Proposal: Want to graduate high school? You'll need to know CPR
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SALEM, Ore. – Making it a requirement for students to learn CPR before they're allowed to graduate from high school is the idea behind a bill that is before lawmakers.
Students from Valley Catholic in Beaverton demonstrated their CPR skills at the Capitol on Thursday.
The students have been part of a pilot program that teaches CPR as part of the eighth-grade health curriculum. In just two years, 160 eighth-graders have been certified in CPR.
James Joyce learned CPR in high school and credits it to saving a woman's life at a baseball game years later.
"If 45,000 students in this state learn CPR, that's 45,000 first responders," he said. "And if you think about it, even if only 50 percent of them take it seriously and end up being able to jump in, that's over 20,000 first responders."
Giving CPR right away, like Joyce did, can double, even triple a person's survival rate.
Chuck Coleman, a paramedic who trains people in CPR, said it's crucial that CPR is started immediately.
"You basically have two to three minutes" to start CPR, he said during a KATU in-studio demonstration, adding that emergency personnel can take six to 10 minutes to arrive on the scene.
The rate of providing chest compressions is also important. Coleman said about 100 a minute going at least two inches down into the chest are needed. He said a good way to remember the rhythm is to play the song "Stayin' Alive" by the Bee Gees in your head or singing it out loud.
These days, CPR classes are taught using the hands-only version without the rescue breathing. The thought is more people will be willing to help if there's no mouth-to-mouth contact.
Getting trained in CPR, only takes about a half-hour.
Other people who either used CPR to save someone's life or was saved by CPR also shared their stories.
Sandra Sharp-Meekcoms learned CPR in school, too. When her husband, Raoul, collapsed from a heart attack, 911 operators gave her a refresher course over the phone and she kept her husband's heart going until paramedics arrived.
"I'd be dead today," Raoul said. "There's no other way I would have survived. Every time I talk about it, of course I get goose bumps. I'm an incredibly lucky person."
Washington is also considering requiring CPR training in school.
And the Valley Catholic program has already saved a life.
Over the weekend, the kids trained other students and adults at a speech competition. The next day, one of those adults was in a restaurant where a customer had a heart attack, and the newly trained woman knew what to do.
About 90 percent of people who experience cardiac arrest die because they don’t receive immediate CPR.
Why wait until High School? Â I know four year olds that know how to do CPR. Â They might not understand the anatomy or physiology behind it, but they know that if someone doesn't look like they're breathing, won't wake up, or if they can't hear their heart beat when they listen to their chest that they need 911 and CPR. Â I've seen kindergartners do effective chest compressions and according to the AHA, chest compressions are the most important in the sequence of CPR and adequate chest compressions, even without respirations has the best outcome when it comes to getting someone through until advance EMS can arrive.
I am an advocate for teaching kids as soon as they are mature enough to understand it; age appropriate of course.
I THINK THIS IS A GOODÂ IDEA ALL HIGH SCHOOL,S SHOULD DO THIS ASÂ EXTRAÂ CORRECT,S TO SAVE A LIFE IS PRICELESS AND REWORDING TO=THIS COULD BE JUST THE THING THAT THE KID,S NEED TO HELP THEM MENTALLY....
What about the legal issues with this. I myself would be greatful if someone jumped in to save my life. What about the person that did not want to be revived. Lawsuit waiting to happen. Who is going to fund this. They cant even keep our schools running on the money they have. I would be happy to have our kids graduate know the basic reading, writing, math.
@jbean66Â If a person has a Do Not Resuscitate Order, they should carry it in their purse or wallets. Â If no documentation is present, legally first responders are expected to do CPR until documentation arrives. Â Even if the person is a DNR, without the paperwork on hand, they could not sue, as the paperwork is what makes a DNR a DNR. Â You can't just take a layperson's word for it.
So...now that we're dealing with government cuts...where will the money come from to pay instructors? As someone who went to Catholic school her whole life, the parents will. But for public school, who will reach into their deep pockets?
Dear legislators, let's get back to reality and require first that students know basic math, science and can speak correct English.
From a cost/benefits analysis standpoint, this bill sounds like a winner. Yes, everyone should learn CPR.
Shouldn't this be the kids choice if they want to know CPR or not? Or is this a measure the school districts are going to have voters vote on because they need more money for programs? And your going to have to know CPR to graduate? Really!! Make sure you educate the students on the legal liability when they are to perform CPR!! If it works they will be a hero and if it fails get ready for the lawsuits they will follow.
As a citizen, you do not face the legal liability that a medical professional would face. I believe it's called the "good samaritan law" that protects the average Joe when they are attempting to save a life. I think this is a great idea. When I was in high school, in order to graduate, you had to take and pass a swimming class in PE - another great thing.
"Graduate" is an intransitive verb in the the context of the headline. Using it as a transitive verb always sounds uneducated to me. Oh well.
@GraceG Right, and 'the the' is an English rock band that formed in the late 70's.
This doesn't address legal liability, something that, unfortunately in this day and age, you have to be aware of. Oregons's "Good Samaratin" law provides legal liability protection only for properly trained rescuers, which in this case probably means that you have to be re-certified by the Red Cross every year.
http://spot.pcc.edu/~lkidoguc/LGT/GoodSamLaw.pdf
 Compare that to Washington's law, which provides legal protection as long as there is no malicious intent on the part of any unpaid rescuer.
http://www.heartsafeam.com/files/Washington_Good_Samaritan_Act.pdf
@al_02 I'll make sure to not help anyone else since I let my EMT license lapse. Thanks for letting me know, I assumed I was protected like I have been in every other state I've lived in.
@knottriel Sad, isn't it.
@al_02Â
Not every year - the period is longer than that. And yes, when I took the Red Cross class, they did go over legal liability.Â
@Jenni S. Read the link.
F) ) A person who has completed, within one year prior to the date the emergency cardiopulmonary resuscitation is rendered by the person, a course sponsored by the American Red Cross or the American Heart Association in emergency cardiopulmonary resuscitation , or a course in emergency cardiopulmonary resuscitation provided by an agency or organization that meets the current criteria and standards of emergency cardiopulmonary resuscitation training as established by the American Heart Association and is qualified to render cardiopulmonary resuscitation and who possesses proof of the completion of such a training program.
Well, that's all spiffy and such, but I'd settle for them being able to read and write.
@Mikey That's not what school is for.
Lower the speed limit to5 MPH and save lives
I know CPR to this day because this was already a requirement in Minnesota in 1984.
While CPR may be a part of some health classes, it isn't in all schools. If students have to take a health course, why not train them in basics of first aid, such as CPR, AED use, etc.? It doesn't take long and it is something practical the kids can use. When I was first certified, it wasn't but weeks later when my niece (a baby) choked on some food and I had to use what I had learned to save her. Even though it was a large family gathering, I was the only one there who had any such training, and that was because I earned extra money as a babysitter and the CPR and First Aid classes seemed like common sense training to take.
To me it seems like a common sense part of the health class curriculum.
How about this first: Â Learn CALCULUS as a requirement for graduating from high school. I had to. So do you. I didn't have to learn CPR as a PREREQUISITE. Â That's what weekend classes are for, offered by a zillion groups nowadays. Hmmmmmkay?Â
@Muttley I hope you're joking. In a 30-year career as a computer programmer, I have never used any of the math I learned in college, including calculus! All the math I actually use (algebra, geometry, and trigonometry) I learned in high school. Although understanding what a differential and an integral are is useful, actually being able to solve equations in a time when they are much better solved on a computer via numerical methods is rather useless.
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@Dr. Rawdog @MuttleyÂ
I know that Precal is quite common more and more for BS degrees. Calculus is also a requirement for many BS degrees. Not just degrees like those in engineering, but also in areas like business management.
@Muttley You had to learn calculus in order to graduate from high school?  We had to show that we could swim the length of the pool.  I'd say "whew, glad I didn't go to your high school" since I suck at math, but I've never needed to utilize the swimming skill and there's no way I'd ever need the calculus knowledge....math is why we have fingers and toes. Â
Wasn't learning CPR part of 9th grade health class?
This seems to be far more constructive learning than dodgeball or any number of other "classes" offered when I was a kid. There are the mechanics of CPR and basic first aid, but also the empowerment kids feel when they can really make a difference in a life-or-death situation. Some of them might even be inspired to pursue a career in medicine. Not a bad investment in kids I'd say.
I think that this is cool.
I think this is fantastic!
How many people are killed in a year by other folks applying CPR the WRONG WAY???
@Lost River If a person is in need of CPR, they are already dead.  You don't get any more dead than that, genius.
@Lost River Doing CPR wrong doesn't kill people -- it just fails to save them. There is a huge difference.
@Lost River If someone is having CPR done to them, chances are they are in pretty rough shape. So even if rescuer totally botches it, the worst that could happen is that the victim dies anyway.
How many deaths could be prevented if someone knew proper CPR? That has got to be a larger number.
How about teaching reading, writing and arithmetic first?Â
@samsloohouse Yep. See my comment.
go to red cross and take a class. dont do it on my dime.   the ones who get certified will forget within months how to do it.
@Pers Retiree I took a 4 hour class once on this crap. Forgot it all when I got home.
@TreeWizard @Pers Retiree ....hope there's somebody more compassionate around than you two fools if someone has "the big one" !
@TreeWizard @Rob C 503 That's what SHE said!!
@TreeWizard @Rob C 503 I have one of those isolator apparatus so I don't have to do that. Seriously.
 Then there are no regrets in the morning.
@Rob C 503Â Sorry oldie, I don't know what you mean.
@Rob C 503Â No, I don't waste my time with useless things that constantly change.
@TreeWizard @Rob C 503 ..oh by the way "dude" are you 12 years old or just new to horses ?
@TreeWizard ....don't need to do that youngster. It's compression now. You don't pay much attention do you?
@Rob C 503Â Ya, I sure hope there is someone else around also. Hey, If you want to go mouth to mouth on another dude. Well, that's on you, but I don't prescribe to that.
Additionally and better still, they should all be trained to use the an AED machine.
@Scotty9Â
Ralph is correct - using an AED machine on an infant, child, and adult were all included in the CPR course.
@Scotty9Â
That is part of the complete class.
On a side note that paramedic is pretty good according to my neighbors doc. He treated my neighbor and his doc said that he saved his life by making a pretty complex diagnosis and treating it correctly.
@RalphCramden @Scotty9 that's good to hear!
We all should know this life saving technique. And as for treewizard who posted below.Maybe all the people won't know what to do when cardiac arrest hits him ! JERK. !