A confounding situation

[CMHills]

I'm not sure if this is the right thread for this, so admins, feel free to move me around if it's not.

I'm an RA at my small liberal arts college, and have recently been trying to convince the residence life office to let me train all of the RAs in CPR. However, I keep getting fed this exact line: "... we can't train our RAs in CPR for liability reasons."

I have two questions. First, has anyone EVER run into a legitimate claim like that or am I just getting brushed off? Most CPR instructors I know work for schools - colleges included - because the school got tired of paying someone else to certify their staff (which includes RAs). Why were they paying so much? Because it's a liability not to have CPR certified people on staff.

... right?

Second, how should I proceed? Their idea is to "leave the CPR to the trained EMTs." As a trained EMT, I would be horribly depressed if I were to show up to a scene at which the pt required CPR and was getting nothing but concerned looks from bystanders. This seems like a negligent case of the institutional lazies, but before I go raising hell all the way up the ladder, I wanted to run it by y'all.

Am I right in being very, very afraid, or is there a legit reason for a college to avoid having any (yes, any, including campus police officers and athletic trainers) of its staff CPR certified that I just haven't heard of?

 

[medicman14]

The typical logic is that when a person, on their own, gets trained in cpr, then uses it...it is as a good samaritan. When you place it into a job description, it becomes a duty, not samaritan, but part of your job. Then comes into play injuries during cpr, aka workers comp vs personal medical...etc. There is also equity between staff and scope of employment concerns to address.
This is just a small friendly glimpse into the sometimes prevailing logic of employers.
I recommend each ra getting it because it is the right thing, and not make it the burden of the employer.
Hope this helps

 

[CMHills]

I gotcha. So, in light of what you said, why/how do so many employers (especially schools) require certification of their employees?

It's still terrifying and I don't like it, but it makes sense. It seems the question has now become how to train everyone without getting sued.

"What a wonderful world"

 

[medicman14]

Some managers / administrators listen to legal advise and still do what they believe is the right thing to do; which may or may not conflict with the advice received. Some listen to legal advice and do whatever the lawyer says...regardless of whether or not is it good, logical, common sense behavior for the organization. In other words, some see risks as worth taking, and some don't.
Just to note, I'm not a lawyer - I'm just an old Paramedic that has already been down that path a couple times. Good luck, you are doing the right thing. I recommend starting a movement from the bottom up instead of prompting a requirement from the top down.

 

[CMHills]

Fair enough. Wasn't sure if it was that simple or there was some crazy loophole or something.

Thanks for the advice. This should be fun, it's been awhile since I've stared a coup.

 

[Aidey]

In some places is it state law or a retirement of some certifications. For example, in many places hair dressers are required to get CPR as part of their state license.

Honestly RAs wouldn't be at the top of my list of people to require CPR for. Low risk population plus there is no guarantee they will be notified of a problem. Most of the time when we get called to a college the RAs find out when we all show up.

 

[mycrofft]

My daughter was a RA for two total years at two total colleges. I learned that RA managers tend not to be the most adult and independent thinkers on the learning ladder, and CPR lessons cost money.
If students were trained to a standard and carded, proper CPR performance would lie with them and their instructor, not the college.

 

[webster44]

As an RA in college I ran programs training residents and other RA's in CPR. I borrowed equipment from the campus rec people and the school paid me for the materials.

 

[webster44]

Oh you should know I was a red cross instructor on the side