The importance of updating your lifesaving skills

Have you completed a first aid or CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) course in the past? Maybe you think those skills will ensure you can help should you be faced with an emergency? However, studies show that CPR training is forgotten after three months if it's not practiced regularly.

According to research a person's skills in CPR decrease by 50% after two months if they haven't practised the skill, and after 3 years only 2% of people can perform CPR effectively.

Effective CPR can make all the difference in giving a victim the best chance at survival while waiting for an ambulance to arrive, which is why it's so vital for all of us to ensure we learn first aid and CPR, and update our qualifications regularly.

So, how often should you update your First Aid and CPR skills?

Nationally accredited First Aid certificates, such as the HLTAID003 Provide First Aid, stay current for three years, while it's recommended that the HLTAID001 Provide Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation qualification is updated annually.

To find out more about how you can update your qualifications with Royal Life Saving Society WA visit our Training pages.

Royal Life Saving Society WA's training courses recently featured on WA Weekender, view the episode below.