About CPR certified people?!
Question: If someone is not breathing, and you are CPR certified, does that mean YOU HAVE to help the person in trouble? And if someone is NOT CPR certified, then are they allowed to give CPR or help the person in trouble? Just making sure because a friend told me that if you are certified, you have to help and if you aren't certified, you can't help. So I thought it was weird because what if it's an emergency. Thanks! =)
Answers: If someone is not breathing, and you are CPR certified, does that mean YOU HAVE to help the person in trouble? And if someone is NOT CPR certified, then are they allowed to give CPR or help the person in trouble? Just making sure because a friend told me that if you are certified, you have to help and if you aren't certified, you can't help. So I thought it was weird because what if it's an emergency. Thanks! =)
Short answer: no, you don't "have to" do anything.
Being "certified" in CPR doesn't change that requirement either way. Conversely, you can do cpr if it's needed with or without "certification."
The need to do cpr is actually more complicated that it may seem at first. But the short answer there is you "should" perform life saving measures when you believe, based on sound judgment and scientific evidence, that it may do some good.
You don't HAVE to but if you took the time to become certified then I don't understand why you wouldn't help. I had to help a pregnant girl the other day when she was choking at the restaurant where I work. It just came naturally when her friends asked for help.
If you are certified then you should help.
Being certified does not require you to offer CPR in an emergency situation. Not being certified does not exclude you from being able to assist. You cannot be sued if you do it wrong, and you cannot be sued if you don't do it. Of course, if you're a health care provider, and acting as a health care provider (you're on the job) then you have to follow the rules set forth by the policies and laws specific to your profession.