Bermuda Hospitals Board (BHB) is celebrating World Heart Day this year with quick cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) courses for the public. BHB is the only American Heart Association Authorized Training Center in Bermuda and each of the courses offered have been created by that organisation.

Hands-Only CPR

Designed to increase the likelihood of bystanders taking action if someone suffers a heart attack right in front of them, this method does not involve any mouth-to-mouth contact. Only hand contact is required.

“Research showed that people were uncomfortable giving mouth-to-mouth help to victims, even in instances where a person fell into difficulty right before them,” said BHB Clinical Nurse Educator Kelly Pitcher. “This technique was created to increase the numbers of people that would be able to help in such circumstances, thereby increasing the prospects for anyone who may have a heart attack.”

BHB will offer the Hands-Only CPR course for free. Training takes about 30 minutes and is done to music. Research by the American Heart Association shows that people are more likely to remember the compression rate to use when they are trained to use the beat of a familiar song.

Participants must be able to kneel on the floor.

Family & Friends CPR

Family & Friends CPR is for people who want to learn CPR but do not need CPR certification to meet a job requirement. The course is ideal for community groups, new parents, grandparents, babysitters, and others interested in learning how to save a life.

This course includes training in the Hands-Only CPR technique as well as mouth-to-mouth CPR to use on adults and children. Adult and child AED use, infant CPR and mild and severe airway block for adults, children and infants are also a part of this training.

BHB will provide free instruction for this course. The workbook and mouthpiece required will cost $5. Family & Friends CPR training is about 2 hours long.

Participants must be able to kneel on the floor.

Registering for the courses

Please note that neither course is appropriate for clinicians.

Hands-Only CPR will be offered on Friday 27 September from 8:30am – 3:30pm

Family & Friends CPR will be offered on Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 September. Three sessions will be offered each day.

Session 1: 8:30am-10:30am

Session 2: 11am-1pm

Session 3: 1:30pm-3:30pm

Call 239-1029 to register or email coursereg@bhb.bm. Please include the time and date you would like to attend.

• Press release from the Bermuda Hospitals Board