I Need A CPR Training Manikin!

Are you considering a career as a CPR Instructor? Have you recently gotten your CPR Instructor certification? Are you currently certified to teach CPR?  Are you looking to upgrade your existing CPR manikins? What are the differences between manikins? What makes each one special? Which manikins best fit my budget? What, if any, is the trade-off between quality and quantity? How the heck do I choose the right manikin?

Many questions, and there are many answers. There are a multitude of CPR manikins and numerous CPR manikin manufacturers. Each manikin has its own distinct features making it more appropriate for certain venues. We will attempt to disambiguate and hopefully assist you in your quest to garner information.

CPR manikins are designed to give the student the feel of what it is like to perform CPR. The instructor will guide the student, through the use of the manikin, to help them develop the skills of delivering chest compressions at the proper rate and depth, and to transfer those skills to a real-life rescue. Whether for certification or just for knowledge, these skills cannot be taught or learned without the use of a CPR manikin.

CPR manikins run the gamut from basic to advanced. Basic manikins are more desirable for their economic price allowing instructors to stretch tight budgets. If you have more manikins, you can teach larger classes in a shorter period of time. This gives you more bang for the buck and they are absolutely great for getting the point across. Most feature quick set-up and tear-down, clickers for compression depth, realistic head-tilt, and chest rise for rescue breaths.

Beyond basic CPR manikins are those with more advanced features. This would include manikins with live CPR monitors or feedback devices which indicate when the compressions are at the proper rate and depth. These features allow for instant positive reinforcement and can instill confidence in the CPR student. There are also manikins which have a more human-like feel to the skin, giving even more realism to the rescue scenario. Manikins with these features may cost a little more than the basic manikins but many instructors feel the cost justifies the results in CPR classes.

There are also CPR manikins possessing advanced features like full-bodies (not just torsos), computer interfaces, airway management and intubation, and so on. These are designed more for instructing EMTs and ALS providers. After you have taken all of this into consideration, manikins are also available in adult, adult/child, child, and infant. There are some manikins which resemble specific ages like 6-month, 3-years, 6-years, and more. Many are available in a variety of skin tones.

So, the question again is, how do I choose the right manikin? You will have to determine first what your budget allows. Then consider what your potential or optimal class size may be. You may also want to investigate manikins with which you may already be familiar. Don’t forget the face-shields, lung bags, and CPR training masks and valves. Manikins are available as individual, or in bundles (again more bang for the buck).

Take a look at what we have to offer in CPR Manikins. Then, give us a call during regular business hours (7am – 7pm central) at 800-544-0048 and talk with us. Let our knowledgeable staff help you with any questions or concerns you may have. Teaching CPR is a noble endeavor. Learning CPR is easy when the instructor has the right tools.

Have you considered an AED Trainer? We’ll discuss stand-alone trainers in an upcoming blog post. Stay tuned!