A CPR course at QLD Ambulance is only $55 or thereabouts and only takes 3 hrs to do. Senior First Aid (which includes CPR) cost more - around $120, and takes two days to do.

I only recently did my refresher CPR. They say don't check for pulse - it can take too long to do, wasting precious time, and on its own doesn't really mean much, especially as you are not likely to know what their normal resting pulse is, meaning you don't have a base reading to go off. If a person is non-responsive and not breathing (which you can tell by observing their chest and by listening for breathing sounds), then get straight into CPR. If a person is non-responsive but is breathing, then you roll them into the recovery position and you can then do a pulse if you want - and pass that info onto the ambos when they arrive.