Sudden cardiac arrests are a health crisis that affects people of all genders and ages in the US. Data from the National Center for Health Statistics show that heart disease is Illinois’s leading cause of death. In fact, in 2017, 25,394 people died from heart disease.
Reducing the high mortality rate is possible by performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). With bystanders helping within the first minutes of a tragic event, it can mean saving someone’s life. The importance of CPR training and certification is recognized and regulated by every state, and Illinois is no different when it comes to CPR guidelines.
In this article, we’ll go over the state CPR guidelines for Illinois, which professions should have compulsory CPR training, and other helpful information regarding CPR requirements.
CPR Training Guidelines for Students
In 2014, Illinois passed a law stating that 9th-12th grade students must attend CPR training. The training consists of learning to perform CPR following the guidelines of the American Heart Association, the Red Cross, or any other nationally recognized certifying organization.
The students should learn to perform defibrillation by using an automated external defibrillator (AED). A certified CPR trainer will provide instructions and include hands-on CPR practice. Students will complete the training by taking a final examination.
The Illinois elementary and secondary school boards should encourage all academic staff to learn the skills required to administer life-saving techniques such as rescue breathing and the Heimlich maneuver. In addition, The recommendation is that each school has at least one person certified by the Red Cross, or another qualified certifying agency, to administer CDC and first aid.
Schools should encourage the staff who coach athletic programs to acquire the skills to administer CPR and first aid. The state of Illinois doesn’t require CPR training for coaches. However, the Act for Prevention of Sudden Cardiac Arrest requires the Illinois State Board of Education and the Department of Public Health to provide the necessary information. Their websites should contain guidelines for coaches, student-athletes, and parents to get information about sudden cardiac arrest warning signs. In addition, once a year, all coaches, physical education teachers, trainers, student-athletes, and referees must watch a CPR/AED training video.
Professions That Require CPR Certification in Illinois
With heart disease being one of the leading causes of death, many states are raising workplace safety standards. Depending on the employers, you may be required to have a particular training type for a specific job. The employers may or may not ask for CPR certification from their employees, but the recommendation is to follow the Illinois requirements.
Illinois has made CPR certification mandatory for employment for the following jobs:
- Construction workers, retail employees, logistics professionals;
- People working with children;
- Lifeguards, diving, and rowing instructors;
- Firemen, police, security personnel, and corrections officers;
- All personnel of any educational facility who interact with students;
- All personnel that works in a dentist’s or doctor’s office;
- People working with the elderly or disabled.
How to Obtain a CPR Certification in Illinois?
With over 500,000 cardiac arrests happening annually, health organizations like American Red Cross offer CPR training courses that can save someone’s life. Their expert-developed training meets OSHA, workplace, and other regulatory requirements. The training can provide interactive scenarios, hands-on skill practice, and personalized learning.
Healthcare providers and medical professionals must obtain CPR certification by finishing a course that adheres to AHA guidelines. To get CPR certified in Illinois, you must complete CPR training from the Red Cross, the American Heart Association, or another certified facility that offers this type of training.
First Aid, CPR, Infant CPR, or AED courses allow people to learn the skills to assist in emergencies. Training centers like the Red Cross offer in-person, online and hybrid learning in Illinois available to everyone. Trained instructors carry out the courses, which means you’ll get extensive knowledge from professionals.
Even if your schedule is hectic, the classes are delivered at convenient times and in many different locations, so getting CPR certified in Illinois is convenient and straightforward. Successful completion of a CPR course means acquiring a 2-year certification.
CPR Recertification in Illinois
Once you get your CPR certificate, keeping it up to date is essential. Illinois requires renewing the CPR certificate every two years, which is true for all the other states.
Depending on the nature of your profession, some institutions may need you to get recertified within a shorter period. The recertification process is quick and straightforward because you can do it online. So, unlike the first time, when you needed to take the CPR course in-person or through hybrid classes, now you can get recertified online.
The reason behind in-person and hybrid classes required the first time is the combination of lectures and hands-on skills sessions. Online CPR classes are a convenient option, but because they are entirely online, they do not allow you to show your skills and thus do not meet OSHA certification requirements.
As a result, some employers may require you to pass a hands-on skills test, meaning you must appear at the testing site to get the needed CPR certification. Illinois facilities also provide on-site CPR skills testing, and you can contact them directly.
However, even if you are not recertified on time or have formal training, the CDC advises that acting is preferable to doing nothing when someone suffers a cardiac arrest.
Not every person who knows how to administer CPR is certified, although it is preferable to have certification. The first thing to do is call or ask someone to call for help and start CPR until medical professionals arrive. The important thing is to know how to do chest compressions and give the person a higher chance of survival.
Illinois State AED Law
All fitness facilities, police departments, and sheriff’s offices in Illinois are required to have AEDs on-site while protecting everyone involved in the use of the device.
Anyone expected to use an AED must receive AED and CPR training from a nationally recognized organization. In addition, the operator must register the AED with the local EMS system and hospital to ensure meeting all training requirements.
The AED must be tested and maintained according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Anyone who uses the AED in an emergency must immediately report the incident to the EMS system and notify the AED’s clinical data.
Wrapping Up
Don’t let emergencies make you feel powerless. With 70% of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occurring at home, learning this life-saving method will allow you to assist in emergencies with basic hands-on CPR and chest compressions. However, the alarming fact of low survival rates among cardiac arrest patients should encourage all citizens to acquire CPR and mouth-to-mouth resuscitation breathing practices.
Illinois has established many guidelines for CPR training. In Illinois, many professions require completing cardiopulmonary resuscitation training. This includes professionals working as EMS, healthcare providers, educational facilities personnel, lifeguards, people working with the elderly, disabled, and children, high school students, and others.
The CPR certification in Illinois, like in any other state, can be obtained in several ways. However, be careful when selecting the training institution and always apply for courses with professional training centers.
Saving a life is the noblest thing you can do, which is why getting CPR certified is becoming a necessity among many age groups today.