A new section of each course starts monthly. If enrolling in a series of two or
more courses, please be sure to space the start date for each course at least two
months apart.
All courses run for six weeks, with a two-week grace period at the end. Two lessons
are released each week for the six-week duration of the course. You do not have
to be present when lessons are released. You will have access to all lessons until
the course ends. However, the interactive discussion area that accompanies each
lesson will automatically close two weeks after the lesson is released. As such,
we strongly recommend that you complete each lesson within two weeks of its release.
The final exam will be released on the same day as the last lesson. Once the final
exam has been released, you will have two weeks to complete all of your course work,
including the final exam.
Week One
Wednesday - Lesson 01
Every day, thousands of medical emergencies occur in the United States. In our first lesson, you'll learn what happens when someone dials 911 to report the emergency. You'll see how emergency 911 operators do their jobs, who will respond to the emergency, and what will happen after emergency medical services personnel arrive at the scene. We'll also explore how you can help without exposing yourself to legal liability. Then, we'll start going over the human body so you'll know why your organs work like they do!
Friday - Lesson 02
Today, you'll learn how to make sure you stay safe at the scene of an emergency—from watching out for traffic and identifying hazards, to protecting yourself from transmitted diseases. Then, you'll learn the ABCs of emergency care so you'll know what steps to take in order to help someone in need. Also, you'll see how to take a reading of a patient's respiration and pulse to determine if the heart and lungs are working normally.
Week Two
Wednesday - Lesson 03
Heart disease is the leading cause of death for adults in the USA. In today's lesson, you'll learn what causes heart disease and how you and your family can prevent it from happening to yourselves. We'll discuss angina and heart attacks, and I'll tell you why you may not want your family member to go to the closest hospital if you suspect they may be having heart problems!
Friday - Lesson 04
Would you know what to do if your child suddenly choked on a small toy or piece of food? Today's lesson addresses choking and breathing problems, the leading causes of accidental deaths in children. You'll also learn about asthma, emphysema, pneumonia, and carbon monoxide poisoning. And I'll show you how using everyday household cleaning products might be dangerous!
Week Three
Wednesday - Lesson 05
In this lesson, you'll learn all about the body's master organ—the brain! We'll discuss concussions, head injuries, seizures, and strokes. You'll see how the pupils of the eyes give you important information about brain function, and how to recognize the signs of a stroke, one of the most common events leading to adult disability.
Friday - Lesson 06
Do you know what the largest organ of the body is? Surprise—it's your skin! In today's lesson, we'll go over what happens when you injure your skin—whether you've scraped, cut, torn, punctured, or burned it. We'll also go over how to recognize the signs of bleeding, even if the bleeding is internal and out of your sight. You'll see how to stop all types of bleeding and how to treat all types of burns, including electrical, chemical, thermal, and even severe sunburns!
Week Four
Wednesday - Lesson 07
In today's lesson, you'll learn all about shock . . . not the electrical kind, but the type that prevents oxygen from getting to your body's cells. You'll learn how to recognize and treat shock caused by infections, allergic reactions, bleeding, breathing problems, diabetes, heart problems, spinal injuries, and simple fainting. You'll also see what to look for to determine if an unconscious person has a chronic medical problem, with no one around to tell you about it!
Friday - Lesson 08
Today, we'll go in depth to learn about underlying medical problems such as diabetes, gallstones, hepatitis, appendicitis, and kidney stones. You'll also learn about heat and cold emergencies, from heat exhaustion and heat stroke to frostbite and hypothermia. And you'll find out what's happening if your patient's eyeballs look yellow!
Week Five
Wednesday - Lesson 09
Almost 3 million children are victims of accidental poisoning each year. In this lesson, you'll learn how poisoning occurs—how it gets into a child's body through absorption, inhalation, ingestion, or injection. You'll see why poison control centers have been established throughout the country and how you can reach one using a single phone number. Most important, you'll learn what to do and what not to do before medical help arrives at your house.
Friday - Lesson 10
Today, we'll focus on injuries to the bones and joints. We'll explore fractures, sprains, and strains, as well as how to handle neck and back injuries without causing further harm to your patient. You'll learn how to use common items to make splints to stabilize an arm or leg until help arrives. Then, we'll talk about common sports injuries affecting adults and children. You'll also learn about athletic trainers and the roles they serve in organized team sports.
Week Six
Wednesday - Lesson 11
Children aren't just little adults! In this lesson, you'll learn how children react to injury and illness, and how you can interact with them during the various stages they go through as they grow up. You'll learn the differences in their anatomy as they get bigger, how their vital signs change, and how they're so much more susceptible to shock than adults are. And we'll explore common childhood emergencies such as infection, fever, and seizures. Then, we'll examine the early warning signs of substance abuse among teenagers and talk about a difficult topic—teen suicide and self-injury.
Friday - Lesson 12
In our final lesson, you'll learn about illnesses common to children—croup, epiglottitis, asthma, and meningitis. We'll also explore SIDS—Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, and learn why researchers think it occurs and steps you can take to reduce its risk. We'll close by discussing the nationwide problem of child neglect and abuse, how to recognize the signs and symptoms of physical and sexual abuse, and why just one phone call can make a major positive step in an abused child's life!