This course includes information you will need to understand to provide lifesaving first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in an emergency. You will practice many of these important skills during your class with the assistance and supervision of an authorized HSI Instructor. If you demonstrate achievement of the required knowledge and hands-on skills for the class type that you participate in, your instructor will issue an authentic HSI certification card valid for two years.

Conventional Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR): An emergency procedure that combines chest compressions with artificial ventilation to circulate oxygenated blood to the brain and heart, increasing the possibility of successful resuscitation.

First Aid: The initial care provided for an acute illness or injury. The goals of first aid include preserving life, alleviating suffering, preventing further illness or injury, and promoting recovery. First aid can be initiated by anyone in any situation, including self-care. In this course, you will learn the foundational/basic practices for providing appropriate First Aid depening on the situation.

Automated External Defibrillator (AED): A portable, life-saving device designed to treat people experiencing sudden cardiac arrest—a medical condition in which the heart stops beating suddenly and unexpectedly. The combination of CPR and early defibrillation with an AED is effective in saving lives when used in the first few minutes following collapse from sudden cardiac arrest. We will review the functionality and purposes of an AED as well as how to effectively use one in a cardiac emergency.