Aug 27, 2015 
Careers That Require CPR Certification
The ability to perform CPR is a skill that adds immeasurable value to all areas of one’s life, both personal and professional. It serves to boost your confidence in your ability to provide immediate care in an emergency, and it also boosts the confidence of those around you. When you receive and maintain certification, it also increases your desirability as an employee in certain industries and for certain jobs. There are, in fact, certain jobs that require CPR certification either as a prerequisite or as a condition that must be fulfilled after one has been hired. There are several important factors that people should take into consideration when entering a new career, including which jobs require CPR certification and where one can go to get the training needed in order to receive that certification. At CPR Certified, we are the answer to the latter. We provide online courses to students and busy professionals who want to expand their skills and opportunities by learning life-saving techniques. Our training programs are designed and taught by AHA-certified instructors and are compliant with the guidelines established by ILCOR, ECC, ARC, and LCC-LCOR. In addition to certification, we also provide recertification, and we are accepted across the nation by most industries that require employees to be CPR-certified.
Medical Careers
Although it is the obvious answer, the medical field is one of the primary industries where you will find jobs that require CPR certification. Doctors, nurses, medical assistants, and paramedics are all in positions that require them to act when an emergency situation arises. While doctors and nurses provide full-on care, they also must be able to perform CPR and other techniques if needed in an emergency situation. The role of a medical assistant is often limited to specific tasks given by the doctor or nurse, but they may need to perform CPR in emergencies. When it comes to paramedics, CPR and other first aid techniques are necessary to perform their jobs on a daily basis.
Law Enforcement
Police officers come into contact with the public in various, often volatile situations. During these situations, anyone from suspects to mere pedestrians may suddenly have difficulty breathing, suffer a heart attack, or have a bleeding injury, for example. Law enforcement officers must be certified and capable of administering the necessary first aid care.
Child-Care Providers
Children are often high-energy and may not always see the danger in things that they do or even eat. This is why kids must always be closely supervised. Supervision, however, isn’t always enough. Kids in day-care or child-care centers can end up in emergency situations that arise from choking on objects, falling into pools, or touching things that can burn or cut them. Child-care providers must be prepared to administer CPR and/or first aid as needed, and for that reason, some states require that child-care workers have CPR certification.
Lifeguards
Another one of the somewhat obvious jobs that require CPR certification is a lifeguard. One of the duties of a lifeguard is to watch for and help prevent drowning at pools and beaches. If someone begins to drown, a lifeguard’s duty is to pull them from the water and perform CPR if necessary. Their job also requires them to perform CPR and first aid as needed for beach- or pool-goers who may be suffering from cardiac arrest or any other type of medical emergency.
Firefighters
When considering a job as a firefighter, you will want to take CPR or BLS classes to obtain your certification. Firefighters are generally first-responders in many emergency situations, ranging from fires to car accidents. They must be CPR-certified to respond to medical emergencies that arise as a result of the trauma associated with these situations. Often, firefighters and their ability to administer life-saving aid can be the difference between life and death.
Personal Trainers and Physical Therapists
In some states, personal trainers and physical therapists are required to be CPR-certified. This is important in the event that a gym member suffers from a medical emergency that requires CPR. In some cases, the therapist or trainer may not be required to respond to an emergency while at work; however, they will have the certification and the skill if they must. The requirement for certification is often associated with obtaining their license from the state.