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Pardee donates CPR training kits to WHHS

Susan Odom, Administrative Director for Cardiology Services, Pardee UNC Health Care, speaks to a Health II class at West Henderson High School.

By Bill Moss, Published: February 27, 2019

Pardee UNC Health Care delivered four hands-only CPR training kits to West Henderson High School on Wednesday, providing a critical tool for the state-required CPR training for high school students.

The kits included mannequins and replacement supplies for student CPR training. Since the 2014-2015 school year, North Carolina has mandated that all students complete first aid and CPR training before graduating from high school. The training is provided through the schools' health education program.

In partnership with the American Heart Association, Pardee supports this initiative in Henderson County Public Schools by providing training equipment necessary for students to gain this lifesaving skill. The schools teach teens how to perform hands-only CPR on mannequins, so they feel confident with CPR should they ever need to administer it. Pardee met with Henderson County Public Schools officials to determine how to best distribute the CPR supplies this year. West Henderson had the greatest need. Most middle schools already teach the course, but a few high school health classes provide the training if students were unable to complete the training in middle school.

“Knowing hands-only CPR can save a life, which is why Pardee provides training supplies to our local schools,” said Susan Odom, administrative director of cardiovascular services at Pardee. “When someone is in cardiac arrest, receiving hands-only CPR can double or triple their chance of survival.”

Pardee UNC Health Care is a not-for-profit community hospital founded in 1953 and is managed by UNC Health Care. The hospital is licensed for 222 acute care beds. Pardee has several locations separate from the main campus, including a comprehensive physician practice network, a cancer center, three urgent care locations and five orthopedic clinics. For more information or to find a physician, visit www.pardeehospital.org.