Ivy Tech Community College-Columbus received a 100 percent rating during an evaluation by the American Heart Association, undertaken to certify the College as a regional training center. As a result, Ivy Tech-Columbus will become the regional administrative unit for all classes taught by the American Heart Association.
A 100 percent rating was given in three areas: (1) facility/class structure, including such issues as student instructor ratio, adequate amount of space, and accessibility of facility; (2) course content, including such items as coverage of core content, practice time allowed for skills learning, and competency evaluation; and (3) equipment/materials, including such items as availability of appropriate textbooks, ratio of students to mannequins, and cleanliness of equipment. “It is unusual to receive a 100 percent in all three areas,” commented Charles Sims, chair of the Ivy Tech-Columbus paramedic sciences program.
The regional training center status will allow Ivy Tech-Columbus to teach classes in its facility, as well as at other training sites of its choosing. Classes will be provided both for individual students and for trainers. A large number of American Heart Association classes can be taught as a result of this designation, including CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation), basic life support, advanced cardiovascular life support, airway management, pediatric emergency assessment, pediatric advanced life support, heartsaver first aid, electrocardiogram & pharmacology, and heartsaver bloodborne pathogens.
“The goal of the American Heart Association is to train 500 individuals in this region,” said Sims, “and Ivy Tech-Columbus is pleased to be the provider of courses for both trainers and individuals.”