2008 Woodie Awards
No CPR, first aid training for RAs
Budget cuts may mean no instruction
By: Stephanie Covington
Issue date: 11/17/05 Section: News
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Webster University's health services department will no longer be training students, faculty and staff on campus in CPR, First Aid or Automated External Defibrillators (AED). Dean of Students, Ted Hoef said the decision was made in consultation with Susan Daily, director of health services, due to financial constraints.
In the past, health services provided CPR, First Aid and AED training to Conservatory stage managers, public safety officers, Resident Assistants (RAs) and University Center employees. Hoef said most likely, these groups will have to seek outside services for training.
Karen Rasure, coordinator of the residential life office, said she is unsure whether or not RAs will be trained in CPR and First Aid in the future. She said to her knowledge, Webster was unique by requiring all RAs to be certified. She said RA certification was a departmental requirement and not a university one.
"It's possible that we will no longer require it," Rasure said. "It's up in the air."
Hoef said the changes will most likely be permanent unless circumstances change.
"My understanding is that student peer educators are still employed in health services," Hoef said in an e-mail. "What they do and how many hours they work are subject to financial constraints and shift in job responsibilities within health services."
Senior Mathias Jackson, international relations major, said he got certified by the Red Cross about two years ago as a student trainer. Currently, he said there are four health services staff members who are certified trainers, but he is the only student. Jackson said he will most likely not be teaching anymore classes for Webster.
"In a sense it's losing a job, but it's something I have to deal with," Jackson said. "Of course, I'd rather have it than not. It wasn't specifically because they wanted me gone or anything like that. It was just because of cutbacks."
Jackson said he's taught eight or nine sessions as a student trainer. He said thinking about hours spent on paperwork, classes and supplies is disappointing. Jackson said since he was trained by the Red Cross to specifically work for Webster, he doubts he'll be teaching classes anywhere else, even though he has done so in the past.
In the past, health services provided CPR, First Aid and AED training to Conservatory stage managers, public safety officers, Resident Assistants (RAs) and University Center employees. Hoef said most likely, these groups will have to seek outside services for training.
Karen Rasure, coordinator of the residential life office, said she is unsure whether or not RAs will be trained in CPR and First Aid in the future. She said to her knowledge, Webster was unique by requiring all RAs to be certified. She said RA certification was a departmental requirement and not a university one.
"It's possible that we will no longer require it," Rasure said. "It's up in the air."
Hoef said the changes will most likely be permanent unless circumstances change.
"My understanding is that student peer educators are still employed in health services," Hoef said in an e-mail. "What they do and how many hours they work are subject to financial constraints and shift in job responsibilities within health services."
Senior Mathias Jackson, international relations major, said he got certified by the Red Cross about two years ago as a student trainer. Currently, he said there are four health services staff members who are certified trainers, but he is the only student. Jackson said he will most likely not be teaching anymore classes for Webster.
"In a sense it's losing a job, but it's something I have to deal with," Jackson said. "Of course, I'd rather have it than not. It wasn't specifically because they wanted me gone or anything like that. It was just because of cutbacks."
Jackson said he's taught eight or nine sessions as a student trainer. He said thinking about hours spent on paperwork, classes and supplies is disappointing. Jackson said since he was trained by the Red Cross to specifically work for Webster, he doubts he'll be teaching classes anywhere else, even though he has done so in the past.