Three Options for Instructor Reauthorization

In our March newsletter, we talked about the upcoming changes to the reauthorization pages in the Otis Training Center Manager portal. We also announced that fees associated with paper instructor application processing will be increasing.

As of June 15, 2019, the cost for submitting a paper instructor application will increase from $25 to $40 in order for us to continue providing a paper option. There are significant administrative costs to processing and managing paper applications, so we encourage our instructors to use the online application. Online application costs remain unchanged at $20.

Also new beginning June 15, 2019: a new requalification course will be available for those instructors who are more than 90 days, but less than 365 days, past their authorization expiration date, and who do not have reciprocal credentials for reauthorization.

In the Instructor Management area of the Training Center Manager, there will now be three clearly detailed options for reauthorizing instructors:

1) Reauthorization within 90 Days of Expiration

Instructors who are within 90 days prior to, or 90 days past, their 2-year authorization date and who have taught their required minimum 2 classes per authorization period (for Instructor Trainers, their required minimum 2 IDC classes).

2) Reauthorization 90 Days After Expiration

Instructors whose authorizations have been expired more than 90 days, but less than 365 days, must requalify prior to reauthorizing. There are two methods for requalification:

1. The instructor can requalify by presenting other current and acceptable teaching and provider credentials (reciprocity)  - or-

2. Successful completion of the online HSI Emergency Care Instructor Requalification Course. This course is $75.00, which includes the online reauthorization fee. Instructors who reauthorize by requalification must complete the assigned HSI Emergency Care Instructor Requalification Course online within 60 days of it being assigned. Once completed, the instructor’s authorization period will be extended to 2 years from the course completion date.

3) Reauthorization One Year After Expiration

Instructors whose authorization is expired one year or longer must meet the Terms and Conditions for New Instructor or Instructor Trainer Authorization, found in the TCAM. This can be accomplished by the successful completion of the blended (online & face-to-face) HSI Emergency Care Instructor Development Course or by presenting other current and acceptable teaching and provider credentials (i.e., via reciprocity).

If you have any questions or need assistance reauthorizing, please call our Client Services team at 800-447-3177.

Are You Utilizing the Instructor Portal?

How many of you are visiting your Otis Instructor Portal on a regular basis? Have you explored the resources beyond the dashboard? While all the information on the dashboard is really useful, you may be missing other resources that are available to you if you aren’t exploring the other areas in the portal.

Let’s take a closer look at the Instructor Portal, including some new additions to the resources.

On the Dashboard

The Otis experience starts with the dashboard, which has information relevant to every ASHI and MEDIC First Aid instructor. There you’ll find the list of programs you are authorized to teach, your authorization expiration date, your ID number, and the ability to print a hardcopy of your Instructor Card.

It also includes information related to your Training Center, along with your scheduled classes and open classes (if your TC director is utilizing this function in their portal).

Along the right side of your screen, you have tabs for:

• Notices - These are notifications we send out via the Otis system concerning system administration and important announcements such as Bot Bucks redemption periods or program announcements. Be sure to check your Notices section each time you log in!

• Documents - This is one of two “Documents” sections available in Otis. This one provides links to information pertinent to all instructors.

• Document Updates - This is where you will find new documents that have been added to your portal in the last 30 days.

Navigating the Rest of the Portal

The rest of the Instructor Portal can be accessed via the left-hand navigation.

Edit Profile
You have the ability to edit your instructor profile (update contact information, change username/password, etc.), upload an instructor bio, and opt out of receiving marketing information.

Online Store
Depending on your director’s preferences for the whole TC, you may have access to portions of the online store.

Video Player
As those of you using streaming video and who have downloaded the desktop player know, you can build your video playlists here, allowing you to customize the training content to meet the needs of your audience. Make sure your Training Center director has issued your “Digital Rights” to ensure your access to this powerful resource!

Documents
In the “Documents” section on the left navigation column, you’ll access any general information we’ve uploaded (just as you did on the right navigation), as well as a Personal Documents section that can include documents you or your Training Center director or administrator have uploaded. You’ll find access to digital versions of the Instructor Guides for the programs you are authorized to teach, including exclusive, digital-only content such as an ASHI Combo Instructor Guide, Class Rosters, Skill Sheets, Talk-through Scenarios, and more.

Regulatory
The “Regulatory” section gives you access to information for our regulatory activities in our pursuit of approvals for our programs. As you know, ensuring your students are receiving the right class for compliance in their industry is an extremely important aspect of our collective business. Here you’ll find access to see whether a specific program is approved for a given industry, and view and download any document pertaining to an approval.

Otis Learning
Finally, we’ve come to the Otis Learning portion of the portal. This section gives you access to sample blended learning courses that you can assign to yourself. As a matter of fact, five additional sample blended course titles within each brand have been recently added to the library:

• Bloodborne Pathogens

• Epinephrine Auto-Injectors

• High-Performance CPR

• Advanced Bleeding Control

• Child and Babysitting Safety

ASHI and MEDIC First Aid Instructor Guides highly recommend that instructors take the online portion of the blended class they are teaching skills for, in order to be completely familiar with the content.

As you can see, the Instructor Portal, when utilized, can be a valuable resource for content and information you can use to improve your ASHI and MEDIC First Aid experience, both inside and outside the classroom.

Certificate Requirements for U.S. Coast Guard Approval

ASHI and MEDIC First Aid courses have been approved for satisfying United States Coast Guard (USCG) first aid training regulations for over a decade. However, we have recently experienced a significant increase in phone calls and emails that demonstrate there is some ongoing confusion concerning the documentation requirements of this approval. The purpose of this article is to clear up that confusion.

In 2010, the USCG implemented a credentialing policy that required all certificates provided to students successfully completing a USCG-approved course contain specific information, including a course approval code provided by the National Maritime Center. The course approval code for ASHI Basic First Aid, CPR, and AED is AMESHE-197. The course approval code for MEDIC First Aid BasicPlus CPR, AED, and First Aid is MEDFAI-200.

These course approval codes, along with other USCG-specific certificate requirements are included on the USCG/NMC-approved “Recognition of Participation” (ROP) document.

The purpose of the ROP in 2010 was, as it is now, to meet USCG credentialing requirements without jeopardizing the integrity of our QA process for the legitimate issuance of ASHI or MEDIC First Aid certification (see Terms and Conditions for Certification, TCAM Sec. 2, pg. 8). To ensure acceptance by the USCG, Training Centers or instructors that offer mariner training and certification must issue (and Mariners must present) BOTH documents to meet the USCG/NMC regulatory requirements. To be clear, USCG/NMC evaluators will not accept an ASHI or MEDIC First Aid certification card unless it is accompanied by the ROP with the USCG course approval code. Likewise, USCG/NMC evaluators will not accept an ROP with the current USCG course approval code unless it is accompanied by a current certification card.  The ROP and certification cards must match by brand (the ASHI USCG ROP may not be issued for a MEDIC First Aid course and the MEDIC First Aid ROP may not be issued for an ASHI course). We recently verified these matters with USCG/NMC evaluators as some confusion also existed on their part.

The ASHI and MEDIC First Aid USCG ROPs are provided via download from Otis at no charge. Log into Otis, and, on the left-side navigation menu, click on Administration and then on Approval.

When the Approval database page opens, change the Industry drop-down menu to USCG and the State drop-down menu to National Approvals. Then click Search. Select the blue Documents tab to download the ASHI or MEDIC First Aid USCG ROP and approval letter.  

Making sure you have the most up-to-date regulatory documents and approval information is imperative. This information is always accessible in the Approval database in Otis. If you have any questions about the USCG ROP document or any other regulatory issue, contact Kristal Langner at extension 4225 or email klangner@hsi.com. If you have questions about providing credentials to Mariners, please contact the National Maritime Center (NMC) Customer Service Center at https://www.dco.uscg.mil/nmc/contact/.

Activating EMS: What Your Students May Not Know

Medical emergencies, by their very nature, are unpredictable. Certainly there are situations in which the likelihood of one occurring is higher than normal, but a medical emergency can happen anywhere, at any time.

This randomness sheds a light on why the resources needed to deal with a medical emergency are not readily available when one occurs. Typically, it is the activation of an Emergency Medical Services (EMS) system by an untrained or minimally trained bystander that initiates the process to get professional help and resources to those in need.

In 2003, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) identified in the First There, First Care campaign that expanded EMS systems and better public education on the activation of EMS were key to improving the effectiveness of emergency response.

That challenge was taken on, and for almost all of us, the emergency medical services systems we live within have been, and continue to be, improved.

In the United States, 9-1-1 has been designated as the easy-to-remember telephone number to call in an emergency, routing automatically to the EMS system responsible for the location of the emergency. The 9-1-1 concept is continuously evolving, currently being expanded to deal with new communication technologies that allow for voice, photos, video, and texting capability.

Regarding the bigger picture, let’s make a critical point here: If anyone suspects a medical emergency has occurred, activating EMS is likely the most important and influential action to take. Arguably, for most situations, it may be the only action necessary to result in an effective overall response to the problem.  

As a benefit, we are able to provide a simple and clear statement in emergency care training… if you suspect a medical emergency has occurred, activate EMS.

However, a bit more detail may provide a better understanding about why this simple statement is possible and to help build student confidence in getting involved in a medical emergency. Here are some basic concepts you can share:

• When in doubt, activate EMS - Even if a suspected emergency turns out to be a non-emergency, it doesn’t matter. The burden of actually determining whether or not an emergency has occurred is the responsibility of the system and not the caller. It is okay to be proven wrong.

• Don’t hang up - EMS system call-takers are trained to take charge of an emergency call and guide the person calling to quickly identify what the emergency is, where it is located, and details about it.  

• Help is already on the way - EMS resources are typically dispatched early on during an emergency call through the use of automation, or by another person at the call center. Vehicles with trained EMS providers can get enroute while the call-taker is still receiving essential information from the caller.

• They can tell you what to do - Another helpful aspect that has been getting more focus lately is the ability of the call-taker to provide simple bystander care instructions for immediate life-threatening problems, such as compression-only CPR for sudden cardiac arrest and the control of severe bleeding.

• Only activate EMS when you suspect an emergency - When in doubt, activate EMS, but understand it is only to be used when an emergency is suspected. It is not designed for providing information, taking complaints, or access to non-emergency resources.

All of our core CPR and first aid training programs from ASHI and MEDIC First Aid include a specific lesson on activating EMS that incorporates much of the above information. I would encourage you to take a moment when covering the lesson to stimulate some discussion and further reinforce this important context.

Training Center Profiles

Meet Your Peers

Discover what your peers are thinking about the emergency care industry, the challenges their TCs face, and the solutions they’ve found in their goal to make their workplaces and communities safer.

TC Name: Western Washington County Fire Authority, Cornelius, OR. www.preventprotectserve.com

Director: Chaplain Joel Peterson

How long have you been in business?

15 years, with 3-5 years as an internal, government ASHI TC

What is the biggest challenge for you and your business? 

Expenses

How do you market your business?

Website and online advertising

Based on what you know now, what advice would you have given yourself when you were starting out?

Enjoy your classes

Where do you see your business and the emergency care training industry in the next 5-10 years?

Continuing to grow in student numbers

Of your business or training investments that cost less than $500, what has given you the best return?

Prestan manikins

What strategies have proved to be a waste of time and money?

Offering free classes

Where do you go to stay current with the latest industry information and knowledge?

ASHI Newsletter

What are some of the most common misconceptions or mistakes you have seen/heard in your career?

That it takes trained professionals to save lives

TC Name: USD 383 Transportation Services, Manhattan, KS

Director: Donald Sturdevant

How long have you been in business?

20 years as a non-profit corporation MEDIC First Aid TC

Based on what you know now, what advice would you have given yourself when you were starting out?

Take the time, and don’t be afraid, to ask questions.

Of your business or training investments that cost less than $500, what has given you the best return?

The wallet skill guides located in the back of the student guides

Where do you go to stay current with the latest industry information and knowledge?

ASHI and MEDIC First Aid website

What are some of the most common misconceptions or mistakes you have seen/heard in your career?

That a responder has to perform emergency care perfectly or else severe damage can occur to the victim, making things worse.

Is emergency care (or other workplace safety) training your primary job function at your organization?

Yes

What is the biggest training challenge at your company?

Budget

What has your company done to make safety part of the day-to-day culture?

Constant repetition of safety messaging over our radios and at safety meetings

Please share a success story about how you increased organizational leadership buy-in and support for your emergency care training efforts.

[We had] all the school principals and district education center personnel actually go through our class.

What is the most difficult part of managing an internal Training Center?

Working within a limited budget

TC Name: Shatrunjaya Medisource, Surat, India. http://healthbeyondboundaries.com

Director: Dr. Manohar Gemawat

How long have you been in business?

9 years as a sole proprietor, for-profit ASHI TC

What is the biggest challenge for you and your business?

Finding new customers and the recognition of ASHI and MEDIC First Aid training programs

How do you market your business?

Direct mail, online advertising, offering a free public class, and approaching potential customers through local networking opportunities

Where do you see your business and the emergency care training industry in the next 5-10 years?

Growing, because more and more people and organizations are becoming aware about the significance of emergency care

Where do you go to stay current with the latest industry information and knowledge?

HSI, AHA online portals

What are some of the most common misconceptions or mistakes you have seen/heard in your career?

That BLS and first aid are the same

Can you share a favorite Good Samaritan story about your students?

One of our training participants was able to apply his knowledge to render aid to someone [who had fainted].

TC Name: On the Spot CPR Training Center, Walla Walla, WA. www.onthespotcprnow@vistaprintdigital.com

Director: Johnny Dinwiddie

How long have you been in business?

Just over one year as an ASHI TC

What do you do to market your training business?

I advertise online thru Facebook, Wordpress, and Google My Business. I also am well known in my city as a certified nursing assistant for 30 years and a video store clerk for 6 years in the same town.

What are your plans for your Training Center for the next 5-10 years?

I hope to have a few clients who will want to volunteer some of their time to help out in my Training Center. Also, to let all the businesses in the town know that I can assist them with their CPR certification needs.

Of your business or training investments that cost less than $500, what has given you the best return?

The training equipment such as manikins, tourniquets, AEDs, etc.

What strategies have proved to be a waste of time and money?

Advertising with flyers

Where do you go to stay current with the latest industry information and knowledge?

AHA or ASHI

Can you share a favorite Good Samaritan story about your students?

One of the students was a volunteer assistant firefighter for the town of Milton-Freewater, OR, and he has had three [occasions] where he had to use CPR to revive people who were unconscious and possibly experiencing an SCA.

TC Name: First Aid to Save a Life, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan www.firstaidtosavealife.com

Director: Faisal Javed Mir

How long have you been in business?

8 years as a sole proprietor ASHI and MEDIC First Aid TC

What is the biggest challenge for you and your business?

Expenses and finding new customers

How do you market your business?

Website, email marketing, and online advertising

Based on what you know now, what advice would you have given yourself when you were starting out?

[Create an] interactive website, and have an effective social media team & business development team

Where do you see your business and the emergency care training industry in the next 5-10 years?

I would like to have 2,500+ trained people in 2019. In Pakistan, there is a lot of opportunity for this business, but this training does cost more as compared to the other programs available in our market. So it's been a tough and uphill task. 

Of your business or training investments that cost less than $500, what has given you the best return?

My website

What strategies have proved to be a waste of time and money?

It is not about bad planning or failed strategies here in Pakistan. Here the majority [of companies] lack a safety culture and they just don't like to invest in life-saving skills and trainings.

Where do you go to stay current with the latest industry information and knowledge?

ILCOR, AHA

What are some of the most common misconceptions or mistakes you have seen/heard in your career?

People think accidents will never happen to them! They don't like to be ready in advance to deal with any emergency situation.

Can you share a favorite Good Samaritan story about your students?

An Egyptian journalist working in Pakistan did training with us, and one day he contacted us to thank us for our efforts [in teaching him] proper CPR and [what to do when someone chokes]. His baby girl choked on food, and his wife did not know what to do. She panicked and called him. He kept his cool and offered care to dislodge the [obstruction].

We want to hear from you!

Share your wisdom with your TC peers by completing one of our 15-minute profile surveys.

If your TC provides training for individuals or organizations for a fee, click the "External TC" button. For those TCs that offer training for employees/members at no charge, choose "Internal TC."