first aid training

Tips for Caregiving During COVID-19

Caring for ill or elderly family members can be difficult in the best of times, but for many, the pandemic has made caregiving even more stressful. People who receive daily care tend to be older or dealing with long-term illness, making them more susceptible to contracting COVID-19. So in addition to the usual physical care needs, caregivers will need to take extra steps to protect the health of their loved ones. Further, there are additional needs related to mental health, medical care planning and coordination, and a caregiver’s own health.

There are a few things that caregivers can to do make caregiving more manageable during the pandemic.

Learn CPR

Be sure that you are prepared to handle any situation that could arise, whether caused by COVID-19 or not. The majority of cardiac arrests happen at home, so being able to perform hands-only CPR could make all the difference for your loved one.

Plan for Medication and Necessary Supplies

Try to get 90-day (or longer) supplies of prescriptions. Look into drive-through pharmacies or medication delivery.
Make a list of necessary home care supplies, such as delivery mechanisms for treatment or medication, and distilled water for CPAP machines. Obtain a larger stock of supplies if possible.

Discuss Treatment Options

Learn whether your loved one’s medical team is doing telemedicine visits, and how to access all members of the team virtually.
Discuss whether your loved one will need to be physically present for any procedures, such as tests or blood draws, and the safety precautions being taken.

Make a Safety Plan

Keep up with all safety recommendations, such as masks and social distancing. Ensure that all who come into contact with your loved one are taking precautions.

Finalize Health Care Wishes and Directives

Ensure that all legal documents are up to date, and have candid conversations about your loved one’s wishes.

Don’t Forget Mental Health

If you or your loved one are feeling anxious or isolated, make your mental health and happiness a priority. Reach out to a therapist if you need help.

Care for Yourself

Do your best to eat healthy, be physically active, minimize stress and get enough sleep. If you’re not feeling well, caregiving will be even that much more difficult.

If you’re ready to learn CPR and first aid to protect your loved one, HeartCert is here to help. We’re offering virtual CPR training options to keep our students safe. Contact us to learn more.

HeartCert CPR is your trusted training partner for CPR, ACLS, PALS, EMR and First Aid in the Twin Cities and throughout greater Minnesota. HeartCert offers a variety of courses, including CPR/AED/First Aid and CPR/AED, Basic Life Support (BLS), Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), and Certified Nursing Assistant training. Courses and certifications from both the American Heart Association and American Red Cross are available.

Find your CPR class at any of our convenient Twin Cities locations, including our headquarters, HeartCert CPR Eagan.

CPR Training Requirements for MN Child Care Providers

5 years ago by bwadmin Leave a Comment

Caring for small children is a demanding, high-stakes job. In addition to feeding, comforting and teaching children, child care providers must also keep them safe and healthy. This is why the state of Minnesota has enacted laws requiring all providers in the state to be trained in CPR and first aid.

There are two categories of required CPR trainings for child care providers in Minnesota.

Pre-Service Training

This requires licensed child care providers to take a CPR and first aid training course before caring for children. There is no specified number of hours required. In family or in-home care centers, only the license holder must complete training.

Ongoing Training

Every year, the director and staff of child care centers must complete between 20 and 40 hours of in-service training. However, they have the ability to choose which trainings they complete during a given year. CPR and first aid is one of those options, but it is required to be completed by all teachers and assistant teachers every three years. The number of hours is not specified in the regulations.

The requirements are similar for in-home care centers, with two exceptions. The license holder and all adult caregivers are required to complete 16 hours of ongoing training every year. Again, CPR and first aid is an option each year, but it must be completed every two years.

Of course, these requirements only apply to licensed child care providers. Grandparents and other family members, babysitters and other unlicensed providers are not required by law to be trained in CPR. However, we strongly recommend that anyone who cares for an infant or small child for any period of time be able to perform CPR and basic first aid. Emergencies happen in any setting, and they often happen fast. It’s important to be able to provide lifesaving care for a child, should the need arise.

HeartCert CPR is your trusted training partner for CPR, ACLS, PALS, EMR and First Aid in the Twin Cities and throughout Minnesota. We offer online, night and weekend classes to fit your busy schedule!

HeartCert offers a variety of courses, including CPR/AED/First Aid and CPR/AED, Basic Life Support (BLS), Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), and Emergency Medical Responder – First Responder (EMR). Courses and certifications from both the American Heart Association and American Red Cross are available.

Find your CPR class at any of our convenient Twin Cities locations, including our new headquarters, HeartCert CPR Eagan.

DHS Rule 3: Choosing the Right CPR and First Aid Class for Your Child Care Center

6 years ago by bwadmin Leave a Comment

Are you a child care center provider that needs to find a CPR or First Aid class to meet your DHS Rule 3 requirement? HeartCert CPR has the classes you need to meet those requirements and ensure that your child care center is compliant.

What Class to Take for DHS Rule 3

Generally speaking, our Pediatric CPR/AED With First Aid courses offer all the requirements you need to be certified for your child care center:

Duration: 5 Hours

Intended Audience: Teachers, Daycare Providers, Coaches, Office Workers, new parents, or anyone who wants or needs to learn the life-saving skills of CPR and are not a healthcare professional (healthcare professionals are required to take the more advanced BLS Healthcare Provider CPR course).

Description: This class combines CPR, AED and First Aid Training in to one convenient session. Heartsaver CPR/AED with First Aid (as the American Heart Association classifies this course) teaches the skills necessary to recognize and provide immediate care for breathing problems, cardiac emergencies, injuries and sudden illnesses until medical personnel arrive. Participants will be certified by the American Heart Association for: Standard First Aid and CPR/AED for adults, children and infants. This course meets the Rule 2 and 3 requirements for childcare providers.

This course can also be taken in an convenient blended learning format where some coursework is done online before class to receive the same certification card. Click here for online / blended learning information.

This class is available at the following Minnesota locations:

Choose the location that works best for you. If you need more advanced training, we also offer BLS, ACLS and PALS courses.

HeartCert CPR is your trusted training partner for First Aid and CPR in Minnesota. Find your CPR Class, PALS Class, BLS Class or ACLS Class at any of our Minnesota locations:

We also partner with Duluth, Mankato, Rochester, Appleton and Anchorage for select classes.

Snow Shoveling Safety

8 years ago by bwadmin Leave a Comment

Tips for Preventing a Cardiac Injury While Snow Shoveling

Winter has officially arrived in Minnesota, with snow storms the past two weekends forcing residents state-wide to pull out our shovels and fire up our snow blowers. Clearing our driveways and sidewalks is an added duty that we all have to tackle each winter and although it may be tiring and inconvenient, it can also be dangerous. A study conducted by US Nationwide Children’s Hospital found that every winter, almost 100 people in the United States die from cardiac-related injuries associated with snow shoveling.

Whether it is a few inches or a whole foot of snow, there are things to remember when going to clear it all out. Snow can be heavy and pushing it around with a shovel and throwing it onto your snow banks is exhausting, whether you have been doing other physical activity or not. Here are some tips for safely shoveling snow:

Do not shovel after eating or while smoking
Take it slow and stretch out before you begin
Shovel only fresh, powdery snow; it’s lighter
Push the snow rather than lifting it
If you do lift it, use a small shovel or only partially fill the shovel
Lift with your legs, not your back
Do not work to the point of exhaustion
Stay hydrated
Wear warm, breathable layers

If you are tackling a huge snowfall’s worth of snow, take frequent breaks, clearing your driveway in sections. If possible, get out and shovel while it is snowing to take it out layer by layer, before it gets too heavy or compacted.

If you are currently or have recently been facing lung or heart problems, consult a doctor first. At any feelings of tightness in the chest or dizziness, stop immediately. Always take your health into concern before worrying about shoveling your driveway. You are more important. If possible, shovel with someone else in your household or when a neighbor is shoveling as well so that you can monitor each other. If possible, keep your cell phone on your so that you can use it if need in an emergency.

Are you prepared to provide life-saving care in case of a snow-related cardiac emergency? HeartCert provides affordable, quality training to improve the quality of care and chance for survival in case of emergency. Plan your next on-site group training or attend a session at one of our convenient locations; click here to get started.

The Difference between a BLS and a Heartsaver Course

8 years ago by bwadmin Leave a Comment

Which Course Should You Be Taking?

Whether you are looking to sign-up for a course for yourself or a group of people, there are a few things to consider. Why are you looking to take a First-Aid or CPR course? What level of skills are you looking to obtain? We offer various types of instruction that pertain to your needs and certifications. The following are the differences between our Basic Life Support (BLS) and Heartsaver courses.

Are you a Nurse, Doctor, Hospital/Clinic Personnel or Dental Assistant? If you said yes, than you are looking for a BLS course. This four-hour long course will train you on recognizing and responding to various life threatening emergencies. You will practice providing 1 and 2 rescuer CPR for adults, children and infants, as well as using an Automated External Defibrillator (AED). You will also learn and practice how to relieve choking.

Find a Location Near You

If you are an individual with little or no medical training, looking for a course completion for another job such as in a day-care or school, then you are looking for the Heartsaver course. Here, you will be taught the basics of First-Aid, CPR, AED and how to provide assistant safely and timely in an effective manner. In addition, we will show how to recognize cardiac arrest and be able to help until EMS assistance arrives.

There are also other specific courses such as learning how to protect yourself and others from blood borne pathogens, prevention of disease transmission, infection control and pediatric care.

Determine which course best fits your needs and certifications and connect with us to sign up at a location near you. With the assistance of our certified trainers, you will learn the different ways to effectively aid in the safety of another person and build the confidence in providing life-saving skills.

HeartCert is the smart choice when you’re looking for affordable, quality training to improve the quality of care and chance for survival in case of emergency. Plan your next on-site group training or attend a session at one of our convenient locations; click here to get started.

Twin Cities Safety is Now HeartCert

8 years ago by bwadmin Leave a Comment

New Name, New Website, New Locations…Same Great Courses!

HeartCert, formerly Twin Cities Safety, has a new name and website but still provides the same great CPR/AED, First Aid and BLS training courses. HeartCert is a proud provider of American Heart Association CPR and ECC Courses. We are a fully licensed and certified safety company servicing the entire Tri-State Area of Minnesota, Iowa and Wisconsin. All of our CPR/AED, First Aid, and BLS courses are taught to American Heart Association standards by experienced professionals who make each course exciting, fun, and convenient all for the lowest prices available! We now also offer AED sales and compliance in addition to our CPR classes so we can be your one stop safety shop.

We offer CPR and First Aid classes for all skill sets and levels of experience. Whether you are an experienced Healthcare Professional, or a new parent just wanting to know ‘the basics’, we have a class for you! We can teach a convenient one on one CPR or first aid training session, or we can certify a large group on-site depending on your needs. Accredited by the Better Business Bureau (A+ Rating), HeartCert offers superior customer service and outstanding quality for all of your training needs. You can be assured that you are making the correct choice in training with HeartCert as we offer the best classes, at unbeatable prices!

With convenient locations throughout the Twin Cities metro areas as well as new locations in Rochester, Duluth and Mankato, we are available across Minnesota with our classes and training. Looking for onsite training for a large group? Our experienced instructors will certify your group at a time and location of your choosing. Not only is this a convenient means to stay compliant, we also have unbeatable group and business discounts! Personalized, On-Site CPR/First Aid training is a great solution for: Day-cares, group/assisted living homes, construction sites, schools, church groups, manufacturing facilities, boy/girl scouts, and any company safety first response team. Discounted class vouchers are available which can be an great option for companies where many employees need training at different times.

HeartCert is the smart choice when you’re looking for affordable, quality training to improve the quality of care and chance for survival in case of emergency. Plan your next group training session at one of our convenient locations; view our Course Calendar to get started.