Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, or CPR, is a procedure requiring chest compressions and rescue breathing used to save lives in emergency situations. The idea of being able to save someone’s life can seem extremely daunting, but also exciting. These are the exact feelings that many health science students experience at Deer Park High School this September as they train for their CPR Certifications. Over the past few weeks, these classes have been studying and training for this essential qualification for a job in the medical field.
“CPR is a life-saving technique that you perform on somebody who has just, either, gone unconscious or stopped breathing. In the medical field, the sooner you are able to provide CPR care, you are able to double or triple that person’s chance of surviving,” Certified CPR Instructor and Health Science Teacher, Macy Brown, said.
Health science students learn CPR because they need to prepare for pursuing a job in the medical field. Though CPR remains essential for this type of career; its importance also resides in everyday life. Life is full of twists and turns, so one could never know what could happen in the future. Having skills that can help you combat these trials, even if they go unused, can help build a sense of security in a state of emergency.
“It is important in general to know CPR, or to understand how to do it and be trained in it because a lot of people might still be alive if everyone knew how to do it. It should be like swimming, you know. It should be an ability all people should have,” Health Science student, Xavier Cantu, said.
Because of the certification of health science students, students begin to talk about the training of all Deer Park High School seniors later in the year. These training sessions have come to be something many students frown about, for the idea of dedicating a morning to training for something people don’t seemingly need sounds ridiculous, but those who frown on this opportunity are neglecting to see the importance of this training.
“In the event that something happens, I will know how to do it. I won’t be helpless. I won’t be a bystander,” Cantu said. “One reason I think that everyone should know CPR is so that it diffuses the responsibility. If only one person knows it, it really is terrifying to realize that you are the only person who could, in a sense, help this person.”
Though aspects of these possible situations can seem intimidating, most students are enthusiastic about getting their certifications. To many, getting this certification feels like a big step towards a fulfilling career of hands-on working and saving lives.
“It makes them feel like they’ve achieved something and they are going to accomplish something really big. To help better others in the future,” Health Science Teacher, Jessica Repmann, said.
Because CPR pertains to real life situations, students know that it may apply to them and they could possibly use it in real life. Therefore, the training creates an exciting and engaging environment for students in class.
“It is something that they actually know they learn and can apply it. Like, with certain maths, students wonder why they must know this and why it applies to them, but with CPR, it’s something they can actually apply in the outside world outside of school,” Brown said.
CPR is an incredibly important skill that hopefully will never have to be used, ironically, but will give many students a sense of responsibility and achievement. To these students, CPR Certifications are not just a test you need to pass a class, but a test you need to take in order to move towards a career in the medical field; and not only is this a fulfilling experience for health science students, but it can be a fulfilling experience for everyone. People can continuously work towards becoming a valuable member of society by easily getting CPR certified or trained and being able to help a person in need.