It started with Illinois enacting a law requiring CPR be taught in high school, and it’s catching like wild fire around the country.
While not many high school students will suffer from cardiac arrest, their parents or grandparents are in a higher percentage category. Some of the questions, or misunderstandings surrounding this new wave of legislation should be addressed.
Can CPR hurt someone if does incorrectly? While most states have a Good Samaritan law protecting volunteers who offer assistance, the bottom line is that any help is better than no help. Keep in mind, the cardiac arrest victim has died, you can’t make the situation any worse.
Training is expensive. Not true. Many schools can partner with organizations that offer training for a small amount, or free. Remember, you don’t have to be certified in CPR to perform it in an emergency. It’s primarily jobs that require certification.
Won’t instruction take away from the real curriculum? Actually, effective instruction for hands-only CPR can be done in as little as thirty minutes.
Can a teenager really perform CPR? Recently an 11 year old girl in 5th grade saved her Grandmother’s life doing hands-only CPR.
