One hand on top of the other, in a steady rhythm, and with the torso making a right angle with the arms. Students gathered around the fitness lab during lunch to learn and practice compressing the CPR mannequins, Oct 8. Detailed instructions were provided by Westview Red Cross and the Young Leaders in Healthcare club, guiding students to properly perform CPR. To introduce the importance and techniques of this lifesaving procedure to Westview students, the two clubs partnered to organize the two-day-long CPR program on campus.
Kendrick Perez (11), vice president of Westview Red Cross, helped lead the event. He said that Westview Red Cross focuses on volunteering opportunities in medical fields for students as a branch of the official Red Cross organization. At the beginning of the school year, the club planned to arrange medical field-related events, including the CPR program with the help of equipment and resources around campus.
“We actually asked the ENS coaches for their Red Cross mannequins, which were brand new,” Perez said. “During the first day, we [taught] how to do CPR on an adult mannequin, then on the second day, how to do CPR on a baby mannequin. We started off both days with a presentation on what CPR is, why it’s important, and how knowing CPR benefits you and others around you.”
Perez said the mannequins on campus have LED lights on their forehead, which further guided students to correctly practice CPR.
“The mannequins have these special LED lights on their forehead,” Perez said. “So if you’re doing the CPR correctly, with the correct pressure and the correct depth, the forehead will light up red. It was really cool because you don’t really know if you’re doing CPR correctly unless you start practicing on a mannequin. I believe the mannequins really helped.”
Perez said the advanced equipment made the program highly interactive, allowing many students to get hands-on practice.
“I would say around 30 to 40 people came from both clubs,” Perez said. “It was really nice to see the people actually engage in the activity. I think through this [program], we created a stronger community within the medical club environment at Westview.”
Elizabeth Weng (11), the president of the Young Leaders in Healthcare club, said that just learning the basics of CPR and actually practicing it can bring very different results, and she was glad to provide the opportunity for practice on campus.
“I’m really glad that we were able to let students practice CPR on these mannequins,” Weng said. “I feel like CPR is something that even if you learn, you may not be comfortable doing it on an actual person unless you have practiced doing it many times.”
Although this event did not grant a CPR certificate, Weng believed even just providing an opportunity for students to practice it could make a difference. Weng said her experience with CPR from attending basic life support and CPR workshops pushed her to propose the idea of an on-campus CPR program.
“Although I learned [CPR] a few times, I just knew if I actually had to do it, I wouldn’t feel very comfortable doing it unless I had more practice,” Weng said. “I think it can be really scary knowing that this is kind of a life-and-death situation, and also because I remember during a CPR workshop I [learned] that I might break the person’s ribcage, and I was shocked. I thought I probably wouldn’t be comfortable doing that unless I practiced more, so I just wanted to give people an opportunity to learn and practice. I also remember when I was in ENS, we had a short CPR workshop. So I thought this would be a great way to continue it.”
