Online CPR Training - Is It For You? - Part 1

Well, answer these questions for me: Are you tired of spending 3-5 hours on a weekday evening or Saturday learning CPR & First Aid when you have been through the same class for the last 10 years? Do you have internet access? Would you rather spend a few hours at home, in your comfy PJs, reviewing the content portion of the course and then schedule a short 30-60 minutes classroom session for skills evaluation? Then, online CPR training IS for you! Or, more accurately, “blended training” is for you!

What is the difference between “online training” and “blended training”? Simply put, “online training” usually refers to CPR training that’s 100% online based. If you type ”online cpr training” in a Google search you will see a few companies offering this at the top of the listings. Before you purchase their course, be sure to read their requirements for receiving a certification card. If they do not require you to complete an in-person skills test, then stay away! (Or keep looking down the list until you see the link for www.mycprpros.com. ;-)) Why? Because many employers and regulatory agencies (including the NC Dept. of Child Development) will not recognize certifications offered through 100% online courses that do not require in-person skills testing with a CPR instructor. This is a fact that many of these companies that offer CPR training online recognize. For example, here are actual samples of the “small print” on some of the top listed sites:

Sample #1

“This Site nor any party involved in creating, producing, or delivering this Site or its content, is associated or affiliated with, nor endorsed by American Red Cross or The American Heart Association. Our course is not designed to serve as a substitute for an inperson hands-on class conducted and/or supervised by a qualified instructor.”

Sample #2

“The certificate does not represent, warrant or guaranty that the purchaser is properly prepared or equipped to perform CPR, First Aid, or AED assistance. [Company’s name] role is to provide education to the student using generally accepted scientific guidelines. [Company’s name] does not represent, warrant or guaranty, either explicitly or implicitly, that its certification will comply with the user’s or any third party’s requirements or standards.“

Now, to be fair, most of these companies do offer a refund if you find that their certification is not accepted by your employer or regulatory agency. However, doesn’t having to contact this company, request and wait for a refund, and in the meantime schedule yourself for another CPR course, sort of defeat the purpose of taking online training in the first place - convenience? So, what does all of this mean? Are you back to wasting another weekday evening or Saturday? Absolutely not! Online CPR training is not something to be avoided; online training is something that should be purchased carefully. Make sure you choose a course that provides both online training AND and in-person skills evaluation, also called “blended training”. In part 2 of this series I will discuss the differences and benefits of “blended training”, which is the type of online CPR training MyCPRPros offers.