For the past year, the Occupational Health Services department has offered free American Heart Association (AHA) Heartsaver CPR/AED Training to interested employees. 

The comprehensive course gives participants the skills necessary to recognize and respond appropriately to cardiac emergencies in adults, children, and infants. Upon completion of the course, participants receive an AHA Heartsaver CPR/AED certification valid for two years. This free training for UH employees was introduced in 2023 by Dr. Dawn Mopkins, Director of Occupational Health Services. Dr. Mopkins serves as the primary facilitator of the course. 

The first CPR Training under Occupational Health Services was held in April 2023, and there have been 10 classes in total since the introduction of this free training. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. 

“A lot of participants appreciate the in-person course, so I try to keep all engaged. As a registered nurse, I can share real-life experiences and allow those that attend to speak about their own experiences or exposure to CPR,” said Dr. Mopkins. “It’s all about engagement. That’s how it sticks.” 

Dr. Mopkins added that she tries to keep the class size small – anywhere from 6 to 8 individuals – to allow participants to have a more one-on-one experience. 

Beckham Dossett, Associate Professor and Director of the Kathrine G. McGovern College of Arts, took the first CPR class of 2024 to have the skills and be ready in case of an emergency. 

Dossett now feels confident in her skills and has overcome any fear of using an AED (automated external defibrillator machine). 

“It was surprising how easy the AED machine is to use once you know its basic functionality. It’s not a complicated machine,” said Dossett. “It’s very straightforward and easy to use.” 

Biotechnology Student Worker and research volunteer Sakina Pakawala took the CPR training to fulfill a requirement as part of her research role. She found learning the skills and using the AED were simpler than she imagined. 

Pakawala said she urges others to take the class and be better prepared for emergencies. 

Visit the Occupational Health Services website to learn more about their CPR classes and how to sign up for them.