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Having a CPR certification can help save the life of someone who has suddenly collapsed or stopped breathing or may have a heart attack. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation involves the use of chest compressions and artificial ventilation to maintain blood flow and oxygenation.
When you take a CPR certification exam, you must be prepared by researching and studying the material you will be tested on. Acing the exam on your first try will save you the money, time, and frustration of having to redo the test. Let’s look at the topics you must study to ace your CPR certification on your first try.
How to use CPR
It would help if you studied how to administer CPR correctly. CPR is often performed by pushing down on the chest of a person who has stopped breathing. You must remember to only push down around two inches, at least 100 times per minute until help arrives or until you can perform rescue breaths. It would help if you also studied where to place your hands when administering CPR compressions and how long each compression cycle lasts.
How to Identify Sudden Cardiac Arrest
You must be able to competently tell the signs of a sudden cardiac arrest. Cardiac arrests cause an abrupt loss of heart function, shortness of breath and consciousness, and might cause death if CPR or emergency care is not performed. You should be able to notice sudden collapses, no pulse, shortness of breath, or unconsciousness as signs of a sudden cardiac arrest. Other signs include chest discomfort or palpitations.
Signs of Choking
You should also be familiar with the signs of choking. Choking is a common emergency that can often lead to death if not treated quickly. If a choking victim is unconscious, they will require chest compressions to expel the foreign object. You can also consider rescue breaths with a barrier device. To be CPR certified, you must know the signs of choking that require CPR, making you more competent.
Understanding the Links in the Chain of Survival
There are critical actions required to help cardiac arrest victims. Being able to complete the critical actions in the chain of survival gives a cardiac arrest victim the best possible chance of survival. The links include early access to the emergency response system, CPR, defibrillation, advanced care, and integrated post-cardiac arrest care. Demonstrating your understanding of the chains of survival will aid you in acing your certification exam.
Pulse Checks and Rescues Breathing
Before CPR, you must check for a pulse and its quality, rate, rhythm, and force. You can do this on the neck or wrist of the victim. If you can’t feel or hear a heartbeat, begin CPR. You should also be able to correctly give rescue breathing by blowing air into a person’s mouth to supply them with vital oxygen.
You should also know how to assess an unresponsive person, how to place an unresponsive in a recovery position, the qualities and types of high-performance CPR, the importance of personal safety and precautions, and how to use the AED. Fully grasping these topics will help save lives and guarantee you to ace your CPR certification on your first try. Click here to know more on where to take up first aid and CPR training courses online.
