Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is an essential skill. Over 40 states in the U.S. mandate or encourage CPR training for high school students prior to graduation. Yet, many private schools in the U.S. do not mandate CPR training, leaving their students unprepared for potential life-threatening situations, according to the U.S. Department of Education.
“Outside of a hospital, cardiac arrest only has a survival rate of less than 10%,” said Stephanie Austin, a survivor of a cardiac arrest.
In places like Sweden or Norway, and even cities in the U.S., like Seattle, survival rates are significantly higher due to effective public CPR training programs, according to Global Resuscitation Alliance. In Seattle, the survival rate is 62%.
“These programs work because there’s so much more awareness and teaching the public about CPR,” Austin said.
The Statistics and Standards
When CPR is administered immediately, it can dramatically improve the survival rate of cardiac arrest victims — potentially doubling or even tripling their chances of survival according to the American Heart Association.Despite this, bystander CPR is performed in only about 39% of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest cases in the United States, where more than 350,000 such incidents occur annually, according to the American Heart Association.
Survival rates diminish by 10% with each minute defibrillation and effective CPR are delayed. After 10 minutes, the survival likelihood drops to less than 5% if no CPR or defibrillation occurs, according to the American Heart Association.
A survey by the Cleveland Clinic revealed that only 54% of Americans feel confident in their ability to perform CPR. Moreover, about 70% of cardiac arrests happen at home, indicating that immediate family members are often the ones who could benefit most from bystander CPR.
The legislative push from Eric Paredes Save A Life Foundation and others promotes the mandating the CPR training within public schools across the United States. This underscores the importance of CPR skills for youth, aiming to prepare them as first responders within their communities.
Yet, the absence of such mandates in many private schools presents a significant oversight — one that can mean the difference between life and death.
Student Voices
At Pepperdine University, a private Christian university, the community has embraced CPR training with the Student Health Center partnering with the California Department of Public Health to offer Hands-Only CPR training to its students. However, this opportunity may not be a priority to students who are first and foremost focused on their education.
Some students have found the opportunity to become fully certified through jobs like babysitting, lifeguarding and through various medical internships.
“Just knowing even the basics of what to do [during a cardiac arrest] can be really, really useful,” sophomore and lifeguard Jacob Ek said. “I just feel definitely more confident just walking on campus and if anything happens I know what to do.”
Alexander Paloglou, resident advisor (RA), said RAs have to respond to emergencies with urgency, stressing the importance of their mandatory training prior to the start of the academic year.
“Most times if it’s a resident interaction or something’s going on in the residence hall, the RA is most likely the first person that’ll notice that [an emergency] and then be there to help,” Paloglou said.
Sophomore Nairi Parsekyan said her path to CPR certification was motivated by her role as a camp counselor.
“It’s a really good requirement,” Parsekyan said. “I am sure it will come in handy one day that I know CPR.”
Austin’s own harrowing experience with cardiac arrest is her reason for why she is so passionate about bringing about awareness.
“It was about 6 o’clock in the morning when my husband got a phone call from a resident [that woke him up] and he heard me take what would have been my final breath,” Austin said.
Her husband’s quick response was pivotal. As an orthopedic surgeon, he was trained in CPR, although it wasn’t part of his daily professional practice, Austin said.
Despite this, he recognized the dire necessity of his immediate action, Austin said.
“He called my name and I didn’t answer, and he called again and still no response,” she said.
Realizing the gravity of the situation, he rolled her over, found her unresponsive, and began CPR.
“He kept doing CPR until they [paramedics] came,” Austin said.
When the paramedics arrived, there was no one to let them inside, and their children were too young at the time to help, Austin said.
Her husband had to stop CPR and run down three flights of stairs to let the paramedics in and then run back upstairs. In these precious moment, CPR stopped and oxygen was no longer circulating her brain and body.
“I have memory issues and some limitations,” she said.
These side effects are common among cardiac arrest survivors, where the lack of oxygen to the brain during an arrest can result in varying degrees of brain injury, Austin said. The quick response with CPR was crucial for her survival and maintaining some level of brain function, but the few minutes without oxygen before CPR was initiated were enough to cause lasting damage.
Despite these challenges, Austin said she considers herself fortunate.
“But I can drive, I can have this conversation with you,” Austin said. “You know, I’m very fortunate.”
Austin said she has the ability to perform daily activities, which is not the case for all survivors.
CPR awareness and certification are separate initiatives with the same goal of saving lives.
CPR awareness is literally just learning the 2 steps to save a life:
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Call 911
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Push hard and fast in the center of the chest at a certain beat
CPR certification is a lengthier process designed for anyone with limited or no medical training who needs a course completion card in first aid to meet job, regulatory or other requirements.
There are so many songs that fit the beat of compressions during CPR, according to the American Heart Association.
Here is an example Instagram Reel the writers of this article created.
CPR intervention increases survival two to three times, Austin said.
Reluctance to Learn CPR
The reluctance or delay in learning CPR, despite its life-saving potential, can be attributed to several factors that deter individuals from becoming certified or even familiar with the basic steps.
1. Lack of Awareness
Many people are simply unaware of how common and critical cardiac emergencies can be, Austin said. Without personal experience or knowledge of the statistics or about the survival rates of cardiac arrest outside hospitals, individuals may not feel compelled to learn CPR. There’s a general misconception that such emergencies are rare or always happen in settings where medical professionals are present.
2. Fear of Doing Harm
One significant barrier is the fear of causing harm. People are often afraid of breaking a rib or being sued for providing improper care, Austin said. This fear is compounded by a lack of understanding of Good Samaritan laws, which protects bystanders who assist in emergencies. The misconception that they could “make the person more dead” inhibits action, despite legal protections for those attempting to help in good faith, Austin said.
3. Perceived Complexity of Training
CPR training is sometimes seen as overly technical or time-consuming. The misconception that it requires extensive medical knowledge or physical strength to perform effectively deters some from learning. This belief can be addressed by promoting “Hands-Only CPR,” which simplifies the process to just chest compressions and is proven to be effective in emergencies, according to the American Heart Association.
4. Cost and Accessibility
The cost of certification and the availability of courses can also be prohibitive. In many places, obtaining CPR certification involves a fee, which can deter individuals, especially those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, according to CPR Select. Furthermore, courses may not be readily available in rural or underserved areas, limiting access to training.
5. Psychological Distance
Many people operate under the “it won’t happen to me” bias, believing that cardiac emergencies are something that happens to others, but not to themselves or their loved ones, Austin said. This psychological distance reduces the perceived urgency to learn CPR.
Hands-Only CPR has been shown to be as effective as conventional CPR with breaths in the first few minutes of a cardiac arrest, simplifying the process and potentially increasing the willingness of bystanders to intervene, according to the American Heart Association. However, disparities exist in CPR training and outcomes, with significantly lower rates of training and survival among lower-income and non-white populations, highlighting the need for targeted educational efforts in these communities.
Solutions
CPR Awareness during New Student Orientation (NSO)
A pivotal strategy is the introduction of a CPR awareness allotted time during Pepperdine University’s New Student Orientation (NSO) for all incoming first-year students, Paloglou said. This session would serve as an initial exposure to CPR, emphasizing its importance and basic techniques.
By making CPR awareness a staple of the NSO, it can embed the importance of lifesaving skills right from the beginning of a student’s university journey, potentially encouraging more students to become certified CPR responders, Paloglou said.
CPR Training Kits
To significantly boost CPR proficiency, the integration of the American Heart Association’s CPR Training Kits can simulate CPR in real life. These kits are specifically designed for educational environments and provide a hands-on learning experience that is crucial for mastering CPR techniques, according to the American Heart Association.
The integration of CPR training in private schools is not just an educational policy — it is a moral imperative. Every student equipped with CPR skills is a potential lifesaver, making schools and communities safer for everyone. With the right awareness and training initiatives, people really can save lives.
Private educational institutions can take a proactive stance, ensuring their students are not only academically proficient, but also prepared to take on the role of first responders in emergencies. This initiative could very well save lives, proving that education, at its best, is not only about enrichment but also about essential survival skills.
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Contact Victoria La Ferla via email: victoria.laferla@pepperdine.edu or by Instagram: @vlf_insider
