Students put their heart into CPR training

user how to shock a person’s heart back to a normal rhythm.

Leah particularly enjoyed learning how the defibrillator worked and liked the fact that their instructor, Natalie Gallagher let them turn it on and try to follow the sequence of prompts and instructions.

‘‘It was really straightforward and it told you everything that you had to do,’’ she said.

Natalie is the owner and facilitator of RESUS NELSON, a new business specialising in CPR training and emergency scenarios and this was the first group of young adults she had taught.

She was ‘‘blown away’’ by the students’ initiative and loved their enthusiasm.

‘‘Most people who do these courses do so as a requirement of their job but these kids were doing it because they wanted to. ‘‘They chose to be there. ‘‘They were so engaging. They wanted more.’’

She adapted her instruction for the students. Senarios related to situations they may come across in their every day lives such as resuscitating a drowning student at the school swimming pool or a sudden collapse in the playground.

Natalie said young people often feel adults are more knowledgeable in initiating CPR but she encourages young people to be confident and put their learned skills to work.

‘‘You never know when you will be the only person on the scene and it is up to you,’’ she told her students.

‘‘You have done this, you are all capable.’’

The students all qualified in their course attaining Level 2 certificate which satisfies the NZ Resuscitation Council they have achieved the necessary requirements for managing adult, child and infant collapse, choking in adult, child and infant and use of the defibrillator.