CPR certification could be the skill between life and death, that’s why there’s conversation about Community Assistants

(CA) becoming trained happening on campus.

The Students’ Association will soon be voting on whether to start a program for Community Assistants to become CPR certified.

“This was kind of something that has been circulating for awhile, so it was really just something we inherited,” SA Sen. Carter Hunter said. “We’ve talked to a couple CAs that have expressed interest in this.”

SA has written a resolution and is discussing the details with Residential Life to work out the specifics and fine points. Once both groups are on the same page, the CPR certification will be put to a vote during a future Monday night meeting.

“In that time when you call 911 and they are trying to respond, that time is very valuable and minutes can save lives,” Binnewies Hall Community Assistant Caitlin Podratz said. “But also, there’s a lot of liability that comes with it,” she added, explaining that a lot can go wrong without a background in medical training.

Sen. Hunter also spoke on the legal aspect of the topic.

“Right now we’re not quite sure how we could make it mandatory for CAs, in regards to liability for them practicing CPR on a resident,” Hunter said.

The controversial issues involving liability is what has kept this idea from being put into effect in the past. Therefore, SA and Residential Life are working together to optimize the resolution.

“We appreciate Residential Life and everything they are doing to try to accommodate the Students’ Association,” Hunter said.

According to the resolution, the CPR program for CAs would most likely opt in. This means that it would not be required, but rather an optional, free training course provided to all CAs who wish to undergo the training.

“It would be good for CAs to have the option to take CPR training,” Podratz said. “I think that would be valuable.”

If the resolution is approved by Residential Life, voted on and passed, the CPR certification program will be available to all CAs in the fall semester of 2019.