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Top Reasons Your Nanny Needs to Be Certified in CPR
September 29, 2011
When considering qualifications you should require of your nanny, CPR training should be one of them. CPR training for infants and children, in particular, would be preferred. Hopefully, your nanny will never have a need to make use of that training, but in the event that it is needed, you will be glad you required that certification.
- Cardiac conditions – Children may have cardiac conditions that have not yet been discovered by their pediatrician. CPR certification would mean that your nanny would have the means to deal with an unexpected cardiac arrest.
- Near-drowning – Parents deal with this frightening accident on a much too frequent basis. If it can happen when the children are in the care of their parents, it can certainly happen when they are in the care of a nanny. CPR training will teach a nanny how to deal with these types of water related accidents.
- Choking – If a child chokes on a small object or a piece of food, they may need resuscitation after their airway has been cleared from the obstruction. In addition to CPR certification, a nanny should also know how to dislodge an item from the airway of an infant or child.
- Suffocation – At times, the creative minds of children can put their safety in danger. Plastic bags placed over heads and crawling into air tight spaces have caused suffocation in children, which required CPR to resuscitate them.
- Electrical shock – We would hope that all your unused outlets have childproof covers, but even with these safety precautions, electrical shock can still occur. Electrical shock can cause cardiac arrest. CPR certification will prepare your nanny for dealing with such a tragic event.
- Other accidents – Any type of accident which causes a child to stop breathing and/or their heart to stop pumping will require CPR to be administered to your child immediately. Anyone who is caring for children should be trained in how to properly administer CPR in these situations.
- Allergic reactions – Extreme allergic reactions can sometimes require resuscitation with CPR. Allergic reactions can be caused by bee stings, insect bites or food allergies.
- Stroke – Although, strokes are primarily associated with the elderly, children have been known to suffer strokes as well. This is certainly a rarity, but it just one more reason why a nanny should have her CPR certification.
- Time factor – Whenever a person stops breathing or has a cardiac arrest, quick action is important. The sooner CPR is begun, the better the child’s chances of recovery. Emergency services may take several minutes to respond, and every one of those minutes should be filled with CPR application to the child.
- Certification is proof – Simply asking your nanny if she knows CPR is not sufficient. Ask for a copy of her certification and make sure that her certification is current. Training in CPR needs to be refreshed every few years to keep a person truly prepared in the case of an emergency.
Just as your nanny should be certified in CPR, parents should be also. Any situation that your nanny might encounter, you could encounter as well. Require it of your nanny, and make sure you require it of yourself as well.
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Is certification something that employers are willing to pay for?
That would be something you’d need to discuss with any potential employers! Some may be willing to reimburse their nanny for getting CPR certified, many require the certification prior to hiring and some may feel that it’s your responsibility – it really just depends on the parent! But it’s also something that’s worth having a discussion about.
Where can you find places to get CPR certified??
A quick Google search for local certification should bring up plenty of places that offer a class. The American Red Cross is also a great place to start – they list all the locations where they provide certification. Additionally, there are some online courses you can take, however it’s best to use these as refresher courses and not as your initial CPR certification. Taking a hands on certification is best, especially for your first time.
Most families I’ve interviewed with/worked for have required CPR certification upon hiring, which I can appreciate and understand.
the courses are worth taking – it will only take a day of your time (usually not even that long) and the benefits FAR outweigh any time lost or cost involved. you just never know when something could happen. better to be prepared.
We require all of our nannies to be CPR and first aid certified. If I’m leaving my child in your care, I want to be confident that you are able to provide care when it matters most!