Learning CPR, a skill that can save lives, is invaluable. It doesn’t take long to master the techniques, and once you complete the course, you get a certificate attesting to your newfound knowledge. But although CPR training always involves learning the two basic techniques―chest compressions and rescue breaths, there are different levels and CPR certifications.
CPR training is generally structured into four courses of varying difficulty to cater to the needs of average citizens, professionals who need CPR as a job requirement, and highly trained medical experts. So, what are the different certification levels for CPR? To answer this question, we’ll discuss the various types of CPR training and certification, their objectives, and the significance of CPR proficiency.
Importance Of CPR Certifications
In North Carolina, heart disease remains the primary cause of death, and 13% of Guilford County citizens say they have poor or fair health, which is slightly above the US average of 12%. Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) and heart failure are mainly caused by various heart conditions and poor health, so these findings suggest that knowing CPR is now more necessary than ever.
Learning CPR can help you react adequately in an SCA emergency and contribute to a positive outcome for the victim. CPR training will build up the required skills to respond adequately in cardiac arrest. CPR classes create an atmosphere where students can overcome fear and gain the confidence to perform the necessary actions during emergencies.
While attending CPR courses, you’ll also get the skills to respond appropriately in other medical situations that cause the heart to stop working, such as choking or drowning. CPR certification is also a requirement in many jobs, including coaches, healthcare workers, and lifeguards. And lastly, CPR training gives people a sense of self-worth as the ability to save lives makes them valuable community members.
CPR Level A: Workplace And Lay Rescuer
Level A CPR certification is the first step for anyone who wants to acquire this lifesaving skill. It’s recommended for lay rescuers and focuses on the two key procedures for adult victims: CPR and choking interventions. Let’s see what CPR Level A training covers:
- Adult CPR and AED use: You’ll learn how to provide cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to adults and operate an automated external defibrillator (AED).
- Choking relief: You need to recognize the signs of an adult choking, clear the airways, and help them breathe again.
- Duration and certification: The course covers all the necessary material in 3 hours. At the end of the course, you’ll have the confidence to handle a crisis and a certification to prove it. The provider will issue a digital certificate and a physical card on the same day.
People witness over 90% of cardiac arrests happening outside of hospitals, so CPR Level A training is crucial for encouraging proactive emergency response in homes and workplaces. As a society, we must ensure CPR training is widely known and accessible to all Greensboro citizens.
CPR Level B: Childcare Workers
CPR Level B covers pediatric CPR and treatment of infants and children until age 7. It’s intended for babysitters, nannies, and daycare workers and focuses on the different approaches to child and infant patients and their needs. In these courses, childcare professionals gain practical skills for emergencies involving infants and little children.
Among the essential elements of this training are:
- Pediatric CPR and AED: You’ll learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation techniques for infants and children, including how to properly press the chest and provide rescue breaths adapted to a smaller body. The course also teaches AED protocols for safe and successful use in children.
- Airway obstruction management: The course covers methods for dealing with the most frequent emergencies in children, like choking, including both aware and unconscious children and babies.
- Practical skills application: You’ll practice administering one-rescuer CPR in a realistic setting on a manikin. You’ll also learn to identify the symptoms of choking and provide adequate assistance.
CPR Level C: Comprehensive CPR Skills
CPR Level C satisfies the need for both expert and layperson knowledge, teaching you how to react in a wide range of emergencies and help victims of all ages in different situations. These courses include all instruction in levels A and B, adding CPR techniques for two rescuers to the curriculum.
Level C covers adult, infant, and child CPR and AED protocols. It’s the most comprehensive course intended for first responders like the police, firefighters, and lifeguards. Teachers, coaches, and security guards are also among the ones who need CPR Level C certification.
Basic Life Support (BLS)
The most advanced course is Basic Life Support (BLS), which is tailored to the specific needs of paramedics and other healthcare professionals. While CPR Level C may be the norm in most workplaces and communities, BLS is designed for workers in healthcare facilities. You’ll get expert knowledge in handling complicated medical situations because the program emphasizes team-based care and more advanced treatments.
In contrast to the other CPR certifications, often valid for two years, BLS certification needs renewal every one to two years. So, if you want to keep your BLS certification valid, you must recertify your lifesaving abilities before the specified expiry date.
Differences Between CPR Levels
All the levels of cardiopulmonary resuscitation differ in the knowledge and abilities they offer and the people they are designed to help. Here, we have summarized the main distinctions between the CPR levels:
- CPR Level A: It teaches basic CPR for workers and bystanders, with an emphasis on adults.
- CPR Level B: This supplement to CPR Level A, teaches how to provide CPR to infants and young children.
- CPR Level C: These courses teach all advanced CPR techniques, including two-rescuer CPR. It covers CPR needs in adults, children, and newborns.
- Basic Life Support (BLS): This course teaches advanced CPR techniques for healthcare professionals and emergency responders.
With each new level comes a deeper comprehension of CPR procedures and the ability to help more people in crisis.
Benefits Of CPR Certification
Getting CPR-certified offers a multitude of advantages, which include:
- Being ready to provide an effective response in emergencies
- Expanded employment opportunities, particularly in the safety and healthcare sectors
- Self-assurance in your capacity to preserve lives
- Adhering to occupational health and safety mandates
- Advancing the welfare and security of the community
Cost Of CPR Certification
The level of certification, the instructor, and the location all have a role in how much it will cost to get CPR certified. CPR Level A and Level B certification programs typically cost between $20 and $60. Prices for CPR Level C and Basic Life Support (BLS) classes may range from $60 to $100 and more.
You can also find a cheaper CPR certification online course, with fees beginning at $19.99, but a classroom course is always preferable to an online one. A classroom setting is the way to go if you are looking for comprehensive and certified CPR training. Hands-on experience, immediate feedback, and interactive learning opportunities make it the better choice.
Choosing The Right CPR Level For You
We hope we have provided a clear and comprehensive answer to the question, “What are the Different Certification Levels for CPR?” If you want to know which CPR certification level is right for you, you should familiarize yourself with the many options.
Your role and responsibilities should guide your decision on the minimum required degree of CPR training. CPR Level A training may be adequate if you are a lay rescuer or need it for compliance purposes on the job. As an additional credential to Level A, CPR Level B is advised for everyone who works with little children.
CPR Level C is required for professionals but is accessible to anyone who wants to gain a deeper understanding of CPR. To determine what level of CPR is right for you, consider your needs, job requirements and talk to your boss or the relevant authority.