Dozens of union caregivers at the Philadelphia nursing home earned their CPR & Basic Life Support certifications this week
PHILADELPHIA – On Tuesday and Wednesday, March 6-7, dozens of caregivers and support staff at Care Pavilion Nursing & Rehabilitation Center in West Philadelphia spent their mornings and evenings training to save lives.
The caregivers participated in an American Heart Association-approved basic life support CPR course provided by the Training & Education Fund (TEF), a nonprofit organization funded in part by Care Pavilion and other nursing homes. Workers who are members of SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania have fought to include the TEF in their contracts at many nursing homes across PA.
“It’s worth it,” said Zelma Carroll, a CNA at Care Pavilion and local union chapter president there who participated in the course. “It’s hands-on training. The instructor is so involved and gets down there with you to show you and make sure you’re doing it right. Watching it online is totally different. This course makes me feel like I could save somebody’s life. It makes you want to tell everyone to take this class.”
The course is designed to provide a foundation for saving someone from cardiac arrest. Both single-rescuer and team basic life support skills are taught in both pre-hospital and in-facility environments with a focus on high-quality CPR and team dynamics.
Enrollees who complete the training and pass the exam receive certification in BLS CPR, which is valid for two years.
“I love teaching this class because it’s really hands-on,” said Lisa Williams, TEF Executive Director and Instructor for the class at Care Pavilion. “Some CPR classes are just ‘watch a video and talk about it,’ but we get on the floor and we practice. For me, it’s about muscle memory and making sure the student feels confident and comfortable delivering CPR.”
“This training is important and something every [nursing home] should have,” said Regina Simmons, Vice President of SEIU Healthcare PA. ”It’s something workers can use not only in their work life, but in their personal lives as well. I just think the Training & Education Fund is fantastic.”
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The Training and Education Fund is a nonprofit organization aimed at enhancing the quality and care of services in the healthcare industry. We support healthcare workers by helping them achieve their career and personal development goals and aid healthcare employers to foster a stable, highly-trained workforce to meet the needs of all Pennsylvanians.
