My very first exposure to CPR came in high school when we were required to learn it as part of our sophomore health curriculum. I remember feeling overwhelmed with all the details, such as clearing the airway, how many breaths to give and for how long, when to switch to chest compressions, and the differences between CPR for children and CPR for adults. In today's society, having to perform mouth-to-mouth resuscitation on a complete stranger makes many people feel uncomfortable to the point where they are hesitant to jump in when the need arises.

Hands-only CPR, otherwise known as compression-only CPR, is a new innovation that is just as effective as conventional CPR, yet much simpler to perform. It requires only two steps. First, call 911. Second, push hard and fast on the center of the chest until help arrives. The American Heart Association still advocates learning conventional CPR, especially for individuals whose jobs put them in a situation where they might have to use it to save a life.

Would you know what to do if a situation arose where someone went into cardiac arrest and you had the opportunity to save their life? Sadly, many people would answer no. There are many people, however, who feel that it is important enough to seek out proper training. Who can learn CPR? The answer: Anyone who wants to. Many training programs accept children over the age of ten, provided they strong enough to apply the necessary chest compressions to keep oxygenated blood flowing until help arrives. Many high schools are starting to target teenagers who wish to become CPR-certified. The ACT (Advanced Coronary Treatment) foundation of Canada is providing special funding and curriculum materials to high schools so that they can properly educate their students. Teachers, daycare workers, and parents should be knowledgeable so that if anything happens to a child in their watch, they know what to do immediately. People who work in active jobs such as construction or even people who participate in recreational sports teams should take the time to learn this valuable skill. Cardiac arrest can happen anytime, anywhere. Quick response could be the difference between life and death!

There are many different training options for people wishing to learn CPR. According to the American Heart Association, doing something is better than doing nothing. People are often afraid to jump in because they might do something wrong. Any attempt is better than no attempt when it comes to saving a life. To gain more confidence with compression techniques used in hands-only CPR, as well as learn conventional CPR, one can attend on-site classes with licensed instructors, participate in video training courses in the comfort of your home, or even sign up for an online course. Each of these courses offers advantages depending on your lifestyle and needs. Practice is the best way to improve and feel comfortable enough.

In conclusion, the more people who take the time to practice CPR techniques, the better the chance that they will be able to save a life in a crucial moment. There are many cardiac arrest survivors who are alive because some knowledgeable stranger jumped to action at the moment of truth.