Honolulu CPR is the best training provider of basic and advanced CPR in Hawaii. With the most diverse selection of classes offered to trainees, it have every certification program you could need. Basic Life Support (BLS) programs for the public are also available, with an optional certification skills exam at the end. All of the other programs for healthcare providers are mandatory certification classes. If your work requires CPR training credentials or you simply wish to learn CPR, then Honolulu CPR is your best choice. You can find more details on the Honolulu CPR site or read the course descriptions below.
Details on certification/completion cards
Completion cards are awarded to all trainees once they have passed the post-tests given at the end of the training programs. Post-tests are typically consist of a skills exam and a written exam. All cards expire after two years, and students need to sign up for re-certification before the expiration date. If a rescuer fails to get re-certified before the expiration of his or her card, he or she will have to take the whole training program again. Re-certification is available for all programs for healthcare providers (HCPs).
Getting started with your training
Heartsaver CPR/AED is a general public course. The program’s length is 4 hours. It teaches basic 1-person CPR rescue as well as cardiovascular diseases that can contribute to cardiac arrest. Cardiac arrest occurs when the heart fails to pump blood effectively to the rest of the body and stops beating. In order to restart the heart, chest compressions have to be given, and sometimes defibrilation is needed to get the rhythm back to normal. The skills test at the end of the program is not mandatory.
Heartsaver CPR/AED (C)
Heartsaver CPR/AED (C) is an HCP course. The program’s length is 4.5 hours. The only difference between this program and the first Heartsaver class is that the skills test and written exam at the end of the program is mandatory. This is the only HCP program that does not have an available re-certification program.
BLS for healthcare providers
BLS for healthcare providers is an HCP program that runs for 4.5 hours. Aside from 1-person CPR rescue, this program also teaches 2-person rescue for adult and pediatric victims. There is a mandatory pre-test and post-test for this program. To apply for BLS for HCPs, students need to pass a pre-test (skills test and written exam). A mandatory skills test and written exam is also given at the end of the program. Re-certification is available and lasts 4 hours.
ACLS
ACLS, or Advanced Cardiac Life Support, is an advanced CPR training program for HCPs. It teaches advanced life support that is primarily given in hospitals or other similar clinical settings. The use of a crash cart and equipment and medication found in the hospital is taught to students. Pharmacology is an important topic covered in the curriculum. This is a 2-day program that is 16 hours long in total. Re-certification is 5-6 hours long.
PALS
PALS, or Pediatric Advanced Life Support, covers the same basic groundwork as ACLS but with a focus on pediatric patients. Pediatric patients are infants up to teenagers. It is a 2-day program as well, but runs shorter at 4 hours. The PALS update class is 6-8 hours long.