Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) and Basic Life Support (BLS) online classes teach you what to do in the event of a cardiac emergency. Taking an ACLS class online teaches you effective CPR and AED lifesaving skills that can help someone in need. No one ever plans to be in an emergency situation, but with proper training, you’ll be able to remain calm and take appropriate action with confidence.
CPR must be done correctly to be effective. The purpose of CPR is to keep blood pumping throughout the body when the heart stops beating to ensure that vital organs and the brain are continuing to receive blood and oxygen. Victims who receive CPR are twice as likely to survive as victims who do not receive this lifesaving act. The average amount of minutes that the average person can go without oxygen before being unable to resuscitate and suffer life threatening damage to the organs is four minutes. The average response time for an ambulance to get to you once they are dispatched is between five and ten minutes, sometimes longer in more rural parts of the country.
CPR must be done to sustain life until emergency help arrives. When you come upon a person who is unconscious, you do not know how long they have been in that condition. If it has been two or three minutes, you have only a minute left to provide CPR to save them. Minutes can be the difference between life and death in a cardiac emergency. Also check their breathing first and go into chest compressions for thirty counts. If you are comfortable providing breaths to the victim, they receive two breaths and then back to chest compressions for thirty counts. If you are not comfortable providing breaths or it is not safe to do so, just do chest compressions continuously without stopping or counting to keep the blood flow pumping.
AED courses online make it easy to learn how to use an AED machine. AED machines shock the heart when the rhythm is off or has stopped beating due electrical problems of the heart in hopes to reset the beating pattern back to normal. Newer AED machines make them easy to use. Once turning the device on, an automated voice walks you through each step. There are two pads that go on the chest area, one above the heart and the other on the opposite side close to the underarm. You will need to remove clothing from the upper portion of the body so that the pads sit firmly against the skin. If you do not remove the clothing, the AED machine cannot get an accurate reading of the heart and may not be effective. For ladies, most bras have an underwire and must be removed as the metal underwire can conduct electricity from the charge of the AED machine and cause burning. The AED machine will say “Stand Back” as it reads the pulse and heart. Do not touch the victim during this scan. Your own pulse can mess up the reading if you are touching or holding the victim. The machine will automatically give a shock if needed and will automatically adjust the voltage for adults or children. Leave the AED pads in place until the paramedics arrive. This is precautionary, just in case you have to administer another shock from the AED machine. The pads are not reusable. After the person in your care receives a shock, jump right into CPR and provide chest compressions.
Online CPR and BLS training can help save lives and give you the confidence you need to react responsibly in a cardiac emergency situation!
