American Red Cross

I took a six-​hour first aid, CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation), and AED (automated external defibrillator) training course taught by an instructor from the American Red Cross. This was a voluntary course provided courtesy of my employer. The American Red Cross instructor came to our office in Marietta and conducted the training in one of our office building’s large conference rooms.
Our instructor was Marquetta Smith. She was a very direct, straightforward instructor. There were moments she conducted the training almost like a drill sergeant, but she was also funny and did a good job holding my attention. She brought with her a bunch of training materials, which included, for each student:
* Disposable latex-​free gloves
* Breathing barrier /​face shield
* Non-​woven sponge /​gauze (2)
* Stretchy roller bandage 3 inches x 4.1 yards
* Actar Manikin (educational practice dummy)
* Electronic AED training simulation devices
* Knee cushions
* «Ready Reference» placard guide
The instruction was a combination of presentation slides, cheesy (but educational) videos, direct instruction, and hands-​on training. The «boring» parts of the training were the slides and videos. I was more engaged when Marquetta stood up and spoke to us directly. The class covered a lot of material in six hours. It was more material than I was expecting and I think it was perhaps too much material to take in in the time allotted. We learned, to American Red Cross standards, how to:
* Administer CPR
* Use an AED machine (which seems to be foolproof)
* Help a choking individual
* Identify and help someone who has had a heart attack, stroke, seizure, diabetic episode, or heat stroke /​heat exhaustion
* Treat an open wound
* React in an emergency situation in a timely manner when someone is hurt
In order to pass the course and get certified, Marquetta had to observe us perform the above tasks in simulated scenarios. Not only did we practice on dummies, but we practiced on our colleagues too (which was funny). We had to correctly follow all of the steps, which seem to always start off with:
1. Checking to see if the scene is safe
2. Asking the individual if he/​she is okay
3. Telling the individual that you are trained and asking for his/​her consent to administer care
4. Having 911 called and requesting an AED
5. Administering care
After the course, I felt pretty confident in my CPR and AED skills, as well as the skills I learned in helping a choking individual. However, I was still a bit fuzzy (and admittedly still am) when it came to identifying and helping those suffering from a heart attack, stroke, seizure, diabetic episode, or heat stroke/​exhaustion. I felt instruction on those topics was rushed and we covered them too fast. Fortunately, I can go back and read about these topics online at American Red Cross’ web site as well as take online refresher courses, but it would have been nice to have left the course feeling confident about all the abilities and skills I had just been certified for.
Our six-​hour class included a couple five-​minute breaks and a small lunch break. We continued to review slides during most of the lunch break. There was Q&A throughout and Marquetta did a good job answering our questions for the most part.
In the end, I am glad I signed up for the course. I received a two-​year first aid, CPR, and AED certification from the American Red Cross. Who knows? Just one of the skills I learned in the class could help save someone’s life one day and that makes it worth it.