To help encourage people to take cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) classes we have created this page to help address some frequently asked questions

Question 1: Can I get sued if I do CPR on someone?

Answer: Yes, you definitely can get sued if you do CPR on someone. However, the good news is that most places in North America have laws to protect a helping bystander from getting sued. Most provinces in Canada has something called the “Good Samaritan Act” or something similar that protects someone who is giving aid from getting sued as long as they act to the best of there abilities. It may be best to check your state or countries laws prior to giving aid to determine what laws exist or don’t exist to protect you.

Question 2: Will I break someone’s ribs if I do CPR on them?

Answer: Yes, it is entirely possible that you may break someone’s ribs when doing CPR on them. CPR involves forceful compression of the chest which can lead to some internal damage especially if the casualty is elderly and with weak bones (arthritis or osteoporosis). Regardless if you feel like you’ve broken bones you should continue with CPR. Like the saying goes, “Life over Limb”, save the life first then we can worry about the broken bones.

Question 3: Are online CPR courses just as good as in person CPR Courses?

Answer: No, you can definitely learn a lot from an on-line course but it’s not the same as an in person CPR course. CPR is a physical skill you need to practise to truly grasp. You won’t be able to practise on a CPR mannequin while taking an on-line course. Although likely cheaper, taking a on-line CPR course is not better than an in-person one. If you need to refresh some knowledge on CPR then it might be useful to take an on-line course.

Question 4: Will I have to do mouth to mouth on someone when taking my CPR Course?

Answer: No, not unless we find a time machine to the 1980’s! Mouth to mouth CPR practise has been removed from the classroom for at least 40 years for obvious reasons. The age of COVID definitely hasn’t improved the possibility of mouth to mouth CPR coming back to the classroom. A big topic in a lot of CPR, first aid and basic life support classes is the use of barrier devices including pocket masks and gloves to prevent touching the casualty.

Question 5: When will I receive my CPR certificate?

Answer: Anytime between right after your class to a few weeks after. It really depends on the provider in which you took your CPR course with. If it was with the Lifesaving Society or Red Cross it can take a few weeks. If it’s with St Mark James Training or St John’s Ambulance it is offered immediately upon successful completion of the course.