So, for my work I have to keep a current CPR and basic life support certification and my job schedules classes each year so we can get it cheap. Also because finding a CPR/BLS class or instructor for healthcare professionals by yourself is a massive chore here.
Today was one of the classes. The instructor was nice enough, has been in the business for years, etc. We had a few new faces show up some of which of had never gotten their certification before, no big deal we'll just have to go through a slightly longer class. EXCEPT WE DIDN'T. He had us all go up and practice CPR for 15 compressions on a manikin to make sure we compressed down to the correct depth at the correct rate, then had us watch a video for 2 hours. The video was long-winded and boring, the type of video you don't remember any information from because it's just so bland. After the video, he handed us a written test and then we completed the test together as a group, so everyone passed the class and was given certification. Now, I've done CPR several times at this point and honestly, once you've done it for real a couple times that's pretty much all you need. Having to get re-certified every 2 years is just to keep us up to date on the random changes they make to how you perform rescue breaths or whatever. But there were new people there! Who had never done it! And they all went up to that manikin and pressed down with so little effort, their elbows were bent, their timing was completely off, one of them was just continuously pressing down and not letting the chest recoil at all... And the instructor was OK with all this!! I cringe at the thought of ever having to perform CPR with one of those people, it will be more of a nightmare than it already is.
I'm just so mad about it!! And I had to tell someone about it!!
That's it. Thanks for letting me rant.
