First Aid and CPR at Home: Save a Loved One’s Life

Statistics reveal that 80 percent of individuals experiencing sudden cardiac arrest collapse at home. However, according to the American Heart Association, early cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) can buy valuable time by maintaining some blood flow to the heart and brain until trained emergency assistance arrives.

By knowing CPR techniques and first aid basics, you might just save a loved one’s life.

Taking first aid and CPR courses, offered by Health Ed Solutions, a leading provider of continuing education solutions for healthcare professionals and the general public, can provide you with the ability and confidence to administer first aid or CPR or even use an automated external defibrillator (AED) should an emergency situation require it.

CPR saves lives

CPR certification can be an invaluable asset if a family member experiences sudden cardiac arrest. In fact, children as young as eight years old are able to learn CPR techniques and become CPR certified.

First aid helps you help your family
Anyone with small children knows that scrapes and bumps are inevitable, and some are worse than others. The first aid course will help parents and family members know the proper procedures for handling minor medical procedures, from cleaning up bicycle accident cuts and scrapes to taking care of burns if, for example, a young family member gets too excited about helping in the kitchen.

Knowledge from first aid courses can be especially useful in the outdoors, where dust and dirt can spur infection if cuts and scrapes aren’t cleaned and bandaged properly the first time.

First aid reduces the spread of bloodborne diseases
If you’re administering first aid to a friend or a child’s playmate, first aid knowledge can help you minimize the chances of contracting bloodborne diseases. Knowing the necessary personal protection precautions will help you handle cuts and scrapes that produce blood without putting yourself or others at risk.

Health Ed Solutions, which offers the first aid and CPR courses online, is a valuable resource for medical professionals and non-medical individuals seeking to be better prepared for a medical emergency. Along with first aid certification and CPR certification, Health Ed Solutions offers bloodborne pathogens training online.

The information included in this article is based on the 2020 guidelines for CPR, first aid and advanced cardiovascular care. Read more about the 2020 first aid guidelines.