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Technology Privacy "Cookies" are small pieces of information that are stored by your browser on your computer’s hard drive. They allow us to better analyze our site traffic patterns and to provide improved content, advertisements, products and services. They also allow us to refine and enhance visitor registration and to add personalization. Most Web browsers automatically accept cookies, but you can usually change your browser to prevent that if you would rather not store the information for future use. If you decide not to accept cookies, you may encounter a number of difficulties using ProFirstAid. Personal Information Privacy Your personal information is used solely by ProFirstAid to allow us to better serve you. We will not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to any third parties. In other words, we will not give it to anyone else! Medical Privacy Medical & Instructional Source Authority Documentation Supporting ProFirstAid, LLC Training Programs Part One: Introduction to Medical Treatment Guidelines (Medical Source Authority) Introduction This information is designed to assist those with statutory or regulatory responsibility for evaluating first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training programs and to describe the quality foundations supporting ProFirstAid, LLC’s list of programs. This guide also clarifies many confusing misconceptions surrounding first aid and CPR(Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) education. The Process of Medical Knowledge Medical knowledge is gained through research and the practice of medicine by licensed physicians, surgeons, paramedics, nurses and other health care professionals. Knowledge gained through medical practice and research is evaluated and debated in formal and informal education settings, peer -reviewed medical journals, consensus conferences, seminars. and through other similar processes. Knowledge is investigated both privately and publicly, with regard to US effectiveness, safety, ethical character and cost-effectiveness. Knowledge and medical practices that survive the rigors of debate and consensus-building and meet with widespread agreement among experts eventually become generally accepted within the medical community. Those concepts achieving general medical acceptance are typically published in texts and journals to be relied upon by practicing health care professionals. Academic universities. vocational schools and other teaming organizations --like ProFirstAid, LLC-- develop program content based upon published medical literature and tailor training materials to meet the needs of the target audience. Medical Guidelines versus a "Standard of Care" Even as certain medical knowledge and practices become generally accepted, new concepts evolve challenging conventional wisdom. These new concepts give rise to renewed debate, frequently resulting in a new consensus-built method of medical practice. Consequently, the process of medical learning and practice is cyclical in nature. Breakthroughs in the practice of medicine lead to new debate, debate to consensus, and consensus to delivery . Medical innovations now occur so rapidly that the medical community avoids identifying the current state of knowledge or method of practice as the standard of care. This is particularly true in the current medical liability environment. An example of the movement away from the "standard of care" concept is found in recent CPR guidelines promulgated by the American Heart Association (AHA): "The term standards has been misunderstood and has often been given legal implications it was never intended to convey. For this reason the term has been avoided in this publication. The term standards has been replaced by guidelines and recommendations. ..."1 Every several years, the American Heart Association sponsors a national conference designed to highlight and debate recent developments in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and emergency cardiac care. Resulting guidelines describe the current state of medical knowledge in the areas of CPR and emergency cardiac care for the general public and health care professionals.2 The AHA’s Guidelines for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiac Care --as published in the Journal of the American Medical association (JAMA) -provide a readily available and identifiable source authority for emergency cardiac care and cardiopulmonary resuscitation training program content. This exceptional document makes it possible! for organizations like ProFirstAid®, ProFirstAid.org®, EMP America, the American Red Cross, the National Safety Council, and even the AHA, to develop high quality CPR education and training programs. Unlike the realm of CPR, no single consensus document exists establishing first aid training program guidelines. In fact, no single agency / association or regulatory body is responsible for determining appropriate first aid treatment guidelines for the layperson. Thus, training program developers like ProFirstAid.org®/ProFirstAid®, the American Red Cross' and the National SafetyCouncil, must research and document appropriate source authorities supporting program content. Interestingly, many statutes and regulations specifically identify certain first aid and CPR training programs as meeting statutory or regulatory requirements. Many of these laws authorize other programs to offer first aid and CPR training if approved or deemed equivalent. However, there exists no national consensus guidelines against which to compare program content for purposes of approval and no measure against which to determine equivalency. Moreover, government agencies often lack the authority and expertise necessary to objectively evaluate first aid training materials submitted for review. 1Contrary to popular belief. the American Red Cross does not establish first aid practice or training program guidelines. All first aid training programs, including the ARC, must conform program content to the current state of medical knowledge as evidenced by published medical texts and journals. 2 Naming any single organization in statute or regulation often has the unintended consequence of discouraging enterprising approaches to first aid and CPR training and reducing the number of qualified first aid and CPR training programs available to serve the public. This practice also places government in the position of sanctioning particular programs thus discouraging or eliminating competition. Governments acting in this capacity are put at risk without any supporting public policy rationale. Medical Source Authority Supporting ProFirstAid of Michigan, Inc. Programs ProFirstAid®. is committed to delivering exemplary first aid and CPR training. In furtherance of this goal, the company promotes a standardized instructional system designed in concert with professionals. The. program development process draws upon the talent and experience of recognized experts In the field, outside consultants, and diligent medical research. To ensure that program content and medical treatment guidelines used in ProFirstAid ® and ProFirstAid.org® programs are safe. effective and helpful, EMP America relies upon the following source:) of medical knowledge: ProFirstAid – Adult CPR and First Aid Training (CPR Component) Emergency Cardiac Care Committee and Sub-Committees, American Heart Association. Guidelines for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiac Care, JAMA 1992;268. ProFirstAid -CPR and First Aid For The Daycare Provider (Infant. Children & Adult): CPR Component Emergency Cardiac Care Committee and Sub-Committees, American Heart Association. Guidelines for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiac Care, JAMA 1992;268 ProFirstAid -Adult) CPR and First Aid Training ( Medical & Trauma Component) Emergency Care and Transportation of the Sick and Injured (5th Ed). c1992 by the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS). ProFirstAid –CPR and First Aid For The Daycare Provider (Infant. Children & Adult): Medical & Trauma Component Emergency Care and Transporta6on of the Sick and Injured (5th Ed.). 01992 by the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS). ProFirstAid – CPR for the Healthcare Provider/Compared to American Heart Association© Pediatric Emergencies. 01992 by Elchel, Ball, Pratsch, and Runion. Brady, Div. Of Prentice--Hall, Inc., Englewood Cliffs, N.J. Nursing Care of Infants and Children. 01991 Whaley and Wong. Mosby-Year Book. Inc., St. Louis, MO. Other Sources: Other authoritative research sources and national consensus guidelines are utilized as necessitated by topic or procedure and referenced in the appendix of MEDIC FIRST AID program instructor guides. Some published procedures may be altered for appropriate use by laypersons. 3 Part Two: Introduction to the Instructional Model (Instructional Source Authority) Introduction ProFirstAid.org is dedicated to providing instructional programs which are student-centered rather than teacher-centered. Using an instructional approach which differs from routine academic education, ProFirstAid.orgs’ overall strategy for skill development is simplification :and repetition in a relaxed positive environment. Self-discovery, cooperative learning, and joint assessment of knowledge and skills are emphasized. Successful completion of ProFirstAid training is based upon reasonable performance of emergency care skills rather than perfection Flexibility is founded upon the fact that real life emergencies are unexpected and dynamic. Requiring rigidity and 100 percent accuracy in skill performance may contribute unnecessary barriers to taking action ProFirstAid believes the instructional model provides students with the tools necessary to act without fear of imperfection. NOTE:** ProFirstAid.org Online Recertification in CPR for the Healthcare Provider does not require hands on performance to prove proficiency for continued education and recertification. The Necessity for Instructor Supervision Most complex first aid interventions involve psychomotor skills. Reasonable skill proficiency requires guided supervision for reliable reproduction. Research demonstrates that expositive methods -demonstration and prompted practice -are required to reach a reasonable, but not unreasonably high, standard of performance. Instructor supervision is necessary to prevent unsatisfactory performance and to prevent the learner from "drifting" from correct procedures through lack of corrective feedback. 3, 4. Instruction in first aid can be separated into approaches which are dependent upon instructor. supervision and feedback and those that are not. Multimedia can be useful supplements to initial learning and continuing education and are used by all major training organizations, including ProFirstAid, LLC, to disseminate knowledge content. However, the company believes that videotapes alone are inadequate to meet occupational or regulatory health and safety demands. ProFirstAid and ProFirstAid.org believes Initial first aid training sufficient to meet occupational or regulatory requirements must include supervision by qualified instructors. Thus, reliable teaming programs designed to develop qualified instructors are an undeniable necessity for first aid training programs offering certificates of successful completion to participants. ProFirstAid, LLC trains and certifies instructors, trainers collectively called facilitators. Following successful completion, a new facilitator is entered into the Qualified Instructor Registry and issued a registry Certificate. Revocable certificates are issued authorizing these individuals to Conduct training in the ProFirstAid program(s) identified on the certificates. 4 Reproductive versus Productive skills Learning a skill is dependent upon either reproductive or productive strategies. Reproductive skills are those that involve very little planning or strategy. They require tactical approaches- Once the basic skill or procedure has been learned, there is very little need for more knowledge content. Reproductive skills improve with repetition. Learning to drive a car for instance, is essentially reproductive in nature. In contrast, productive skills involve problem-solving. They require strategic and conceptual approaches. Productive skills improve with analysis of an increasing variety of problems. Determining the best route from one place to another using a road map is a productive skill requiring creative problem solving. ProFirstAid training employs reproductive skills to accomplish initial proficiency. Retraining or continuing education programs review reproductive skills through repetition in a variety of cooperative learning situations. Simple productive management is introduced through guided scenarios with small group self-discovery INSTRUCTIONAL SOURCE AUTHORITY ProFirstAid promotes a standardized instructional system designed in concert with professionals and which draws on the talent and experience of recognized experts in the field as well as outside consultants. In addition, ProFirstAid utilizes the following as a source supporting its instructional approach: CPR & First Aid (Adult) & CPR & First Aid for the Child Day Care Provider (Infant, Children & Adult): Instructional Model - ENDNOTES Emergency Cardiac Care Committee and Sub-Committees. American Heart Association Guidelines for cardiopulmonary resuscitation and emergency cardiac care. JAMA 1992;268.2173. . 21bid 3Thorndike, E. Adult Learning. New York, MacMilllim. 1928. 4General Rules and Regulations of ProFirstAid, LLC ©2005 |