4 Ways to be the BEST CPR Instructor!

Alright everybody, welcome in to CPR Headquarter’s latest podcast detailing 4 Ways to Be the BEST CPR Instructor. My name is Brady McLaughlin with Trio Safety CPR+AED Solutions, and I’m excited to bring you these important yet simple tips on how you can improve your delivery in the classroom. Let’s jump right into it.  Be positive and approachable — Your students, no matter their age, need to feel comfortable and excited to be learning from you. Your positive attitude and openness to help them should be obvious to your students.

  • Allow students time to ask questions, and listen fully before providing answers. This builds confidence in your students and respect for you.

Manage your classroom time — Set a class schedule, and make room for some fun in your training, like working in some additional practice time or sharing interesting statistics and facts on CPR. Start on time; give breaks as promised. When you keep to your schedule, your students will like the easy flow of your class and will feel like you respected their time as well as made good use of yours. Make it real — Your DVDs and course curriculum are built around learning the academic side of CPR. Contextualize the course subject matter into settings your students resonate with. Many of our instructors also have their own experiences, and adding a personal story can be a powerful way to motivate your students to have that confidence to respond. Just be sure to keep an eye on the clock and keep your stories from becoming the primary focal point of the session. Plus, please be aware of the sensibilities of your audience – not everyone can handle all the vivid details and nitty-gritty of a real-life emergency. Be their cheerleader during skills practice time — As with any new skill, some students need more one-on-one help than others, and practicing CPR on a manikin is no different. When your students are working through the hands-on components of their course, it’s your chance to walk around your classroom and move from group to group to see who needs help or who seems reluctant to try the skill being performed. Find that balance between your students’ need for self-discovery and when you need to step in and lend a hand, and make sure those hands offer up some reinforcing applause now and then. Further Reading: 1. CPR Instructor Career and Salary Guide

Brady B. McLaughlin

Brady has a passion for delivering engaging, fun CPR and safety training. His professional background in public safety (police, fire, and EMS) combined with his experience in academia as a university professor allows Brady to create a dynamic learning environment for students to master the life-saving skills of CPR and first aid. Currently, Brady serves as the CEO and Director of Training for Trio Safety CPR in Birmingham, AL, overseeing nearly 40 instructors responsible for training nearly 4,000 students annually. He enjoys spending time with his wife, infant son, and serving at his local church.

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Alright everybody, welcome in to CPR Headquarter’s latest podcast detailing 4 Ways to Be the BEST CPR Instructor. My name is Brady McLaughlin with Trio Safety CPR+AED Solutions, and I’m excited to bring you these important yet simple tips on how you can improve your delivery in the classroom. Let’s jump right into it.  Be positive and approachable — Your students, no matter their age, need to feel comfortable and excited to be learning from you. Your positive attitude and openness to help them should be obvious to your students.

  • Allow students time to ask questions, and listen fully before providing answers. This builds confidence in your students and respect for you.

Manage your classroom time — Set a class schedule, and make room for some fun in your training, like working in some additional practice time or sharing interesting statistics and facts on CPR. Start on time; give breaks as promised. When you keep to your schedule, your students will like the easy flow of your class and will feel like you respected their time as well as made good use of yours. Make it real — Your DVDs and course curriculum are built around learning the academic side of CPR. Contextualize the course subject matter into settings your students resonate with. Many of our instructors also have their own experiences, and adding a personal story can be a powerful way to motivate your students to have that confidence to respond. Just be sure to keep an eye on the clock and keep your stories from becoming the primary focal point of the session. Plus, please be aware of the sensibilities of your audience – not everyone can handle all the vivid details and nitty-gritty of a real-life emergency. Be their cheerleader during skills practice time — As with any new skill, some students need more one-on-one help than others, and practicing CPR on a manikin is no different. When your students are working through the hands-on components of their course, it’s your chance to walk around your classroom and move from group to group to see who needs help or who seems reluctant to try the skill being performed. Find that balance between your students’ need for self-discovery and when you need to step in and lend a hand, and make sure those hands offer up some reinforcing applause now and then. Further Reading: 1. CPR Instructor Career and Salary Guide

Vlad Magdalin

Passionate reader | People person | The one behind All dad jokes