CPR and AED School Activities

Qualified Instructor Workshop

Set up a CPR course taught by a qualified medical instructor. Local hospitals have qualified CPR and AED instructors who can come on campus and talk to staff and students. An instructor can teach them about the ABCs of CPR: airway, breathing and circulation. Students should be taught what to do if they think someone needs CPR, including calling a member of staff and calling for an ambulance.

Show what an AED looks like. The instructor should teach what one is used for and how it works. This can be done so if one is needed in an emergency, staff and students can easily recognize what it is. Tell them where the school's AED is so they can easily locate it if needed.

Create a situation in which someone needs CPR. Have a member of staff play the role of the person needing help and a qualified medical instructor providing aid. Let the instructor narrate step by step how CPR should be given. Discuss with students afterward how the each step helps the person who needs CPR.

Also, create a situation in which someone needs an AED. Have a member of staff play the role of the person needing help and a qualified medical instructor providing aid. Let the instructor narrate step by step how an AED should be used. Discuss with students afterward how each step helps the person in need.

Show videos on CPR and AED. Videos can illustrate preparation before and during an emergency. They can be particularly effective for staff and students who are visual learners. You can encourage a discussion after a video has finished to see what students have learned. An information sheet can also be given for students to take home and absorb the most important pieces of information.

Test students with a quiz. Make up questions, including what "CPR" stands for, what "AED" stands for, what are the signs of someone's airway being blocked and who to contact if someone needs CPR. The quiz can be individually answered, with students writing their answers on a piece of paper. Students can also be split into groups, and whichever group gets the most answers right can win a prize. A copy of the questions and right answers can be given to every student at the end of the quiz to take home.