Students from the Millsaps health science class participated in CPR, AED and first aid certification training in the library Thursday, October 14.

Health science is a pathway within the Health and Human Services House [H2S], one of the newly implemented academic houses at SHS. Jemecia Arnold, R.N., facilitates the class and conducted the certification.

“In addition to learning how to perform CPR, students gain a great understanding of the cardiovascular system and heart anatomy for pulmonary emergencies and functions,” Arnold said.

Participants viewed instructional videos by the American Heart Association for adult, child and infant CPR, then applied the recently learned information to practice mannequins.

Senior Jaquez Harris feels prepared to use what he learned from the training if needed.

“I learned how to recognize when someone is in need of CPR and how to move an injured person safely and effectively,” Harris said.

Arnold feels like preparing students to think quickly on their feet could save a life.

Students learned the value of knowing how to save a life in everyday scenarios.

Second year health science student Colin Kennedy believes it is valuable to know the skills because you never know when you may need it for an emergency.

“I think it’s great that we are now certified because if there were ever an emergency, I would know what to do in the situation,” Kennedy said.

Arnold explained to the students the Good Samaritan Law which prevents a non-medical civilian from being sued if he/she gives CPR unsuccessfully or injures the individual in a different way.

With their newly obtained skills, students are more comfortable when going out to their clinical rotations if a patient were ever in need of CPR or an AED.