CPR Certification

Many jobs require current CPR certification proof as a mandatory skill. A CPR certificate is needed for lifeguarding, Boy Scout high adventure trips, camp staff, some teaching positions, personal trainers, and many other jobs. There are many situations in which CPR skills may not be required, but are advantageous to getting a position - babysitting and coaching for example.

There are many online CPR certification sites that offer CPR training online. Be wary of fancy-sounding organization names like "International CPR Foundation", or "InterStellar Heart Association" that offer a certificate. They can say it's "just as good as the Red Cross" or "accepted in place of the AHA certificate". It's up to you to check out their claims and find a program that supports real certification for CPR and AED skills.
Some of the classes listed to the left might be viable training options for you.

Since the certification is so valuable, many people are tempted to find the cheapest, fastest, easiest way to get it rather than to make themselves thoroughly prepared for the task. Investigate some of the training and certification programs listed - I believe you will find that any good, worthwhile program is not cheap, fast, nor easy - no more so than a classroom CPR and AED certification course.

To be meaningfully certified in CPR or First Aid or anything at all, the certificate needs to be issued by a well-known, respected organization in that particular field of knowledge and skills. Certification candidates need to be taught and tested to show that they deserve the certification. In CPR certification, the American Red Cross and American Heart Association are two organizations to offer meaningful certifications that are accepted by most companies, job requirements, and volunteer organizations.

There are some challenges with completing online cpr certification which may include:

• Manual CPR Skills

  - a student can select which way of performing a manual step is correct online, but can not actually DO the skill.

• Security

  - someone else may answer online CPR certification test questions for a candidate.

• Expertise

  - access to a knowledgable instructor to provide guidance, instant answers, and tips.

It's a great idea to prepare for your CPR and First Aid certification by learning as much as you can first. Using online resources is a good way to do that.
The ARC and AHA offer great classes that take from 2 to 8 hours, depending on the course materials covered. A shortened course is available for CPR recertification and the latest accepted procedures are reinforced. Contact your local ARC or AHA office soon.