CPR Certification w/ADA Question

System

Always one to throw curve balls, we have an employee who works at one of our Health Care Facilities who is on oxygen. She carries her oxygen tank in a backpack she wears all day.

This employee is actually a good worker, but there have been complaints, as of late, indicating her work is slowing down. She does get winded quite a bit and can't stand for long periods of time.

She works our night shift (10pm-6am) in one of our residential houses (we manage Mental Retardation facilities) and is the only employee on duty during her shift. The regs state that at least one employee per shift must have a CPR certification. This employee has her certification (she received it from her other job). There is concern due to the fact that she is on oxygen that she might not be able to perform this duty in the event she is called upon.

She is an older lady, as well, so we are running the gambit w/regards to ADA and possible age discrimination concerns if we let her go.

Any suggestions on how to proceed with this employee? Thanks

Keys

marc

Is there a renewal or retesting requirement for CPR?

If you have concerns, perhaps you can ask everyone to re-certify. If she cannot perform at the level required...

System

Yes, there are renewal and retesting requirements for CPR. We ran a class recently and signed her up, but she informed us that she was going to take the class at her other employers and bring us the certification. We've heard that she has a close friend at the other job and are afraid they might just be signing off on the re-cert regardless of her ability to actually perform the task.

I would suggest that as a requirement of the job that ALL of our employees must sit through OUR testing to cover it, but I'm not up to date on what the regs say about CPR certifications (i.e. if you are presented with a certification, you have to except it).

Thanks for the response. It's a muddy path we trod!

Keys

ritaanz

Not really up on all of this but CPR recerts are done every 2 years. The first question I have is does this person have the lung capacity required for CPR? Since she requires the tank, she may not. How about asking the instructor that ran your class if a person using an oxygen tank can be capable of administering CPR.

I am not clear whether you want to keep her with you or because of the complaints want to terminate her.