What Are the State CPR Guidelines for Mississippi?

CDC statistics show that heart disease is the main cause of death in the Magnolia State. In fact, CVD death rate numbers from 2020 show that Mississippi had 245.6 casualties per 100,000.

These numbers highlight the significance of implementing CPR guidelines to decrease casualties and increase awareness.

What are the state CPR guidelines for Mississippi? All US states indeed have some apply-to-all guidelines, such as requiring emergency medical services (EMS) to have BLS and CPR certification. However, Mississippi mandates some state-specific CPR and AED requirements which we’ll go over below.

CPR High School Training Requirements in Mississippi

In 2014, the state of Mississippi passed Senate Bill 2185, requiring all high school students to complete AED and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training as a prerequisite for graduation. CPR training must be provided to all 9th-grade students in health or physical education classes.

The CPR and AED classes must adhere to the following rules:

• • The teaching program must be created by the American Red Cross or the American Heart Association

• • The program must be nationally recognized. It must also be based on the latest evidence-based ECC guidelines for CPR and the use of an AED.

• • Licensed teachers are not required to be CPR certified if their duty is to provide CPR training for non-certification purposes

• • Only CPR and AED-certified instructors are allowed to provide CPR classes that end with obtaining a CPR certificate

• • CPR classes must include practical training.

All public schools in Magnolia State are eligible for the CPR in Schools Training Kits. These sustainable and reusable kits contain basic supplies, such as kneel mats, 10 inflatable manikins, 10 replacement airways, and 10 AED training simulators, in addition to the facilitator’s guide and instructional videos.

Thanks to the Mississippi Healthcare Alliance, all high schools will be provided with a CPR in Schools kit during the 2022-2023 school year.

How Does This Program Work?

CPR programs for students aim to teach them how to become accountable emergency responders. The program is free, flexible, and easily adaptable to classroom situations. Moreover, students have the freedom to choose how they will attend this program – individually or in a controlled group, during school hours, or in the form of homework.

Schools can choose whether to implement an awareness level or a certification level. The awareness level offers online or hands-on practice with dummies, while the certification level offers a CPR certification card.

The courses last about an hour and a half. In other words, students will spend about one hour watching the videos and about 30 minutes on the final test. On the other hand, the practical components last 20 to 30 minutes per group of students.

CPR classes cover essential life-saving skills, such as mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, chest compressions, and rescue breathing.

As mentioned above, licensed teachers can monitor the awareness level courses without possessing a CPR certificate.

Jobs That Require a CPR Certificate in Mississippi

A significant number of jobs in the state of Mississippi require a CPR certificate. This may be in accordance with the application of the law or the preferences of the employer. Here is a list of jobs that may require a CPR certificate:

• • Front desk receptionists, administrators, billing department staff, technicians, and all people working in a doctor’s or dentist’s office, who are in contact with the patients

• • Teachers, babysitters, nannies, and all daycare facility personnel

• • Coaches, personal fitness trainers, and all persons engaged in providing fitness and exercise instructions

• • Water fitness coaches, dive and swim instructors, and all aquatic center employees in charge of activities related to water

• • Construction workers and all people who have a colleague from work who might need medical assistance

• • Those who work in educational institutions and who may have contact with pupils

• • Police, corrections officers, and firefighters

• • Social workers, people who work with elderly and disabled individuals, and charity volunteers.

A CPR certificate must be renewed every one and a half to two years to remain valid, depending on the provider. Besides obtaining CPR, AED, and first aid certification, Mississippians can also acquire certification in bloodborne pathogens and infant CPR.

Automated External Defibrillator (AED) Regulations in Mississippi

All defibrillation devices must meet the FDA requirements, as well as the local state and manufacturer’s requirements. On that note, anyone who uses an AED to save someone’s life in the event of sudden cardiac death must follow these guidelines:

• • Licensed physicians must provide medical supervision to persons using AEDs. This will ensure that everything is done in accordance with training requirements, AED maintenance, and emergency medical service instructions

• • Persons using automated external defibrillators must have a certification on completing the CPR and AED course. The certificate will only be valid if issued by the American Red Cross, American Heart Association, National Safety Council, or other nationally acknowledged institution

• • Anyone who uses an AED to provide emergency medical care must contact emergency medical services as soon as possible and report the use of the AED device to a licensed physician

• • AED users are not allowed to use the device in manual mode. The exception to this rule is if the device has access controls in place or is operated by licensed professionals, like, emergency medical technicians, physicians, and registered nurses

• • All licensed gaming facilities must have an AED device and staff trained in CPR and AED

• • All 9th graders are required to complete CPR and AED training to be able to graduate

• • All dental offices must have an automated external defibrillator on their premises.

• • Anyone who provides emergency aid using an automatic external defibrillator in good faith, with or without payment, will be released from civil liability. The only option is when gross negligence is evident.

Good Samaritan Law in Mississippi

In Mississippi, the Good Samaritan law applies to anyone with some degree of medical training in accordance with Mississippi 73-25-37 code. On that note:

• • No duly licensed person who, in good faith and with reasonable care, provides emergency aid to an injured person will be liable for civil damages

• • Persons who, with or without compensation, in good faith, provide emergency aid using an AED will not be liable for injuries sustained through this treatment

• • A person who has failed to comply with sections 41-60-31 through 41-60-35 provisions, but has used an AED device in good faith, will be released from civil liability if a personal injury occurs.

Civil liability immunity for personal injuries also covers:

• • Licensed physicians who handle, approve or oversee the installation or procurement of AED devices in non-medical facilities or transportation

• • Owners of facilities where automated external defibrillators are used

• • People who’ve bought an AED

• • People who use an AED device to save the life of a person who is having a cardiac arrest

• • CPR and AED instructors.

Conclusion

What are the state CPR guidelines for Mississippi? As you can see, Mississippi is a US state that requires all 9th-grade high school students to complete CPR and AED training in order to graduate. The training must be conducted within a health or physical education class.

Moreover, all public schools have the right to use the CPR in Schools Training Kit, which contains basic supplies, instructional videos, and a facilitator’s guide. Public school teachers are not required to obtain a CPR certification. In fact, they are permitted to supervise all CPR awareness level courses.

Regarding AED regulations, all licensed gambling facilities must have an AED device and personnel trained to provide CPR and use an AED. Likewise, all dental practices must have an AED on their premises.

In the Magnolia State, the Good Samaritan law covers all people with some degree of medical training. Thus, no duly licensed individuals who, with reasonable care and in good faith, provide emergency assistance to a person in need will be guilty of civil damages. Furthermore, persons who use an AED in good faith, with or without payment, to provide emergency assistance will also be spared civil damages.