CPR and First Aid for Home Health and Senior-Care Staff in Stone Mountain

Many caregivers around Stone Mountain work outside hospitals — in people’s homes, in assisted living and senior-care communities, and in group homes. They are often told they need “CPR”, without anyone saying which course. This guide helps caregivers, and the people who employ them, work out the right one.

The key question: are you a licensed clinician?

The American Heart Association writes two families of courses:

• BLS is for healthcare providers — licensed nurses and other clinical staff who respond to emergencies as part of their job.
• Heartsaver is for everyone else — including caregivers and direct-support staff who are not licensed clinicians.

So a licensed nurse working in home health usually needs BLS, while a caregiver or direct-support worker in the same agency usually needs Heartsaver. What decides it in the end is your role and your employer’s policy, so if your employer names a course, book that one.

Why first aid matters as much as CPR here

In senior care and group homes, the emergencies you are most likely to meet are not cardiac arrests. They are falls, cuts, choking, breathing difficulty, allergic reactions, seizures and low blood sugar. That is why Heartsaver CPR/AED is so often paired with Heartsaver First Aid for these roles — the first aid half covers the situations caregivers actually face week to week.

Common roles and the usual course

• Caregivers and direct-support staff — usually Heartsaver CPR/AED, often with First Aid.
• Senior-care and group-home staff who are not licensed — usually Heartsaver CPR/AED and First Aid.
• Licensed nurses and clinical staff — usually BLS, whether they work in the community or at a hospital such as Emory Hillandale in nearby Lithonia.

If you are unsure, call us before you book and we will help you check.

Training a whole team

For agencies, group homes and senior-care communities, training everyone together is often simpler than sending staff to separate classes. We can bring the manikins, AED trainers and instructors to your home or office, or reserve seats together in our classroom. On-site sessions are priced per group with a minimum headcount, and we schedule around your staff coverage so residents are never left short.

Keeping everyone current

American Heart Association cards are valid for two years. For employers, a simple spreadsheet of each staff member’s card dates — with a reminder six weeks ahead of each — avoids the situation where several cards lapse in the same month.

Getting to us from Stone Mountain

Stone Mountain borders Lilburn, and our classroom is a short drive north on Lawrenceville Highway, at 5400 Lawrenceville Highway, Suite A-1. Directions and the next dates are on our Stone Mountain page.

GA Healthcare Training & Consulting is American Heart Association Faculty: courses use official AHA curriculum and materials, are taught by AHA-certified instructors, and lead to an official AHA course completion eCard. See fees on our CPR and Emergency Certification page, or contact us about training your team.