What is Basic Life Support?
Basic Life Support teaches rescuers how to stabilize a victim of cardiac arrest, and to try and restore the spontaneous circulation of blood in the body before medical help arrives or before the victim is brought to the hospital. BLS classes are short and focused on developing basic CPR skills – such as compressions and rescue breathing. These two skills are highlighted when CPR begins on the unresponsive victim.
Defibrillation used an AED – automated external defibrillator – is also included in the BLS training program. AEDs are small machines that are attached to the chest with pads and can detect the heart rhyhtm. Either manually or automatically, the AEDs sends a shock of electricty to the heart to try and get the rhythm back to normal.
Basic first aid is also an important part of BLS training, especially for emergencies that compromise the airway. Choking is one of the foremost causes of preventable, accidental deaths. Variations of the Heimlich maneuver is taught to trainees, including basic would care and bandaging.
Training credentials
If you decide to sign up for any of our BLS classes, you will receive a BLS training certificate once you pass the program you signed up for. Pre-requisites for receiving a certificate includes complete attendance to all lessons and a passing grade on the post-tests. Post-tests are given to determine if the trainee has the necessary competence to become a CPR rescuer. Post-tests are made up for a skills test and a written test, except for the general public program that has an optional post-test (students can choose not to get certified).
Credentials are only valid for two years or 24 months. They can be renewed for an additional 24 months as long as the trainee signs up for re-certification before the certificate expires. Expired certificates cannot be renewed; if that’s the case the rescuer will have to retake the training program.
Training classes
There are three total BLS programs. One of them is for the public and the rest are for HCPs.
- Heartsaver CPR/AED – General public, 4 hours; 1-person CPR, basic first aid, and defibrillation. No re-certification available. Certificates are optional.
- Heartsaver CPR/AED (C) – HCPs, 4.5 hours; same topics as the general public class but with lessons tailored for HCPs who are familiar with most of the terminologies and concepts used in CPR. No re-certification available.
- Basic Life Support for HCPs – 4.5 hours; 1-person and 2-person CPR, basic first aid, defibrillation, and the 2010 guidelines from the AHA.
Enrolment and sign up
Enrolment is usually started online, using the online application form to fill out a few person details and details regarding the class you want to enrol in. Applications can similarly be sent in over the internet, through e-mail. Telephone calls and walk-ins are encouraged during business hours only. Fees can be settled during enrolment so the trainee doens’t have any distractions during the training proper; absolutely no additional fees are charged at any of our providers.
Our training locations are in Seattle, Portland, Honolulu, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.