The Arkansas Department of Education, in partnership with the Arkansas Educational Television Network and the Arkansas Activities Association, is offering training to the state's educators on how to respond to sudden cardiac arrest.
"Sudden Cardiac Arrest: When Seconds Count" is a free online course that is available on ArkansasIDEAS, a joint partnership between the Education Department and AETN that provides online training for educators on multiple topics.
The cardiac arrest program features a cardiologist, a student athlete and athletic trainers who discuss ways to prevent sudden cardiac arrest, as well as how to identify the warning signs and respond if an incident occurs.
Arkansas had the fourth-highest heart disease mortality rate in 2017, with 10,577 deaths, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC-reported number of deaths attributed specifically to cardiac arrest in Arkansas is much lower -- 104 in 2017.
"While not common, sudden cardiac arrest can affect teenagers, and when it does, time is of the essence," Arkansas Education Commissioner Johnny Key said. "With the proper training and response techniques, the outlook is good for those affected. I encourage all educators to complete the online training."
Educators can access the training by logging into their ArkansasIDEAS account at http://ideas.aetn.org.
NW News on 01/22/2019