • Automatic external defibrillator (AED) are becoming increasingly common in workplaces, and there is a large demand for those who are trained in the proper use of these devices.

 You May Save Lives

One of the biggest differences you can make if you are familiar with advanced CPR techniques such as how to properly operate an AED is that you may be instrumental in saving lives.

According to the Red Cross, up to 50,000 lives could be saved on an annual basis if more people were trained in the proper use of AEDs. Time is extremely valuable when dealing with cardiac arrest, and it generally takes from between 8 to 12 minutes for an ambulance to arrive on the scene -- and each minute that goes by without treatment decreases the person's chance of survival.

Whether for personal or professional reasons or perhaps a mixture of both, first aid and CPR training can only enhance your quality of life as well as that of those around you.

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