Damn, I have to pay $35 to get my CPR certification re-newed...

[Reverend_Smitty]

I'm sure most people have to pay that and upwards of $70 to get my level of certification for the first time, but I'm used to paying $5 every year for this. Usually I would get it re-done through school or have a friend who was instructor certified let me challenge. The only way I can keep my professional certification is if I'm CPR certified, so really I have no choice but it just bugs me that I have to pay so much this year. If only I wasn't a lazy ass and let my own CPR Instructor certification lapse last year, I could have taught the damn class and got my re-cert for free. And thankfully I was able to find my pocket mask or that would have been another $15! So now it looks like I've got to drive across the county shell out $35 bucks, and sit in a class for 3 hours (a "refresher") that will no doubt bore me out of my mind when I could have conceivably taught the damn thing myself! :mad: Just goes to show laziness doesn't pay!

[Roon]

1. What's a pocket mask? eom

[Reverend_Smitty]

2. One of these...

it allows you to preform rescue breathing while maintain a barrier between yourself and the victim. You could also hook an oxygen tank up to them as well.

[Roon]

7. Oh, ok.

You have to be brave to perform CPR. There have been two incidents where CPR was needed and I froze up in both cases and let someone else do it. I am chicken, I know...

[Reverend_Smitty]

8. Fortunately I've never had to perform it for real...

and hopefully I never have to so who knows how I'd actually react in that situation. I have however been present in other stressful situations (albeit not as life threatening), controlling massive bleeding, broken bones, and even assisted in a c-spine incident or two...and to tell you the truth I found it to be a little exhilarating

[Heddi]

3. The good thing is that, if it's required for your job

you can deduct it on taxes!

[Reverend_Smitty]

5. Usually employers will pay for it but...

I'm in between jobs right now. I graduated college last May, didn't do anything in my field this year and am going to have a graduate assistantship in the fall but it's an even bigger pain in the ass to lose my professional certification so it's in my best interest to keep my CPR certification. I'm just mad because the out of pocket expenses of this are essentially all my own fault

[mtnester]

4. Lapser! If you had stayed current you could have taken the written test online

and then scheduled a 5 minute practical and walked out with your card.

:)

At least you aren't one those HCP's who call at 1700 hours and say they need their practical by tomorrow morning or they cannot report for work..are you? :P

:)

[Reverend_Smitty]

6. well techincally I'm still current until May 3rd...

but I looked on my local Red Cross website and didn't see anything about an online test and 5 minute practical. If so I'd be soooooo all over that! I'm usually on top of these things but I'm out of work now so it wasn't a top priority for me

[mtnester]

9. Can it be AHA? Where I work, we are an AHA certified location

and you can take your recertification written test online, and schedule that quickie practical at an AHA center (many fire departments have an AHA certified person).

Lots of health care providers, who are the WORST about waiting until they can no longer get a paycheck to try and certify by TOMORROW (not you, I was kidding bfore, but this happens all the TIME)

Most AHA centers can accomodate a practical very quickly.

[Reverend_Smitty]

10. I've only ever been certified by the Red Cross

So I'm not sure how the AHA thing works. I don't think they would let someone challenge a course that they've never "technically" taken. I could be wrong and it never hurts to call the local office, I'm going to call the Red Cross office tomorrow too to see if I have any other options.

[mtnester]

11. Ask them if their CPR class/certification is actually American Heart Association

I think it is.

[Reverend_Smitty]

13. I would imagine it would be...

I mean how many ways are there to do CPR? I'll do some digging tomorrow when the local offices are open

[trof]

12. It should be free to all who want to learn.

That's just dumb.

[Reverend_Smitty]

14. I agree

or at least pay to cover administrative costs (which is usually in the 5-10 dollar range). I would imagine paying 40-80 dollars for a course would deter people willing to learn, and it's certainly a skill everyone should know

[trof]

15. Basic course used to be free from Red Cross.

Another reason they ain't real high on my 'worthwhile institutions' list.

I learned in miltary.
They wanted EVERYONE to know how, and rightly so.

[Reverend_Smitty]

16. and they make you renew it every year..

which in and of itself is not a bad thing because I read that most people forget 60% of what they learned in a first aid class after the first year but they just charge too much for that stuff for an average person to keep up with it. I'm forced to maintain my certification so I have no choice