According to the American Heart Association, of the 1.5 million Americans who have a heart attack, about 350,000 of them die each year because they don't reach the hospital in time. Many of these lives would most likely be saved had someone been there to perform a procedure called cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). This life-saving procedure gets performed when someone stops breathing or their heart stops beating. Unfortunately, less than 70% of Americans don't know how to do CPR or they are not up-to-date on their CPR training.
If you've never thought about becoming CPR certified, here are three reasons you should think about it.
1. You Can Help Prevent Irreversible Brain Damage
Besides saving lives, you can also help to prevent irreversible brain damage in those whose heart has stopped beating or they have stopped breathing. It takes just one minute for brain cells to stop dying when the brain is no longer receiving oxygen.
When someone suffers a lack of oxygen to their brain, it can result in brain damage that can cause cerebral palsy and other disorders. By performing CPR right away, you could be preventing this irreversible damage to the brain.
2. It Can Help You Land a Job
Most jobs in the medical field require its employees to have gone through CPR training or be CPR certified. There are also many non-medical jobs that require this training or certification. Some of these jobs include:
- Fireman
- Athletic trainer
- Child care provider
- Flight attendant
- Lifeguard
- Social worker
If you apply for any of these types of jobs and already know CPR, it might increase your chances of landing the job.
3. You Will Be More Confident in a Medical Emergency
About 68.5% of all cardiac arrests that occur in the United States happen at home. If someone at home were to experience cardiac arrest, knowing CPR would help you feel more confident to help your loved one during this type of emergency.
About 21% of cardiac arrests happen in public. Oftentimes when someone does experience this type of medical emergency in public, there are many helpless bystanders who have no idea what to do. While it's helpful for them to call 911, it might be too late by the time they get there.
If you were ever in this type of situation, your CPR training would give you the confidence to know what to do. Even if it's not cardiac arrest, going through CPR training can help you feel more calm and confident no matter what the situation. Contact a service, like emergency and health training center, for more help.
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