For the past several weeks, Bethel Park nurse facilitator Mrs. Eileen Wallace has taught interested staff members hands-only CPR thanks to a kit the district received from the American Heart Association.
Bethel Park’s kit features 10 CPR mini-Annies and mannequins on which the staff can practice their technique.
Wallace is training them on hands-only adult CPR, conventional CPR on children, AED usage, recognizing choking in children and adults, and how to clear obstructions.
“Emergencies can happen at any time and take many different forms,” she said. “Training like this is imperative for our staff so they can recognize some of the emergencies they might face and have a solid understanding of how to respond.”
Wallace said hands-only CPR, somewhat different from conventional CPR, first gained popularity during the pandemic, when people feared COVID-19 transmission during rescue breathing. Research has since shown that each method is similarly effective. That’s significant because the hands-only approach requires slightly less energy than conventional CPR.