AEDs can be a critical part of survival for anyone experiencing sudden cardiac arrest, which is the leading cause of death in the United States.  As we have shared in the past, sudden cardiac arrest can happen to anyone, anywhere, and at any time.  Minutes count and CPR along with AEDs are most effective tools to help restore a heart rhythm.

Did you know that after calling 9-1-1 the average response time for a first responder is approximately 6-12 minutes and according to the American Red Cross every minute you are delayed reduces your chance of survival by 10%?  Again, minutes count….

What can you do to make sure you are ready for a sudden cardiac arrest emergency?

1. Make sure you and your family know First Aid & CPR! Make sure to include your children in the learning process and continue to talk about what to do in case of an emergency.  CPR Choice offers classes all over East TN and it’s our passion to equip our students with the skills needed to help save a life.   Remember—most incidents occur at home, which means you’ll be learning the skills to save a loved one.
2. Make sure you have access to an AED. Check around your office, school or place of business –the cost of the machine is well worth the life it could save.   And no need to worry if you can operate one in a medical emergency situation- the AEDs are designed to walk you thru the steps in an easy to use format.  Visit AEDChoice.com for more info.

So just how easy are AEDs to use?  One word—simple!   AEDS provide basic instructions and diagrams for use.  All the items needed are contained in the AED itself and all you have to do is turn it on, apply the pads in the appropriate spots and follow directions.  Don’t forget to call 911 or have someone call, have someone get the AED, and remember CPR should be administered while the AED is being located and set up.

The AED will automatically determine the heart rhythm of a pulseless victim and if the victim needs a shock it will act.  This shock will attempt to restore the victim’s heart.  When the heart is in ventricular fibrillation or v-fib, the heart is still receiving nerve impulses.  These impulses are so out of sync keeping the heart from producing a regular beat.  As you know, when the heart doesn’t beat it’s unable to pump blood and oxygen throughout the body.  This could cause the body to be deprived of oxygen causing brain cells to die in a matter of 4-5 minutes.

CPR Choice also sells AEDs, provides you with training and also helps you determine the best place for storage as well as maintenance support.  Contact us today to schedule a First Aid, CPR & AED course for you, your family and place of employment.   We offer classes all over East Tennessee and we also offer onsite training.  Visit CPRChoice.com for our training options!

CPR Choice is continuing to grow!  We are excited to announce our newest instructor Beth Cruz and our new class offering Advanced Cardiac Life Support or ACLS.

Beth has been a Registered Nurse over 20 years, and has been teaching CPR to healthcare providers and her community for over 15 years.  She joins CPR Choice as an instructor for Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), and Basic Life Support (BLS) instructor.  Beth is also an adjunct nursing faculty member at Walters State Community College and King University.  We are thrilled to have her as a member of the CPR Choice family & excited to offer additional classes to our students.

Advanced Cardiac Life Support or ACLS is an advanced class designed for healthcare professionals, including personnel engaged in emergency response, emergency medicine, intensive care and/or critical care units.  Building from the foundation of our existing BLS for Healthcare Providers class, ACLS focuses on team dynamics and communication, systems of care, and post cardiac arrest care.  It also incorporates airway management and related pharmacology.

Visit CPRchoice.com for a full listing of all classes offered, our training calendar and our instructors.  We can accommodate any size and offer multiple classes opportunities in multiple counties.  We look forward to seeing you in an ACLS class soon!