The value of CPR & First Aid

Cost of CPR Barrier Sheet: $9.50
Cost of Pocket Mask: $12.25
Cost of CPR course: $40.00
Cost of First Aid Kit: $10.00
Cost of First Aid Course: $40
Knowledge that you can make a difference for someone in an emergency: Priceless

In our current economy a lot of us are watching our budgets and trying to get the best value for our money. Taking courses is no exception to that. Prices for CPR and First Aid courses vary depending upon location, who is offering the course, etc. Sometimes I hear that courses are too expensive or I'm asked if discounts are available. So what exactly does the course charge cover and what is the value of knowing CPR and First Aid?

First let's take a look at what goes into the cost of a course.

I can only speak from my experiences as an American Heart Association Instructor, but the AHA does not set the prices for the courses, it is up to individual instructors to set their own prices. For my business I set up a formula. It is based on a minimum class size of 4 students so some expenses are divided by 4 to spread out the cost. So per person my costs are based on:
• Cost of book for the course
• Replacement lungs for 1 Adult & 1 Infant mannequin (divided by 4)
• Barrier sheet (I think it's important to know how to use one)
• One-way valve for face mask (if we cover this in the course)
• Cost to have Course Completion cards issued by my Training Center
• Cost to rent the space to hold the course (divided by 4)
• My time to teach the course, prepare before course and clean up after course

How much time do I put in for each course? I have to arrange the location, order the supplies, pack the materials, set up for the course, teach the course, clean up after the course, sanitize all the equipment after the course, submit the roster, request the cards and then mail out all the cards. Not factored in is all the other things that go into running a business, advertising, marketing, insurance, returning phone calls, email, etc. For private groups my charges vary as there are usually fewer expenses and I can pass that savings on to the group.

What is the value of knowing CPR or First Aid?

First and foremost you have the peace of mind to know that you know what to do in the first few minutes of an emergency. For parents and grandparents this is most likely foremost in your mind.

For care providers you may be required to have certification for your state license. For babysitters, advertising that you know CPR or First Aid makes you more attractive to parents looking to hire you. Some parents may pay a babysitter more if they are certified in CPR or First Aid.

Some employers may offer incentives for trained employees or may require certification as part of their job description. Some professions require certification for state licensing or for insurance coverage.

I could cite statistics and quote a lot of reasons why everyone should know CPR or First Aid, but today's post is on the value and what you're getting for the cost of the course. You are getting an instructor who has been trained and mentored to teach the skills and to answer your questions. You are getting the certification you may need. You are getting supervised practice time to learn the physical skills involved. If you're a believer in Murphy's Law you know that the more you are prepared the less likely you may need to use what you've learned. But most importantly you are learning a very important life saving skill. For $40 (or whatever the charge is where you are) you are learning how to possibly save another person's life.

Comments

  1. I took Gail's CPR course as a Registered Nurse needing to update my basic life support certification - she was fantastic! Very thorough, as well as entertaining! I would highly recommend her course. Thanks Gail!!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Summer work

Quotes

Climbing out of a well