Yesterday, I attended a BLS (Basic Life Support/CPR for Healthcare Provider) class to renew my certification required by my University.
I chose to renew my BLS certification at this location for a few reasons:
1) Time availability - Cascade had many classes available throughout the week, so I chose a time that fit extremely well into my schedule.
2) Location - It was en route between the airport and my home - which I had to drop my boyfriend off yesterday morning at the airport.
3) Price - comparable to local competitors
4) High ratings on Yelp
While the above points were important in choosing where I went to renew my CPR certification, I am very regretful of my choice.
Here is my experience from yesterday's class:
Pros:
1) Ample parking - There are many parking spots around the building. Even though Cascade had many classes going on at the same time, I had no problem finding a spot to park.
2) Nice building - the building is nice, clean, and air-conditioned.
3) Fast delivery time of my AHA card - while the AHA is the company that emails out the AHA card (and not Cascade), I received mine in exactly 24 hours, so I was happy.
Cons:
Before I continue with my list of "cons", I must disclose that I used to be a CPR instructor and a lifeguard so I am extremely passionate about ensuring that people have proper tools and knowledge in saving lives if needed.
With that being said, I felt strongly that my instructor in yesterday's class was poorly trained and poorly communicated information to my class.
1) Extremely Small Room = Less Training Mannequins to practice on = Less practice time & Questionable Hygiene Issues:
The room we were placed in was extremely small. There were ten students and only five training mannequins were set up. Our group was split into two groups, where the one group practiced while the other group watched, and vice versa.
This set-up cheats students from having sufficient practice time. If the room was bigger and an adequate of training mannequins were set up, then everyone could practice without having to wait their turn to practice their skills on a mannequin.
Even though we were using pocket masks, I do have concern that sharing training mannequins is not completely hygienic. Everyone should have their own mannequins that have been properly sterilized.
2) The Instructor lacked significant knowledge and missed extremely important teaching points:
One of the most important thing while executing CPR is actually the step that preceding CPR, which is ensuring that 911 is called. My instructor yesterday did not tell my group this very important point!!! I was flabbergasted, and I had to raise my hand to share and explain this point with my class.
Another instance was when another students asked about the exact locations to where one can place AED pads, and the instructor did not know the answer, and thus, I had to provide the answer.
3) The Instructor did NOT facilitate a class where we had enough opportunities to simulate emergency situations or practice our skills:
It is very important that students become as familiar as possible with executing the steps in providing life support in emergency situations. Ideally, as an instructor, you would want your students to know the steps of CPR so well it becomes second nature - so in a real life emergency situation, they do not have to think so much through the steps - they can just execute what they have been taught and practiced. In every other CPR class I have attended, we would act out a simulated emergency situation and practice multiple times executing every step of CPR in sequence.
During my class at Cascade, we simulated an emergency situation only once - the instructor did not give us enough time to even switch roles when we did two person CPR! Instead, our time was used up in practicing each skill separately, like just giving rescue breaths or compressions. Hate to break it to ya, Cascade, "Surveying the scene", telling someone to "call 911", and knowing when to implement the use of an AED are VERY IMPORTANT steps and should not be missed when teaching someone CPR, especially to health care professionals.
4) Thin walls - Since there were multiple classes going on in the building, it got really loud in our room. We could hear almost every conversation that was being carried out in the hallway. It was not a big deal for me, but it probably would be if you did not know CPR and was trying to concentrate on the lesson.
Overall, I wished I had gone to a different location to renew my BLS certification. Taking this class was a waste of my time, and I do not recommend taking the BLS class at this location. read more
