While a CPR training video may be used to complement certified hands-on training, it should never replace it. Therefore, all subsequent references made to this guide assume that you are still sending employees through either the American Heart Association or the American Red Cross for hands-on training and certification, with the added benefit of having a live instructor sign off on competency.
A CPR training video can help reinforce how one performs CPR between annual certifications and create a branded way to bring back knowledge and skill. For example, Vidpros has developed videos for health care, schools, fitness companies, and corporate L&D. Typically a branded refresher costs anywhere from $4,000 to $12,000 depending upon what else you have currently going on to produce a video.
There is documented evidence of a common problem called “training decay” within the first aid competency process. Training studies indicate that CPR skills can begin to decline as soon as three months after receiving their initial certification. This is why we refer to this issue as “skill decay.” A well-produced CPR training video fills this time gap and provides a convenient method (on demand) to provide a refresher of your organization’s specific clinical procedures for your staff. Therefore, it serves as a just-in-time training resource to mitigate memory loss until your next formal recertification.
First Aid Compliance: In-Person Training and Video Safety Limits
Blended CPR training combines online learning with in-person skills assessment. The American Red Cross offers CPR classes nationwide to support this dual-modality standard.
When OSHA issued its 2007 standard interpretation letter, organizations were required to have on-site responders if there was no way for emergency medical services (EMS) to get to an injured employee in less than three to four minutes. “Trained” has always meant that the employee participated in hands-on training, under the supervision of an instructor, with a mannequin.
In addition to the fact that OSHA requires in-person, hands-on training with a qualified instructor for employees who work in locations with no access to emergency medical services within three to four minutes, liability concerns are another reason why organizations should carefully evaluate the use of CPR training materials. Liability is a significant risk factor for many organizations when they develop and/or provide CPR training.
When organizations provide CPR training without providing adequate documentation that the individual has achieved competence, this can lead to confusion regarding what type of CPR training has been received – i.e., “awareness,” versus “competence.” Even though a video provides a demonstration of CPR techniques, if the title or cover photo of the video suggests that the viewer is now proficient in CPR, then the organization could be subject to potential liability for inadequately training employees. Any organization developing a CPR-training video needs to include language prior to showing the video stating: “This video is intended for awareness and refresher purposes only, and does not replace official hands-on CPR training and certification.”
CPR Training Video Development Demand Clusters
There are five main areas of demand for CPR training video development:
- Healthcare organizations’ new hire orientation teams. Branded videos are needed to walk new hires through code-blue procedures and locate automated external defibrillators (AEDs), prior to AHA basic life support recertification.
- Schools & child care facilities. Staff need an awareness video that aligns with their school/child care facility’s emergency action plan.
- Fitness centers produce member-facing AED location videos plus staff response refreshers.
- Corporate learning & development departments in manufacturing & construction produce the OSHA-aligned awareness piece.
- Fire & EMS internal media teams produce community outreach video that directs the public to certified classes. The safety training video production playbook applies to all OSHA programs. Healthcare clients should see our notes on developing HIPAA training video for healthcare orgs since CPR refreshers often ride along with onboarding modules that include protected health information.
Consider the “high risk/low frequency” environments. Industries such as oil & gas, maritime operations or remote mining sites operate at a distance from the three to four minute EMS window mentioned by OSHA. Therefore, these teams require a video as more than just a refresher – it is also a key component of their high risk/low frequency safety culture which requires rapid standardized response. Additionally, hospitality venues & large conference center staff benefit from videos demonstrating how they can manage crowds & clear paths for incoming paramedics – tasks that are rarely included in standard CPR classes but crucial for on-site success.
Hands-Only CPR vs. Full CPR According to Current Recommendations
Hands-only CPR (only compressions – intended for un-trained bystanders responding to adult sudden cardiac arrest) and full CPR with rescue breaths (for trained responders, infants & drowning victims) are defined by the American Heart Association. In your video, the differences must be clearly distinguished, as a viewer will most likely assume the first version he/she sees as the standard.
Lead with hands-only CPR in your corporate awareness video for bystander response, followed by a “if you are trained…this is what changes” segment of full CPR. Lead with full CPR in your healthcare/licensed responder awareness video. Extract current compression rates and compression depths directly from the live AHA guideline page on the date of script lock, and follow both the AHA/Red Cross protocols word-for-word.
To ensure total visual accuracy on camera, explicitly demonstrate how to perform chest compressions at a rate of 100 to 120 per minute and push down at least 2 inches during adult chest compressions.
Your script must prepare viewers for a sudden cardiac emergency by outlining clear, sequential steps so they feel completely ready to take immediate action.
In terms of cognitive load during an emergency, there are many issues involved. People often go into a tunnel-vision type response and have memory gaps due to high levels of stress. As such, your video’s script needs to be extremely concise. When explaining the difference between “hands only” and “full” CPR avoid using technical jargon. Keep all descriptions clear, imperative and simple. For instance, instead of saying “perform rescue breaths,” say “if you’re trained provide 2 breaths after every 30 compressions.” Create a decision tree to help determine which method to use: “Have you been trained in providing rescue breaths? Yes? Follow this path. No? Use hands-only.”
When demonstrating two rescue breaths, pinch the nose shut, deliver two breaths over one second each, and watch closely for the chest to rise.
Visualizing Chest Compressions and Mechanical Accuracy on Camera
Five things on camera that can be used to refresh CPR techniques that slides cannot:
- Compression depth from close-up side-angle shot of hands placed over sectioned mannequin.
- Compression rate using metronome overlay at the currently recommended rate by AHA.
- Complete chest recoil between each compression – something written instructions consistently fail to convey.
- Hand placement from an overhead shot.
- Fatigue rotation between rescuers during two-person scenarios where hands do not leave chest and do not pause compressions during swap.
Use slow-motion at either 60fps or 120fps on technique cuts. Although this may increase capture time, viewers will retain the depth-recoil cue much better than they would have watching at 24fps.
How We Make a CPR Training Video
SME (Subject Matter Expert) interview shoot, mannequin shoot, slow-motion cuts.
We use at least 2 cameras for our productions. One will lock off on a wide shot. The 2nd will roam for technique shots: hands, chest depth, head tilt for airway, AED pads, etc. We will light softly and neutrally so when you see clinical content it appears as credible as the clinical setting does.
Our on-camera talent will be a certified CPR instructor with a valid AHA or Red Cross instructor card. Talent will be asked to complete a release allowing us to distribute their likeness for all internal LMS hosting and/or external training video usage. Another individual will operate the mannequin and AED trainer. That person will also complete a release. Our script will be approved by a Medical Advisor prior to the shoot, not after. This saves money on potential reshoots.
VO recording is done in a controlled room. Captions are created directly from the VO script and checked again after the final mix is completed. The total time required to create a 6–8 minute branded refresher video: 1 shoot day, 2 weeks of post-production and one pass through a Medical Advisor’s review. In addition to the above information, our corporate training video formats page has additional details regarding lengths, hosting options and LMS packaging.
Your most valuable resource is the “Pre-shoot Consult.” During this hour, the production team and Medical Advisor will do a “dry run” of the storyboard. They will want to confirm which model of AED trainer was used on-site. There are many different models of AED trainers available each having its own set of voice prompts. If the video utilizes a “universal” AED sound that sounds nothing like the actual device located on the wall, the viewer may pause during an actual emergency. Ensuring there is alignment between what the video’s audio cues indicate, and how they correlate physically to the device being depicted is an important detail that is commonly overlooked by general production companies.
Selecting Your Medical Advisor and Obtaining Clinical Sign-Off Prior to Publishing
Choose your Medical Advisor BEFORE you write your script. Your ideal candidate would be either an active instructor or instructor-teacher for either the American Heart Association (AHA) or American Red Cross (ARC). Ideally, they would be actively practicing as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), Paramedic (P), Registered Nurse (RN) or Physician (MD/DO).
Their responsibility is to review your script using the current edition of AHA Guidelines for Adult Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and BLS. Next, they will review the picture-locked rough cut frame by frame to ensure proper hand position, body mechanics, and AED sequence.
You will need to pay them. A $500–$1,500 honorarium for two reviews and a shoot day visit is standard. Be sure to document your Medical Advisor’s sign-off in writing along with referencing the guideline edition date. You cannot claim your video is “AHA Approved” or “Red Cross Approved.” Only organizations that formally co-brand have those designations. Correct phrasing: “Reviewed by Certified CPR Instructor for Technique Consistency with Current AHA Guidelines dated [Date].”
When choosing an advisor, choose someone that is not only a certified instructor, but also a “clinical communicator.” What I mean by clinical communicator is that they are able to take complex medical guidelines and translate them into layperson instructions while keeping accuracy intact. They should be empowered to say no to aesthetic choices that compromise medical accuracy. For example: if a creative director wants a “dramatic” camera angle that obscures proper hand position, the Medical Advisor’s role is to insist on the camera angle that displays correct technique, even if it is less cinematic.
AED Integration and Deploying Rescue Breaths Natively
- If your facilities have an AED, the video should include footage of them.
- If your facility does not have an AED, don’t imply that you have one.
- On-camera AED segments cover four actions: remove and open the unit, place pads on the chest, release the patient and allow the unit to assess, deliver a shock or continue compressions based upon prompts from the unit.
- Use a real AED trainer (do not use a live unit).
- Show the same model of AED used in your facilities.
- A generic AED in a cutaway is worse than having no AED footage. This is because the viewer will develop muscle memory based upon what they see, but their muscle memory may not translate to the device at your site.
- Use the head-tilt, chin-lift maneuver to open the airway before delivering any breaths. Ensuring this postural technique is perfect on camera remains a critical instruction element.
Psychology of Using an AED
Fear of intervening is a psychological aspect related to using an AED. Many people are afraid they will “harm” someone by giving an incorrect shock. Your video should address this concern by stating that current models of AED devices are designed to fail safe; they will not give a shock unless there is a detectable shockable rhythm. This assurance that the machine is smarter than the fears of bystander intervention is a powerful message that should be incorporated into your AED segments.
Accessibility & Captioning
CPR training videos are subject to a different standard regarding accessibility standards than most corporate communications. Your training videos should meet at least WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility standards including:
- Closed captions for all dialogue, proofed against the written script (not auto-generated).
- Downloadable transcript of video.
- Audio description for any part of the video where critical information is provided through visuals but is not narrated.
- Text large enough to view on mobile phones.
If your workforce is bilingual, you should provide subtitles or dubbing for the languages spoken by your employees. Our CPR refreshers have been produced in English, Spanish, Tagalog, and Vietnamese for healthcare clients. In addition to language translation, you should also plan for cognitive accessibility. Employees who speak a target language as a second language benefit from simple sentence structures instead of literal translations. Do not use passive voice. Instead, use active voice (“push down,” “tilt the head”). Finally, your video player should be accessible. It should function well using keyboard navigation and screen readers used by employees with vision loss.
Update Cadence & Re-Shooting Based Upon Guidelines Update
The American Heart Association updates CPR guidelines approximately every 5 years. They occasionally issue interim updates. The American Red Cross updates its recommendations consistent with the American Heart Association updates. Tag your video with the version of the guidelines against which it was created, schedule a reminder for the anticipated date of the next update and budget for a partial re-shoot when guidelines change. The typical changes occur around compression speed and/or depth, and/or ratio of compressions to breaths or AED-specific protocols. These elements can typically be re-shot in about a half day of shooting time if your original talent is available and you retain shot lists/notes from the first shoot. Store your project files. The cost to create a new video after you’ve made an initial investment is reduced by fifty percent.
CPR Training Video FAQs
Does a CPR training video qualify as an acceptable form of compliance with OSHA’s First Aid/CPR Readiness Standards?
No. OSHA requires all designated responders receive in-person instruction as soon as possible when emergency services can’t respond in 3–4 minutes. Video can serve as supplemental awareness training, however it does not fulfill the hands-on competence required by OSHA.
Are there any restrictions using a generic/stock CPR video versus creating my own branded CPR video?
Generally speaking for purely awareness purposes, yes; provided certain specific conditions are met. Stock video will not provide location identification for your automated external defibrillator(s) (AED), code blue procedures and on-site responder responsibilities.
How long should a CPR training video be?
Typically a 6–8 minute branded refresher will cover hands-only CPR, full CPR, AED usage and site-specific procedures. Any longer than this, completion rates begin to decline across most learning management systems (LMS).
Do I require talent releases for the instructor and mannequin operator appearing in the video?
Yes. If the individual appears in the video (either their hands or face), they will require a talent release that includes distribution of the training video through your company’s LMS platform, as well as any external/published dissemination of the training video.
Approximately what will be the cost of a branded CPR training video production?
Approximately $4,000–$12,000 to create a 6–8 minute version of the video including one filming day, medical advisor review, closed captioning, and one language. Additional languages are approximately $500–$2,000 each.
Is it permissible to state the video is AHA approved?
Only if a formal AHA co-branded agreement has been established. Otherwise, the proper phrasing would be: reviewed by a certified CPR instructor for technique consistency with current AHA guidelines as of [insert date].
Should I create an animated or live-action CPR video?
Live action is typically considered superior when teaching technique-heavy material such as CPR. However, animation is ideal for illustrating internal biological functions (such as how blood flows through the body). When creating a video focused on demonstrating the actual performance of physical skills such as chest compressions, hand placement, etc., live-action of real people performing those actions on a mannequin creates better “muscle memory” and visual recognition than animation.
To learn more about creating a branded CPR refresher and working closely with your certified instructor and medical advisor contact us at Vidpros to schedule a consultation. We will send you our CPR Video Production Brief and Medical Advisor Sign-off Checklist immediately after our initial conversation. For related guides see how to make a training video and our overview of training video production.
