8 Tips for Teaching a CPR, AED and First Aid Course to a Large Group

8 Tips for Teaching a CPR, AED and First Aid Course to a Large Group

Recently an Instructor asked me for some tips to help her teach 30 students all in one day. There is a lot to consider, especially if you want to do a good job and get invited back to teach again! When teaching a large group, keep these tips in mind:

CPR, AED and First Aid Course Tips

1. Follow the 1:12 maximum Instructor-to-Student ratio.

   Exceeding the ratio is against EMS Safety guidelines because it decreases students’ hands-on time and may prevent an effective CPR, AED and First Aid course.

2. Make sure the client understands the challenges involved.

   The employer may find that is it actually easier to break the CPR, AED and First Aid courses into multiple dates. Having a large number of people in a CPR, AED and First Aid course is okay, but having a large number of employees away from their work may not be. The business owner should understand that CPR, AED and First Aid certification requires everyone’s full participation. Students (even managers) are required to be in the course from beginning to end, and won’t be able to come and go as they please.

3. Establish costs and pricing up front.

   A larger CPR, AED and First Aid course may take a larger chunk of your bottom line. To maintain the Instructor-to-Student ratio, you’ll need more Instructors. That means more expense and more time coordinating the course, and more CPR, AED and First Aid certification cards to print. Charge enough for the CPR, AED and First Aid course to be profitable for you. It’s okay to charge a premium for a larger CPR, AED and First Aid course.

4. Protect your bottom line.

   Establish a minimum charge for a large CPR, AED and First Aid course. I’ve learned the hard way that the number of students promised isn’t the same as the number of students who actually show up. If you’re going with a per-student charge, establish a minimum course fee so you don’t get burned by low enrollment.

5. Conduct a pre-course site check.

   A lot of CPR, AED and First Aid courses are booked over the phone or through email without seeing the course location. I know firsthand how a tiny, overheated location can make an 8-hour CPR, AED and First Aid course feel like 16 hours. (Tip # 5.5: Use quality deodorant!) If this is a client you intend to keep, a thorough site check will go a long way towards establishing a solid relationship. If the space is inadequate for a large CPR, AED and First Aid course, discuss alternatives with your client.

6. Planning makes perfect.

   Meet with your assisting Instructors beforehand to discuss who will be doing what. Assign assisting Instructors to a specific group of people rather than having them float around. If you’re having the assisting Instructors give some of the lecture topics, then make a plan beforehand and identify who will be teaching which parts of the CPR, AED and First Aid Course. Make sure they know they will help clean up after the course!

7. Over-staff.

   It’s best to have an extra Instructor so you do not have to observe student skills. With a larger group, you are the coordinator and conduct the flow of the course. You watch the assisting Instructors, and they watch the students.

8. Under-promise and over-deliver.

   It’s always better to schedule a longer course and get out early, than schedule a shorter course and get out late. Extend the course time; a larger course will take longer than your average CPR, AED and First Aid course.

I hope that helps! Share your tips for teaching CPR, AED and First Aid courses to larger groups on Twitter and Facebook.