Washington § 28A.230.179 - Cardiopulmonary resuscitation instruction.

(1) Each school district that operates a high school must offer instruction in cardiopulmonary resuscitation to students as provided in this section. Beginning with the 2013-14 school year, instruction in cardiopulmonary resuscitation must be included in at least one health class necessary for graduation.

(2) Instruction in cardiopulmonary resuscitation under this section must:

(a) Be an instructional program developed by the American heart association or the American red cross or be nationally recognized and based on the most current national evidence-based emergency cardiovascular care guidelines for cardiopulmonary resuscitation;

(b) Include appropriate use of an automated external defibrillator, which may be taught by video; and

(c) Incorporate hands-on practice in addition to cognitive learning.

(3) School districts may offer the instruction in cardiopulmonary resuscitation directly or arrange for the instruction to be provided by available community-based providers. The instruction is not required to be provided by a certificated teacher. Certificated teachers providing the instruction are not required to be certified trainers of cardiopulmonary resuscitation. A student is not required to earn certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation to successfully complete the instruction for the purposes of this section.

Findings—Intent—2013 c 181: "The legislature finds that more than three hundred sixty thousand people in the United States experience cardiac arrest outside of a hospital every year, and only ten percent survive because the remainder do not receive timely cardiopulmonary resuscitation. When administered immediately, cardiopulmonary resuscitation doubles or triples survival rates from cardiac arrest. Sudden cardiac arrest can happen to anyone at any time. Many victims appear healthy and have no known heart disease or other risk factors. The legislature finds that schools are the hearts of our community, and preparing students to help with a sudden cardiac arrest emergency could save the life of a child, parent, or teacher. Washington state has a long-standing history of training members of the public in cardiopulmonary resuscitation with community-based training programs. The legislature finds that training students will continue the legacy of providing high quality emergency cardiac care to its citizens. Therefore, the legislature intends to create a generation of lifesavers by putting cardiopulmonary resuscitation skills in the hands of all high school graduates and providing schools with a flexible framework to prepare for an emergency." [ 2013 c 181 s 1.]