Can You Perform CPR If Your CPR Certification Is Expired
CPR certification is not a license. Anyone who does not have the certification or whose certificate has expired is not prohibited from doing anything, nor is it the authorisation for anyone to do anything. A CPR card is merely a certificate proving that you took the course and successfully applied the techniques you learned.
Having stated that, CPR is a perishable skill, just like all manual skills. You “become rusty” with time; therefore, it’s a good idea to take the course again once every two years to brush up on your knowledge and skills and most of the classes lasts long just for 2.5 to 3 hours, therefore its extremely worth it. However, this should not be done to seek permission to perform CPR, as the CPR certificate was never developed for that purpose.
What Does The Australian Resuscitation Council Say?
CPR is a valuable life skill. It is essential to upgrade and refresh your certification in order to stay on track with the newest and most efficient life-saving techniques. According to the First Aid Code of Practice, the Australian Resuscitation Council (ARC) has gained ground in ensuring that CPR performance criteria and procedures are kept as current as possible. Every 12 months, the CPR component should be updated, and every three years, the complete certificate should be renewed.
What Do You Learn In A CPR Training Course?
All components of fundamental resuscitation, including the use of a defibrillator (AED), are covered in the Provide Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (HLTAID001) course. It offers the theoretical understanding and practical abilities you need to react appropriately to respiratory and cardiac problems.
What You Should Do After Your CPR Certificate Expires
Enrol in a First Aid Refresher Course. This is the most effective way to brush up your skills in CPR once again. First aid refresher classes not only help to update prior knowledge, but they can also add new material to it.
As a result, when the need for first aid occurs, first responders are capable of acting confidently and skillfully in accordance with the principles of any CPR attempt. You will learn a variety of other emergency response techniques. These include how to administer basic first aid for wounds, how to help someone who is suffocating or poisoned, and how to evaluate the environment in emergency medical circumstances.
By walking you through hypothetical situations that are likely to occur in real life, your trainer will likely explain what should be done, where and how. This will assist in preparing you for unforeseen circumstances, as medical emergencies are frequently unanticipated.
The World Changes Everyday, So Do The Practices
The dynamic nature of emergency care is a further crucial justification for upgrading first aid certifications. Similar to other medical disciplines, there are frequently fresh discoveries and developments in medical health science. These developments are accompanied by fresh problems that spur new approaches and developments.
Finding Your Purpose To Renew Your CPR Certification
Some people renew their certification because their employment demands it.
People also believe that it is a good idea to be proficient in First Aid/CPR because there is no time to think about the steps that need to be performed during an emergency.
You just have to do it correctly!
So, the bottom line is that your CPR Certification does have an expiration date, but it doesn’t stop you from performing CPR if there is a need to do so. You will not be charged legally by any court of law for attempting to save a life during an emergency, even with an expired certificate.
The only reason you should think about renewing your First Aid/CPR Certificate is that, for performing such an important life skill, you should be an expert who is updated with all the new techniques and procedures.