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If you’re a parks and recreation professional, you may benefit from pursuing certain health certifications. Depending on your position, recommended certifications will vary from first aid and CPR to more advanced certifications like automated external defibrillator (AED) use. But the need to learn and adapt is a constant across the field, according to Stephanie Stephens, the executive director for the Colorado Parks and Recreation Association (CPRA).

“It’s about sharing best practices, learning the latest technology and making sure that we're providing the best programs that we can for our clientele,” she said.

In an interview with Health Ed Solutions, Stephens discussed the importance of pursuing health certifications and educational opportunities in the parks and recreation field.

Recommended certifications

According to Stephens, there are not any overarching certification requirements for all parks and recreation professionals. However, there are certifications that are commonly recommended.

Parks and recreation professionals can become a “Certified Park and Recreation Professional” through a process administered by the National Recreation and Park Association. While it is not universally required, Stephens recommended the certification as a means to set oneself apart from other parks and recreation professionals.

“The designation really shows that you've gone to a higher level and that you believe in the parks and recreation profession,” she said.

Stephens also said that some individual agencies do require job applicants to have the certification. 

CPR and first aid certification are required for some parks and recreation positions. Stephens said that whether the certification is required varies based on a person’s position within an organization, but she also recommended that all professionals within the field pursue certification.

Advanced certifications

Parks and recreation professionals who want to go above and beyond basic First Aid and CPR certification may choose to pursue additional advanced certifications. Advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) courses and pediatric advanced life support (PALS) courses are only available to licensed healthcare professionals, such as doctors and first responders; however, professionals seeking a higher level of certification can pursue training in AED use.

Continuing education

While continuing education is not required of parks and recreation professionals Stephens emphasized that they should continue to pursue additional training and education opportunities over the course of their career.

“At CPRA, our main goal is to educate and share best practices with our members,” she said. “Our folks need to make sure that they are on the cutting edge [of health education]. Sometimes maybe it’s not that you're learning something new, but maybe being able to apply it in a different way or bringing it from the back of your brain to the front of your brain.”

Health Ed Solutions

Health Ed Solutions offers ACLS online courses for certification as well as ACLS recertification. HES also offers BLS, first aid, CPR and AED courses. These courses are geared toward workplace training and other individuals required to complete credentialed first aid, CPR and AED training.