RPA Students Learn to Save Lives Using New Mannequin

Every semester of every year since RPA’s founding, instructor Tamara Bremont has been teaching students to save lives as part of her Community Health course.  On top of having the ability to earn their Adult and Pediatric CPR certifications, Community Health students can also be certified in the use of AEDs, first aid, blood borne pathogens, food safety and HIPAA training. 

“I absolutely love teaching students how to save lives,” said Bremont. “Every semester I have between 60-75 students take Community Health and it’s the one class where, year after year, students come back and tell me that they used what I taught them or the skills and certifications helped them get a job.” 

This winter Bremont received a generous grant from the Northwest Community Credit Union Project Mini-Grant program which allowed her to purchase a life-sized full body mannequin, named Brad.  All of the other mannequin in Bremont’s classroom are just torsos. “Having a mannequin with arms and legs makes the learning more authentic,” said junior Dylan Rompel. “It allows students to position a body just like we would have to in a real situation.”

Bremont added that having a full-body mannequin gives students the opportunity to practice first aid skills such as immobilizing an arm or leg, which could not be practiced on a traditional CPR mannequin. “Brad gives students another option to practice their skills, especially during a time coming out of the pandemic where students may not be as comfortable touching each other in a classroom setting,” she explained.  

Bremont has been  CPR/ First Aid certified through the Red Cross for almost 36 years and is grateful to have a class where she can share these skills with students