There are differences between cardiac arrest and a heart attack and CPR Choice wants to make sure you are informed and prepared in the event of a medical emergency.

What is Sudden Cardiac Arrest or SCA?

Sudden cardiac arrest or SCA is a sudden or unexpected pulseless condition attributed to the cessation of cardiac mechanical activity.  It is usually caused by ventricular fibrillation, an abnormality in the heart’s electrical system.  When SCA occurs, blood stops flowing to the brain, the heart and the rest of the body and the person collapses.  In fact, the person is clinically dead and will remain so unless someone helps immediately.

Most people do not realize that SCA is a leading cause of death among adults over the age of 40 in the United States and other countries. In the U.S. alone, approximately 424,000 people of all ages experience SCA each year (more than 1,000/day) and 19 out of 20 victims die.

What is a Heart Attack?

A heart attack occurs when part of the heart’s blood supply is reduced or blocked, causing the heart muscle to become injured or die.  A heart attack victim is awake and may complain about painful symptoms.  The heart muscle requires oxygen to survive. Coronary arteries are in charge of bringing oxygen rich blood to the heart. However, these arteries can become more narrow and clogged by fat, cholesterol, and plaque resulting in poor perfusion.

What Can I Do?

SCA can strike anyone, anytime.  Seconds count–timely and appropriate care will substantially improve survival rates.   In the event of a Sudden Cardiac Arrest:

• Call 911. Give specific details; “I have a female, approx. 50 years old, experiencing chest pains…”
• Tell someone to get the AED.
• Begin doing chest compressions at a rate of 100 per minute. (Think of the Bee Gees song, Stayin’ Alive.) Push hard and fast in between the nipples on the lower portion of the sternum.

What you can do to prepare:

• Learn CPR and AED functionality.  Get your friends and family involved too.  Remember, over 80% of cardiac arrests occur at home, which means a life you save could very well be a loved one!

• Automated External Defibrillator (AED) Access– spread the word on why having an AED at your work, school or community center can be the key to survival.  CPR Choice sells AEDs and provides hands on training, as well as guidance on internal procedures for the best utilization.

Having confidence in your ability to perform CPR and to use an AED is the best way to prevent unnecessary deaths. CPR Choice is your source to learn the skills needed to save a life!  It is a very small price to pay versus watching the ones you love pass in front of you. Sign up for a CPR class today!

The answer is overwhelmingly YES! Have you ever volunteered for an event and walked away with a euphoric feeling? This feeling is addictive and good for you – mentally and physically!

There are huge benefits in volunteering, felt by you, your family and your community.   CPR Choice understands the value of giving back and looks for every opportunity to make an impact!   In the past couple years, CPR Choice has led the charge on numerous volunteer/charity initiatives and are continuously looking for more ways to get involved and give back.  We want to make a difference in our community!  While we feel it is important to teach CPR, we know there are other issues that can use our help.  We want to live our mission, not just say it!

We want to SAVE LIVES!

Here are a few of our projects:

• Last year we worked with our customers & friends and collected nearly 10,000 pairs of shoes for people in Ecuador and Haiti.  The shoes were donated to Dando Amor and given to orphaned children and adults with no shoes.
• During the 2013 holiday season we coordinated a canned food drive for 2nd Harvest food bank and collected hundreds of canned goods.  This helped local people in Tennessee that were hungry.
• Each year we pick a few non-profit organizations and train all of their personnel at no charge.
• CPR Choice staff have volunteered their time to offer first aid for community events. Earlier this year we were on-site for the Glow Trot fun run 5K and we helped sponsor Knoxville’s Party in Pink to raise awareness for Breast Cancer.
• CPR Choice has also helped fund a new automated external defibrillator (AED) for 1 local hospital and 1 local church.
• Currently we are collecting Peanut Butter for The Second Harvest Food Bank. Our goal was 500 jars but we have already surpassed it! We are still collecting until December 20th.

We know it doesn’t take a lot of effort to make a difference and the rewards are amazing. Here’s a few of the benefits we found:

• Networking– volunteering is a great way to meet new people, help build stronger relationships with current friends if you volunteer together and for some can help combat loneliness and depression. Committing to a time and place is a great way to manage your week and provides you with social interaction, while helping others. Everyone benefits.
• Learning a new skill– volunteering can open the door to new skills. It can be a technical skill, such as filing, using a new computer program, or it can also include social skills, overcoming shyness and learning to relate to people. These newly acquired skills can be utilized anywhere, including your job or in a relationship.
• Self-worth– volunteering provides a feeling of self-worth and/or an increase in self-esteem. Providing support to people in need is a humbling experience, leaving you feeling good about volunteering and ultimately feeling good about yourself.   This feeling becomes addictive and we have found that we want to continue to help, there are so many people in need.

THANK YOU to all our customers and friends for helping us help others! We are committed to increasing our giving next year and would love for you all to be a part of our success. Stay tuned for our new volunteer activities in 2015!  Our mission is to “SAVE LIVES”; we don’t just say it…WE MEAN IT!  We hope to exercise our HEARTS by reaching down and lifting up others in need!

About 6 months ago we saw a need for people that lived in the Tri-Cities area of Tennessee to learn CPR.  We wanted to offer more options to them and provide classes that were more affordable and closer to home.  We have now expanded into the Johnson City, Kingsport & Bristol area! We are holding CPR classes weekly for individuals and students at several venues.  We also provide on-site CPR training to businesses, churches, and groups.

To make it easier for people to find a CPR class in the Tri-Cities area, we recently launched TriCities CPR (owned and managed by CPR Choice).  There you can find our calendar of classes or get more information regarding group CPR training.  CPR Choice also owns and manages Knoxville CPR and Maryville CPR.  Over the past ten years, we have become the leading provider of CPR training in Knoxville, TN. As we expand our service areas, it is our goal for CPR Choice to be the #1 CPR Provider in East Tennessee. We’re excited for the opportunity to provide more CPR, AED, and First Aid training to more people in need of certification or recertification in the Knoxville, Maryville, Lenoir City, Oak Ridge, Sevierville, Morristown, Kingsport, Johnson City, and Bristol areas… With more service areas coming online soon!

At CPR Choice, we offer a variety of CPR classes; each catering to a different demographic & skill-set.  Below are some CPR course descriptions. Spread the word and let your friends know that we are now offering services in Tri-Cities.  Check out our Tri-Cities CPR training calendar for specific dates and times.  We especially hope that offering CPR classes in Johnson City will reduce the burden financially for ETSU students and others.  We provide a students discount with a valid ID card.  Use the PROMO code: STUDENT to save $5.

Our most popular CPR classes are:

BLS for Healthcare Providers
The Basic Life Support (BLS) for Healthcare Providers Classroom Course is designed to provide a wide variety of healthcare professionals the ability to recognize several life-threatening emergencies, provide CPR, use an AED, and relieve choking in a safe, timely and effective manner.  Students will also learn to use barrier devices and a bag-valve mask.  This class is designed for healthcare providers or students in the healthcare arena.

Heartsaver CPR & AED
The HeartSaver CPR/AED course is designed for the lay responder. This class teaches the skills necessary to overcome reluctance to act in emergency situations and to recognize and care for life-threatening respiratory or cardiac emergencies. Through “hands-on” training and video demonstrations, students will learn the standard protocols for administering proper CPR techniques and understand when and how to use an automated external defibrillator (AED).  This is designed for everyday citizens; employees, parents, teachers, coaches, babysitters and other care givers.

Heartsaver First Aid CPR AED
Heartsaver First Aid CPR AED is a classroom, video-based, instructor-led course that teaches students critical skills needed to respond to and manage a first aid, choking or sudden cardiac arrest emergency in the first few minutes until emergency medical services (EMS) arrives. Students learn skills such as how to treat bleeding, sprains, broken bones, shock and other first aid emergencies. This course also teaches adult CPR and AED use. This class is also designed for everyday citizens; employees, parents, teachers, coaches, babysitters and other care givers.

We look forward to seeing you in one of our CPR classes soon! And, as always, if you have any questions or would like to set up a group training session, please contact us at: info@cprchoice.com or call 865-548-1500.

The Healthy Living Expo is coming up!  Get ready for Knoxville’s largest Health & Fitness Expo.  AND…Guess What??  CPR Choice will be participating this year!  We will be doing live CPR demonstrations as well as teaching classes and handing out information at our booth.  Come visit us and learn “hands-only” CPR and get some information and goodies!  We will also be teaching a Friends & Family class each day of the expo. The class will be $10 and all proceeds will be donated to The American Heart Association.

Friday, Jan 23, 2015 9am-3pm (Family & Friends CPR @ 2PM, click to sign up)
Saturday, Jan 24, 2015 9am-4pm (Family & Friends CPR @ 2PM, click to sign up)

Knoxville Convention Center, Booth #121

Admission to the expo is $10 at the door or FREE if you get your tickets ahead of time.
Seniors FREE on Friday, Children 12 and under FREE

FUN! FIT! FABULOUS and FREE!

The area’s largest event focused on health, fitness, nutrition and living green returns for it’s eleventh year to the Knoxville Convention Center January 23-24, 2015. Over 130 individual companies fill more than 250 exhibits. The Expo continues to grow each year from its launch in 2005 and expects approximately 10,000 visitors!  The Healthy Living Expo offers interactive, educational exhibits, demonstrations and presentations.  Best of all, it is FREE when you get tickets before the doors open.

Some of the features for the 2014 Expo:

• Natural Awakenings Natural Health Pavilion
• Life Saving Skills taught by CPR Choice
• Chiropractic Care Pavilion
• Various Important Health Checks
• Healthy Food Sampling Booths
• Hundreds of prizes given away both days!

FREE WELLNESS PROGRAM FOR EMPLOYERS
Cigna Healthcare takes the lead promoting employee wellness by sponsoring tickets to the expo for any company that registers on The Healthy Living Expo website. Whether you have a handful of employees or one of the largest employers in our region, registration only takes a few minutes at the website, TheHealthyLivingExpo.com then you can offer:

MANY WAYS TO GET FIT and GET HEALTHY!
From natural health products to fitness companies, you will find a plethora of new ways to get fit and get healthy at The Healthy Living Expo, including life saving techniques from CPR Choice!

CPR CHOICE
What could be more important than knowing how to save someone in a life threatening situation? The Expo is proud to have CPR Choice demonstrate on stage some of the techniques you can learn when you take a CPR class. You can even take a class while you are at the expo, so by the time you leave you can be prepared to properly assist someone with life saving skills!

Natural Health Pavilion
This section of The Healthy Living Expo has companies with products and services that have a natural health aspect. Natural Awakenings Magazine, the foremost leader in our community promoting natural health is the sponsor of this area. Everything from household products, nutritional supplements to local green suppliers are found in the pavilion promoting a healthy mind, body and planet.

Chiropractic Care Pavilion
In keeping with the natural health approach to wellness is the Chiropractic Care pavilion. Three top chiropractic health professionals host this section with information about whole body wellness using natural health solutions.

FUN Outdoors
Getting outdoors, taking walks and hikes, visiting local parks are all part of living healthy so the City of Knoxville sponsors this area to inform our community of these available resources. Look for many associations and businesses offering information and products for outdoor fun for the entire family available right here in East Tennessee.

Get FIT with Health Checks
More than a dozen free health checks are available at the Expo. Screenings for allergies, blood pressure and a list of other simple tests will be listed at TheHealthyLivingExpo.com under the health check tab.

FABULOUS FOODS
Local Chef Walter and other experts using healthy products create FABULOUS foods at the Eat Right stage then share samples with visitors.  And after each segment, prizes are drawn for those attending. In addition to the stage presentations, numerous exhibitors offer samples of healthy products.

Get Active to stay FIT!
Fort Sanders Health & Fitness Center takes the lead on this stage with plenty of ideas for getting active. Music fills the area for two days highlighting numerous ways to become more active. Demonstrations are exciting to watch, inviting to participate and created for visitors of all ages.

It is informative and fun!  Come check it out!  This is a prime opportunity to find ideas, products, and services from the many exhibitors! CPR Choice is offering these Family & Friends CPR classes as a public service. All proceeds from this class will be donated directly to the American Heart Association.

The Family & Friends CPR Course teaches the lifesaving skills of adult Hands-Only CPR, child CPR with breaths, adult and child AED use, infant CPR and relief of choking in an adult, child or infant. Skills are taught in a dynamic group environment by using the AHA’s research-proven practice-while-watching technique, which provides students with the most hands-on CPR practice time possible.

As electric car sales are continuing to increase, our new CPR Choice office can accommodate your electric car.  So sign up & plug in!

CPR Choice’s new office space located in West Knoxville provides us with a great training space, including a fully equipped training room to accommodate larger classes and a charging space for your electric vehicle.   Knoxville CPR & First Aid classes will begin in our new location next week.  At CPR Choice we continue to look for opportunities to provide our customers with the best training experience available in this area and a convenient option for our eco-friendly customers.

We teach several different American Heart Association and ASHI CPR classes.
Check out our calendar and registration page for more information about our Knoxville CPR classes.
Click here to sign up for a class

CPR course descriptions:
BLS for Healthcare Providers
Heartsaver CPR & AED
Heartsaver First Aid

We think that is about the easiest question we get asked–EVERYONE!  At CPR Choice we believe that everyone should be trained in the life saving skills of CPR & AED.  You never know when you may need to do CPR or give first aid.  Statistics show that if you do need to perform CPR, chances are it will be on someone that you love! Everyone can benefit by being prepared.

Learning CPR isn’t mandatory for most people.  However, for many it is required of their job and very important that they be proficient in their CPR skills.

Healthcare Providers

Hospitals require their clinical staff to be trained.  Obviously doctors, nurses, EMT’s, paramedics, firefighters and those that work on the front lines of emergency medicine need to be trained.  It is also highly recommended that ANYONE that has a clinical license or touches patients should be certified.  This may include: pharmacists, physical therapists, dental assistants, chiropractors, and other medical personnel.

Lifeguards

Again for obvious reasons lifeguards need to be trained and maintain their certifications.  Whether they are teaching swim lessons at the local YMCA, managing a water park or actually guarding the Atlantic Ocean it is mandatory. Many lifeguards also have to take emergency oxygen courses and first aid.

Personal Trainers/Fitness Instructors

Exercise is good for the heart, right?  Yes it is!  However, it is important that personal trainers and other group fitness instructors learn CPR.  Just in case that cardio workout throws you into cardiac arrest, we want them to be prepared.

Teachers/Bus Drivers/Coaches

You would think that this would be more apparent, yet it is not required for all teachers and school personnel to be trained.  We think it should be! Some kids spend more time with their teachers and coaches than anyone else.  We highly encourage all school staff to be trained.  Are you on the PTO committee??  Bring this up at your next school meeting.  We provide training for public and private schools.

Private Business

We recommend that people that work in the hospitality industry put this at the top of their list.  It is a good idea for hotel staff to be trained in CPR and for hotels to have an AED on site.  Also, where do you think most people choke? Restaurants!  Restaurant staff should also be trained.  However, the list doesn’t stop there!  Banks, retail stores, convention centers, movie theaters, and other entertainment venues should train a portion of their staff.

Daycare Staff

For some reason, while it is not required of school teachers it is required of daycare staff.  Daycare and preschool providers are required by the state to be trained in both CPR & First Aid.  Since they are taking care of such precious cargo it is so important that be familiar with these skills.

Employers with OSHA/Safety Requirements

Many employers are required to train their staff in CPR & First Aid; that is why we offer on-site training at your location.  These professions may include: manufacturing, construction, electrical staff, and those at high risk of injury.

Scout Leaders & Scouts

Since scout groups are often participating in fun adventures and campouts it is a good idea for leaders to be trained in both CPR & First Aid.  If a kid twists his ankle on a hike or cuts himself making his pinewood derby car we want leaders to be prepared.  Scouts also can receive merit badges for both CPR & First Aid.  We would love to train your boy scout or girl scout troop!

Self-employed

Even the self-employed should consider CPR training, especially those that welcome customers into their homes. You need to be prepared, just in case an emergency were to occur.  Whether you are throwing a party for pampered chef, selling insurance or giving massages you should protect yourself from any moral and financial liabilities. Knowing you have the skills required to save a life, if needed, is the best insurance policy of all.

Everyone needs CPR training! Our goal is to deliver high quality training and to create a casual, fun atmosphere. We make sure that all students feel confident in their ability to perform the life saving skills we teach.  

Join us for the next CPR Class at our new West Knoxville location!

Our new address is:

CPR Choice
9111 Cross Park Drive, #D200
Knoxville, TN 37923

We have moved in and are offering classes starting December 13th for CPR & First Aid! As we celebrate our first ten years providing CPR training to the Knoxville area’s healthcare providers and community, we are SO excited and thankful for this opportunity to expand.

Check out our training room! Here is a photo of the area where our CPR classes will be held. Comfortable seating for up to 24 people and equipped with flat screen television & white board. We are thrilled to have this more permanent location that will provide a nice learning environment for our students.

CPR Choice’s new location in West Knoxville, is centrally located to all of the areas we serve! Our service areas include: Knox, Anderson, Blount, Roane, Loudon, Sevier counties and more.

The new CPR Choice office and training center is directly off Cedar Bluff Rd, near I-40. For your convenience, we also have training locations in North and Downtown Knoxville areas, the Maryville area, and locations in the Tri-Cities area.

For groups of eight or more, we’ll come to your site! Contact us if you need any help scheduling the best class for you. Remember to choose CPR Choice, the best choice for all your CPR training needs!

We teach several different American Heart Association and ASHI classes.  
Check out our calendar and registration page for more information and to sign up for a CPR class!

BLS for Healthcare Providers
Heartsaver CPR & AED
Heartsaver First Aid

So you had the opportunity to take a CPR class that was offered at work. You come out of the class feeling pretty confident about your skills …..30:2, head-tilt-chin-lift, chest rise…..got it! Glad you know it, hope you never have to use. But now it is a year down the road. The certification is good for two years but you’ve already forgotten some of what you learned. If someone suddenly collapsed in front of you would you feel comfortable acting?   If you don’t remember everything from you class would you do more harm than good?

This is a common concern for many people who have been trained in CPR but not had real world practice. According to the American Heart Association, when interviewed , bystanders said panic was the major obstacle in performing CPR. This was one factor that led to the AHA releasing updated guidelines in 2010 that allowed for the option of Hands-Only CPR. . Hands-Only CPR is CPR without the mouth-to-mouth breaths. It consists of 2 easy steps:

• Call 9-1-1
• Push hard and fast in the center of the chest

Studies reviewed by the AHA reported that adults who experienced cardiac arrest and received Hands- Only CPR were more likely to survive than those who didn’t receive any type of CPR. Simply stated, doing something is better than doing nothing! The easy to remember Hands-Only technique may help remove barriers for people who want to help but feel unsure of their ability. So don’t let fear inhibit your ability to help save a life. Take action and make a difference.

For more information about Hands-Only CPR you can visit the America heart Association website

What is it that makes a great CPR Instructor?  What characteristics must one have to turn a potentially boring CPR requirement into a wonderful learning experience that can help people save lives?

The instructor must have passion.  Unfortunately, several CPR instructors are not passionate about their teaching.  Many are only interested in getting the student in and out the door.  This results is a class that is uninteresting and repetitive.  Instructors set the mood for the entire class and if they are not enthusiastic and eager in their teaching, then the students lose interest to learn.  At CPR Choice our instructors are not only passionate but dedicated to making class engaging and well communicated.

Second, the CPR instructor must have a good sense of humor.  CPR and First Aid can be very heavy subjects.  If the atmosphere is too serious, the class will not be enjoyable.  Tactful humor is very important to keep the tone light so that the information can be retained.  However you never want to downplay the importance of learning the skills correctly.  Our students constantly tell us that they never imagined a CPR class could be fun but that CPR Choice proves otherwise.

Most importantly, the instructor must be knowledgeable.  Our instructors don’t just take a one day course to be an instructor.  They are mentored by experienced instructors for an extensive period of time.  They spend weeks observing and co-teaching so they can learn the best ways to teach a CPR course that is organized and professional.  Many of our instructors are EMTs, first responders, firefighters and lifeguards with years of hands-on experience and enjoy sharing it.  All of our instructors are accredited through the American Heart Association and American Safety and Health Institute.

At CPR Choice, we aren’t pretentious and don’t need to drop large medical terms in order to teach CPR. In fact, our style of interaction, repetition and breaking down the parts seems to resonate with re-certifications as a fresh approach without overwhelming first timers.  We guarantee that our instructors are great TEACHERS.  Teaching is a special skill and while we respect hands-on CPR experience, being an engaging presenter/trainer is equally important.  Anyone can turn on a video and hand out CPR cards but at CPR Choice we pride ourselves in being good TEACHERS and COACHES.  No matter if you have taken CPR 20 times or if it is your a first time, we will make it a comfortable and informative class that you can enjoy.  We guarantee it!

Learn more about our CPR Choice staff.  With over 50 years of experience we guarantee it is the best CPR training in East Tennessee.  We are now offering CPR training in Knoxville and the Tri-cities.

Don’t believe us though, read our testimonials and see what our customers say about our CPR and First Aid courses!