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Q. I am
confused about the expiration date of my CPR certification. My Red
Cross certification card states 1 year but along the side it also
states, "Recognized by Washington L&I as valid for two years." WAC
296-800-15010 is also printed on the card. Can you clarify?
A. The American
Red Cross recognizes all CPR cards valid for 1 year. This is our
national standard and all Chapters follow this rule. That is why
the bottom of your card reads, "The American Red Cross recognizes
this certificate as valid for 1 year from completion date". The
Red Cross also recognizes First Aid cards as valid for 3 years.
Although the American
Red Cross has this national standard, some states (such as
Washington) recognize CPR/FA training as valid for a different
period of time. In Washington, many individuals take this training
as part of a job requirement. The WAC, Washington Administrative
Code, specifies who must take this training, what must be included
in that FA/CPR training, as well as how often individuals must be
retrained.
Chapter 296-24 of the WAC addresses
general safety and health standards. WAC 296-800-15010
(previously 296-24-06135) states that every two years,
employees must successfully complete First Aid/CPR training by
demonstrating skill and knowledge in the required core elements.
We reference this on our certification cards to acknowledge
Washington L&I and the fact that many individuals taking our
courses follow these regulations.
It is important
to note that not all individuals fall into this "2 year" category.
Some employers and occupations (lifeguards, for example) may be
required to take training every year.
Q. My company has
offices in other cities that are outside the jurisdiction of my
local American Red Cross chapter (Mower County). Can I train
employees in other cities?
A. Yes. Our nationwide network of
American Red Cross chapters makes it easy for you to train
employees throughout the country. For more information about
training employees in multiple locations, contact our office to
inquire about signing a Multi-Jurisdictional Contract or an
Extended Instructor Authorization.
Q. How do I renew
my instructor authorization?
A. As long as you
teach once within your authorization period and turn course
records into the Chapter, you will be reauthorized as an
instructor. If you do not turn in course records, we have no way
of verifying your teaching activity and your authorization will
expire.
Each January, once all
the December course records are in the computer, we automatically
reauthorize instructors and mail new instructor cards to you. You
should expect these cards by the end of January (following the
date of expiration).
Q. I am currently
certified as an American Red Cross FA/CPR/AED Instructor. In order
to maintain my instructor authorization, is it necessary for me to
teach AED?
A. No. As long as you
teach once within your authorization period and turn course
records into the Chapter, you will be reauthorized as an
instructor. You do not have to teach all components
(First Aid, CPR, AED) in order to be reauthorized. Teaching any
one of the course components will suffice.
Q. I am already a
First Aid/CPR/AED Instructor. What do I have to do to teach
CPR/AED for the Professional Rescuer?
A. Individuals
who hold current instructor authorizations in First Aid/CPR/AED,
Workplace Training: Standard First Aid and First Aid: Responding
to Emergencies may complete a bridging process to CPR/AED for the
Professional Rescuer. To complete the bridge process you must:
-Show proof of current Red Cross
basic-level professional rescuer CPR skills or pass either a
challenge or a full course in CPR/AED for the Professional
Rescuer;
AND
-Complete
either a self-orientation to the CPR/AED for the Professional
Rescuer products and submit the verification form OR
attend a CPR/AED for the Professional Rescuer Group Orientation.
Individuals who are
not current American Red Cross Instructors should complete the
CPR/AED for the Professional Rescuer Instructor Course.
Q.
Can an AED be utilized on a metal surface?
A. In the fall
of 2000, national headquarters received and reviewed the
Emergency Cardiovascular Care (ECC) 200 Guidelines and made
decisions as to how the recommendations would be incorporated
into American Red Cross training courses. One of the many
changes in the ECC 2000 Guidelines applied to the precautions to
follow when using automated external defibrillators (AEDs).
The guidelines state: Metal surfaces are not included
as a special circumstance because they pose no shock hazard to
either victim or rescuer.
National headquarters
has received additional confirmation directly from AED
manufacturers that it is indeed safe to defibrillate a victim on
a metal surface as long as the appropriate safety precautions
are taken. Specifically, care should be taken that the
defibrillation electrodes do not contact the conductive surface
and that no one is touching the victim when the discharge button
is pressed.
Q.
If I discover that a student in my class has difficulty reading,
is it permissible to administer the exam orally? Are there
guidelines for administering oral exams?
A. Whenever you
identify or suspect that a participant has a reading difficulty,
you may administer the exam orally. In order to provide
those participants with every opportunity to succeed, instructor
should:
-Avoid singling out
anyone in the class;
-Whenever possible,
provide a private setting for administering the oral
examination;
-Issue a general
statement before administering the written exam, such as: "If
you have forgotten your glasses, English is not your primary
language, or you are generally uncomfortable with written
examinations, I will be happy to give the exam to you orally";
-Ask questions so
that the student can answer in his or her own words;
-Rephrase the
question(s) using simpler vocabulary or terms with which the
student may be familiar; and
-Have a manikin or
first aid materials available as visual aids when giving an oral
exam and be prepared to "act out" or demonstrate the test
question.
-Not read the
possible correct answers to multiple choice questions
word-for-word;
-Not coach or
lead the participant to the correct answer;
For more information,
refer to Appendix E in your Fundamentals of Instructor
Training (FIT) Manual. If you do not have a copy of
FIT or if you took the Instructor Candidate Training (ICT)
course, you may find it helpful to obtain a copy of the FIT
manual by contacting our Mower County office.
Q. I am a current
American Red Cross Lifeguarding Instructor. How do I become
certified to teach the updated Lifeguarding Program (r.03)
including the new Lifeguard Management course?
A. All
individuals who possess a current Lifeguarding Instructor (3470I)
authorization must-
-
Complete either a
self-study or attend a group orientation. The self-study and
group orientation may be accomplished without each instructor
and instructor trainer having a copy of the Lifeguard Management
Participant's Kit. However, before teaching the Lifeguard
Management course or the updated Lifeguarding Instructor course,
instructors and instructor trainers must obtain a copy of the
Lifeguard Management course materials.
-
Submit the
verification form to the Chapter no later than the end of your
current authorization period. The form is available at our
office or online at the Instructor's Corner section of the
national web site at
www.redcross.org.
Q. How long do I
have to turn in paperwork after the completion of a class?
A. We ask that
you return all paperwork within 10 business days. Remember that a
class is not complete until all paperwork is turned into our
office. Did you know that no certificate is valid until we have a
record of the course having been completed? Imagine how
frustrating it is for your students to call for a copy of the card
they lost—and a month after the class we still can’t confirm they
passed.
We know how busy the
life of the average person is. That is why we ask you to complete
your Red Cross paperwork as soon as possible after your
class—before your forget, before things get lost, before you move
on to the next project, before you prepare to teach the next
class…
This makes it easier
for both you and us. Not only will we be able to respond to
student inquires more efficiently, we will also be able to manage
your records more effectively. We want to eliminate your confusion
and anxieties about course records and reauthorizations. Receiving
your paperwork in a timely manner will be a tremendous help.
Q. How do I
order class supplies and reserve rental equipment? Does the
weekend count as two rental days?
A. We are happy
to help you with ordering equipment or purchasing materials for
your classes. In order to help the process go smoothly for
you and for our warehouse, we've included here a few key things to
remember about the process.
To order supplies for
your classes, call
mowerarc@charter.net or by telephone at
(507) 437-4589.. during our
regular business hours (8:30am-5pm, Monday through Friday).
Since quantities of supplies on hand may be limited, we ask that
you call at least two weeks in advance of your class or event.
It is especially important to call in advance if you need to
purchase manikins, manikin parts or videos, or rent large numbers
of manikins, AED trainer units or materials for advanced classes
such as CPR for the Professional Rescuer or Emergency Response.
Payment is made (cash,
checks and credit cards accepted) before you pick up your supplies
unless you have established an account with our office. If
you have an account, you can pick up your order from the
office/warehouse and you or your organization will be billed.
Rental rates are
charged from any business day to the close of the next business
day. For example, a manikin rented on a Monday will be due
by 5pm Tuesday or will be charged for an extra day's rental.
Supplies rented on a Friday are due back the following
Monday but are only charged one day's rental, as the Health
Services department is closed weekends.
Q. How do I become an
instructor trainer (IT)?
A. Instructor Trainers
are selected based upon their experience as American Red Cross
instructors, their general teaching expertise and the need for
additional instructor trainers within the specialty for which they
are applying. These individuals not only assume responsibility to
train other instructors, they serve as a resource for the Chapter
and are often called upon to assist in training events and
curriculum updates. By becoming IT, an individual accepts
responsibility to keep up-to-date with Red Cross policies and to
develop a close working relationship with the Chapter and other ITs.
Each interested
instructor trainer candidate needs to complete the Application
for Health & Safety Services Instructor Trainers. Once
completed, this application should be turned into the Chapter
office. Candidates are asked to verify their teaching history by
reviewing the Chapter’s records. Candidates may also be asked to
provide additional information such as other documentation of
additional teaching experience, letters of recommendation, and
plans for when and where training classes can take place, etc.
The Instructor Trainer
(IT) training process is supervised by a committee of experienced
instructor trainers. This committee reviews all new applications
and follows-up with each candidate by completing a teaching
observation, interview etc. The committee notifies each candidate
of whether their application is accepted and what steps they must
complete in the training process.
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