Being in the presence of a person experiencing a cardiac arrest might be a shocking event for you. The inability to react in those emergency situations and help a person in need may encourage some individuals to learn how to take proper action by applying CPR or Cardiopulmonary resuscitation. By using this vital skill, anyone can try to revive a person’s life.
However, the successful, brave outcome can also be mistaken for just an unprofessional attempt, with the possibility of causing more damage than providing help to the victim. So, in order to confidently apply these skills in real-world scenarios, a person must first receive proper training and certification from an acknowledged provider.
The American Red Cross and the American Heart Association (AHA) are two of the most well-known organizations that provide CPR and first-aid certification. Although both organizations teach similar skills, their certification programs don’t offer the same options. In this article, we will explore the many aspects that show the visible difference between AHA and Red Cross CPR certification.
Importance of CPR Certification
After successfully completing a first aid course in the fundamental emergency medical response to cardiac arrest, a cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) certification is awarded. Healthcare professionals learn how to perform chest compressions with artificial ventilation in first-aid classes to maintain organ and brain function while averting tissue and cerebral death until additional measures are taken.
Certifications, in general, give assurance that someone has received the adequate training and qualifies to administer CPR correctly. This indicates the importance of CPR certification as a first sign of professional CPR performance, including bystanders that immediately take action in an emergency response and increase the chances of survival.
AHA and ARC Course Content
CPR certification courses differ from one provider to another. The courses AHA and ARC offer are the most comprehensive and recognized, but there are also slight differences between them. Let’s look at the difference between AHA and Red Cross CPR certification.
American Heart Association Course Content
CPR is a key aspect covered both in AHA and Red Cross certification courses. Their course content offers various options for CPR training. The fundamentals of CPR, such as chest compressions, use of an Automated External Defibrillator (AED), and rescue breathing, are covered in both courses.
What is interesting about the content is that both these courses offer a vast range of options including online learning, instructor-led, and blended learning courses adaptive to every individual. However, there seems to be a difference between these two organizations regarding their curriculum.
For instance, while both teach CPR and first-aid, AHA courses are increasingly focused on offering knowledge to healthcare providers by their employers as a result of their leadership in the field of heart-centric medical research. Plus, the AHA course might go into greater detail and cover additional subjects, like advanced airway management and particular infant and child care protocols.
Hence, the AHA course has been developed to satisfy the knowledge gained by professionals like doctors, nurses, and emergency medical technicians (EMTs). Even though they have live and online options for bystanders as well, AHA’s content includes advanced topics specialized for those working in medical settings. The more in-depth and institution-specific courses include pediatric resuscitation and other resuscitation science for cardiovascular health.
For instance, they have ingrained professional courses that cover:
- CPR and AED
- First Aid
- Heart Code
- Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS)
- ACLS for experienced providers
- Basic Life Support (BLS)
- PEARS or Pediatric Advanced Assessment, Recognition, and Stabilization
American Red Cross Content
American Red Cross courses are also intended for both healthcare professionals and laypeople but also ingrain corporate training programs. They include the following content:
- Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
- Automated External Defibrillator (AED)
- Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS)
- PALS or Pediatric Advanced Life Support
- Basic life support (BLS) and
- First-aid training
Their course content covers Interesting topics not limited to CPR and first aid. They also cover other fields such as:
- Babysitting and childcare classes for childcare startup business
- Swimming and water safety courses for children and adults
- Lifeguard training programs and certifications.
- Nurse assistant training and testing
And yet, CPR training from the American Red Cross is tailored to the learning style of any individual eager to develop their skills in helping people in need. To become a CPR-trained and certified bystander ready to take proper action during cardiac arrest, you can indulge in CPR training by adding to your schedule any day, thanks to options available both on weekdays and weekends.
The Red Cross course may emphasize practical instruction and contain more realistic simulations of emergency situations. Some of them include online learning, instructor-led, and blended learning course formats. Hence, you can train for CPR through peer-to-peer learning, interactive scenarios, personalized learning, and hands-on practice.
Costs of Course
The prices of the different AHA and Red Cross CPR certification courses depend on the location and course type. AHA has a flexible fee schedule, but when enrolling in a blended-learning, certification-focused CPR course, you must pay separately for the three components (the online course, the skills assessment, and the manual). Due to being run by professional medical personnel, AHA courses include a variety of classes while having a lower cost for enrollment than ARC.
Both the American Heart Association and American Red Cross have authorized training facilities all over the US where you can enroll in the full program or do a skills evaluation.
Even though the costs vary depending on location and chosen option, enrolling in a course through ARC is generally more expensive than AHA due to their undivided price inclusion. Hence, unlike paying separately for each component like in the AHA course, in the ARC, the upfront cost covers every expense—including the manual and skills test. So basically, everything you need is included in the prior price.
Difficulty Rates and Recognition
Another crucial aspect where AHA and ARC show minor differences is the level of difficulty of these courses. The American Heart Association’s courses are commonly more widely necessary for medical professionals. They are occasionally regarded as more difficult and in-depth than those provided by the Red Cross. But it depends on the demands of your employer, the courses you take, and the people you encounter.
There is some truth about the higher level of difficulty for the American Heart Association due to their stricter program for cardiovascular enhancement. A score of 84% or higher is required for AHA courses in order to obtain a certificate, which tends to have a wider course length and is tougher to pass. And for the ARC, the passing grade is 80% or higher on the final exam.
When it comes to certification acceptance, employers and organizations generally accept both the AHA and ARC CPR certifications. Yet, depending on their unique requirements or industry standards, some may favor one over the other. So, before choosing a certification program, it is crucial to research the specifications of the employer or organization you wish to work for.
AHA certifications last longer—for two years—and are generally more widely known and accepted by medical professionals. They are also followed by CPR renewal. On the other hand, most ARC courses are valid only for a single year, except for the health provider course.
Final Take
CPR certification classes from the AHA and Red Cross both offer crucial knowledge and abilities for handling medical emergencies. The certification procedure with all the evidence-based guidelines suggests that the main differences between AHA and Red Cross CPR certification include curriculum, course length, price, and difficulty levels.
Choosing between AHA and Red Cross certification ultimately depends on preference, recognition, and financial capability. Every emergency response needs a confident and competent individual who can outstand difficulties during tough processes such as reviving a person’s life.
Understanding the importance of the bystander CPR role and the responsibility that comes with it, AHA and Red Cross both offer top-notch training programs with a range of options and methods of learning. Their evidence-based guidelines, from neonatal resuscitation to advanced life support, set a skills evaluation that will provide the knowledge and practice you need to perform this tough action when it’s most necessary.
So, regardless of the selected course, understanding the importance of CPR certification can be the first step you take on your journey as a life savior for those in need.