Key Things To Know About Bls Certification
A Basic Life Support certification will be required for all registered nurses, as well as people working in a variety of non-medical fields. This may include lifeguards, teachers, coaches, flight attendants, and many other types of people. Of all the certifications included in this list, a BLS certification is among the most common .
To pass the BLS exam, you will need to know how to perform CPR on all age groups . You will also need to know how to use an AED, how to establish ventilation, how to administer two-person CPR, and how to clear airways. Furthermore, you will need to familiarize yourself with the American Heart Associationâs âchain of survival.â Because the best BLS practices are occasionally updated, it will be crucial to keep track of ongoing changes.
Related Article: Basic Life Support : Frequently Asked Questions
Certification Made Simple Fast Easy Digital
The American Red Cross makes BLS certification fast, simple and easy. And with Red Cross Digital Certificates you’ll get anytime, anywhere access to your certificates plus the ability to print, share, and download them wherever and whenever you like. Digital certificates can be viewed, printed or shared online and can be accessed anytime through your Red Cross Account. Each certificate includes a unique ID and a QR code which meets employment requirements and allows employers to easily confirm your certificate is valid. Class participants and employers can visit and enter the ID found on the digital certificate to access a copy of the valid certificate with student training information.
Post Cardiac Arrest Care:
Healthcare professionals should be aware of the aftermath of cardiac arrest and address the problems appropriately. Even after discharge from the hospital, cardiac arrest care is critical in cardiac arrest patients recovery. Victims often experience emotional, physical, and cognitive challenges. Thus, the patients require continued care and support, which can be in the form of therapies and interventions.
Upon recovery, cardiac arrest patients need proper post-cardiac arrest syndrome management, presenting ischemia or reperfusion injury, myocardial dysfunction with low cardiac output, and brain dysfunction. The management of these conditions prevents the risk of secondary damage. Appropriate Neuroprognosis is critical in proper caregiver guidance. Since cardiac arrest survivors are at a high risk of neurodevelopmental impairment, there is a need for early referral for a rehabilitation assessment. In infants, the process involves continuous electroencephalography monitoring and targeted temperature management. The care also entails treating certain conditions such as hypercapnia/hypocapnia, hyperoxia/hypoxia, and hypotension.
Read more about:How to Get BLS Certification? |
:
Read Also: Flag And Certificate Display Case
Sample Size And Study Participants
The study population comprised of first-year nursing students enrolled in the bachelor’s degree program. All firstyear nursing students who were willing to participate in the study and those who did not get any training on basic life support at school were invited to the study. A convenience sample of 1st-year nursing students enrolled in the bachelor’s degree program was included in the study.
Calculation of research sample size: Power analysis using the G*Power program was conducted in order to determine the sample size. A 5-unit difference between pre- and post-training BLS scores was accepted as the minimum difference indicating clinical significance. At the beginning of the study, the standard deviation of change was determined as 9.52 units based on data obtained from 10 people. According to this, the minimum sample size needed to be 50 at the level of = 0.05 with 95% power. Considering the possibility of drop-outs during the study, the sample size was enhanced by 20% and thus the minimum sample size was calculated as 60. The total number of 1st-class undergraduate nursing students was 74. Two students did not fill out the post-training assessment questionnaires. Five students were not at the school during training days. Four students were not willing to participate in the study. The sample consisted of 65 nursing students.
Airway Obstruction Or Choking:

Health care professionals handle different types of emergencies. A basic life support course gives the individual skills to effectively relieve choking victims and offer the necessary treatment. These professionals are expected to effectively care for victims of different circumstances and provide the necessary treatment. Choking is one of the most common health emergencies. It results from the obstructed airway and can potentially lead to cardiac arrest. The treatment for obstruction varies depending on the degree of obstruction and the victims age. Obstruction can be severe or mild obstruction. Severe choking is a medical emergency that should be addressed within the shortest time possible.
You May Like: How Long Does Tips Certification Last
About Basic Life Support Certification
- Patient Assessment
- Adjuncts for Airway Management Oro-pharyngeal and laryngeal mask airways
- Management of choking for adults, children and infants
- Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation
- One person & two person CPR for adults, children and infants
- Bag valve mask, mouth-to-mask and mouth-to-mouth ventilation
- Oxygen use in resuscitation
- Use of Automated External Defibrillator
- Management of Anaphylaxis
How Nurses Use First Aid & Cpr On The Job
Nurses use First Aid & CPR on the job to help save their patients lives. To determine the course of treatment for each patient, nurses use CABs to determine the treatment. CAB stands for Circulation, Airway, and Breathing. Note: In 2010, AHA (American Heart Association changed it guidelines and switched from ABCs to CABs.
Nurses must take care of their patients circulation needs to help them survive their life-threatening conditions. The care includes supplying the proper amount of blood to organs and tissues and removing metabolic waste from the body.
Nurses take care of the patients airways by maintaining clear airways so that carbon dioxide and oxygen can pass freely from the atmosphere to the lungs. They also must take measure to protect the patients airways as well.
Nurses also help their patients to breath when they cannot do so on their own. Nursing professionals must use methods to deflate and inflate the patients lungs until they can regain their ability to do so on your own.
Nurses may also have to use medical devices in the nostrils or mouth to unblock the airway of the patient. They may also have to stimulate the patients heart manually until the heart begins pumping again on its own.
Recommended Reading: Changing Gender On Birth Certificate
What Is The Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support Certification
ACLS is specially designed for professional healthcare providers who take care of critically-ill adults and focuses on individuals that work in the hospital setting. Healthcare professionals that work in the ER or ICU will be required to have this certification. Medical-surgical nurses may not be required but highly encouraged to take an ACLS course. Recommendation: if the course is offered and recommended take it!
According to the AHA website, healthcare professionals that take ACLS will learn the following:
- Review of BLS skills
- Management of ACS and stroke
- Effective communication as a member and leader of a resuscitation team
How To Find The Right Bls Program For You
Finding the BLS program can be another challenge. Course providers exist in every corner of the country and through multiple online platforms. Instead of choosing the first provider available, consider following these steps to find the right program for you:
Also Check: Fafsa Approved Online Certificate Programs
Early Use Of The Aed:
The automated defibrillator is a critical device in reviving the heart of a cardiac arrest victim. The earlier the AED is used, the better the outcome. It should be therefore used as soon as it is available. The machine detects and advises whether or not a shock is necessary for that particular case. The most common cause of cardiac arrest is ventricular defibrillation. The condition is reversible by delivering an electric shock to the victims heart through the chest wall. Although it is easy to use, the AED requires skills and knowledge to operate.
Importance Of Bls Training For Healthcare Providers:
Healthcare providers are on the front line during a wide variety of emergency situations. They should therefore have the basic life support skills at their fingertips. In cases of cardiac arrest, the victim stops breathing, and they only have a few minutes to save them. Every medical provider should have a valid basic life support certification as these skills are critical in the daily work life of a healthcare provider. These include nurses, doctors, and nursing assistants.
CPR skills are essential in their everyday lives as their jobs revolve around saving lives. They need to watch out for the possibility of patients going into cardiac arrest and offer the necessary help. They also need to understand life-saving procedures, including using the AED. Whenever a patient experiences cardiac arrest, their families rely on health care workers to offer the necessary assistance.
Although they are always in contact with patients, there is a need for healthcare providers to refresh their CPR skills and knowledge in offering first aid to cardiac arrest victims. Studies show that failure to put the skills into practice for six months can compromise the ability of a rescuer to provide high-quality CPR. Research is always ongoing on how to save lives. These findings consistently offer new and improved processes concerning CPR procedures.
The BLS for Healthcare Professionals provides skills in the following areas:
TryFree Basic Life Support Practice Test Quiz. |
Recommended Reading: Where To Order Birth Certificate
Enroll To Reserve Your Spot
If you are not BLS certified, you must reserve your spot for either the morning or afternoon session on Friday, January 7 by emailing . Students who already have their BLS certification are not required to be on-site at VSTC on Friday.
Cost/Payment:
- $85 in-person didactic and practical skills.
- If you enroll in this BLS course, you will pay the instructors directly.
- $20 deposit required to reserve your spot.
- Full balance can be paid in advance and must be paid in full prior to beginning of course.
- Venmo, cash, check or PayPal accepted.
Sessions:
Do Hospitals Accept Online Bls Certification

Read Also: How Long Does It Take To Get Your Ged Certificate
What Is Pals Certification For Nurses
Pediatric Advanced Life Support is designed to help nurses learn how to administer life-saving treatments to infants and children . The topics covered in these courses will be very similar to the topics covered in ACLS courses and will include things such as the use of a child AED, recognizing possible cardiac problems, and learning how to effectively communicate as a team.
Because children are more likely to be scared and infants will be unable to communicate, addressing trauma and identifying the underlying issues will be especially important. PALS certification is usually only required for nurses working specifically with children, though it may also be required for nurses who might see children on a somewhat regular basis . Again, because certification requirements can vary, be sure to check with your supervisor in advance.
First Aid & Cpr Basic Life Support
First Aid & CPR Basic Life Support refers to a level of medical care that is used by nurses to handle patients who face life threatening injuries and illnesses. The nursing profession was created for the specific responsibility of caring for the medical needs of patients. When patients face life-threatening medical conditions, they depend on immediate help from trained nursing professionals. Nurses must be able to identify the signs of various life-threatening conditions that require immediate attention. In order to save the lives of their patients, nurses must pass the First Aid & CPR nursing course in nursing school.
Read Also: What To Do If I Lost My Birth Certificate
What Is The Pediatric Advanced Life Support Certification
PALS is a specialty certification that specifically teaches medical professionals life-saving care to infants and children. PALS is not designed for the critically ill neonate and is not used in the NICU setting. It is designed to teach rescuers how to properly assess patients, provide advanced interventions, and utilizing scenarios while applying critical thinking skills.
Skills learned at PALS include:
- Review of child and infant CPR
- Review of child AED
- Recognition of patients who do and do not require immediate intervention
- Recognition of cardiopulmonary arrest early and application of CPR within 10 seconds
- Understand how to properly apply team dynamics
- Differentiation between respiratory distress and failure
- Early interventions for respiratory distress and failure
- Differentiation between compensated and decompensated shock
- Early interventions for the treatment of shock
- Differentiation between unstable and stable patients with arrhythmias
- Clinical characteristics of instability in patients with arrhythmias
- Effective communication as a member and leader of a resuscitation team
Why Obtaining Certifications From An Accredited Course Matters
Currently, there are two major certifying organizations for basic and advanced life support that are accepted by hospitals and other healthcare organizations. The American Heart Association and American Red Cross . The AHA is a research-based organization and encourages the learning of CPR through its research. The American Red Cross adheres to AHA guidelines when designing its training materials and developing its courses.
In 2019, the American Red Cross introduced a new learning platform and curriculum for its BLS, PALS, and ACLS courses. These are specifically designed for healthcare professionals in partnership with HealthStream. HealthStream, founded in 1990, is an online company that partners with healthcare organizations for workforce development, provider enrollment, training and learning management, managing online simulation-based education programs, and talent management.
You May Like: State Of Virginia Birth Certificate
Do I Need Bls Certification For Entry
The health care field faces a crisis. Nursing continues to battle a shortage of skilled workers, reports the AACNNursing.org, which has driven increased demand for entry-level positions, like Certified Nursing Assistants , Certified Medical Assistants , and assistants or orderlies for virtually any care setting. However, entry-level positions often require the completion of an accredited course of study. While this course of study is not as intense or as long as nursing school, it is important to understand how someone interested in health care can use these positions to decide their future.
This may include the completion of an appropriate program, such as BLS certification, as well additional courses for unlicensed staff.
As explained by the U.S. Department of Labor, the job outlook for entry-level positions, including nursing assistants and orderlies, is expected to grow much faster than average at 11 percent. Since these positions do not routinely require work experience prior to employment, those interested in entry-level positions need to know a few things about the value of completing additional coursework, how to make their skills attractive, find the right programs and land the right position.
Builds Confidence Dealing With Medical Emergencies
CPR/AED is crucial for any healthcare professional, but it is especially useful for students who are not yet familiar with the field. The course trains nursing students on the chain of survival when attending cardiac arrest victims, which is essential in the professional environment.
When there is a medical emergency, the full hospital staff must be on the same page. CPR/AED classes allow inexperienced nursing professionals the opportunity to step in and offer assistance in cardiac arrest cases confidently.
This certification also gives young nurses composure in high-pressure situations. Because they are confident in their abilities and composed under pressure, they learn how to calm patients down in emergencies.
Also Check: Copy Of Marriage Certificate Mn
Who Should Take This Certification Course
Our BLS online certification course provides in-depth AED, CPR and first aid training skills for healthcare providers and those who work in a healthcare setting. It is ideal for those who may be called upon to perform CPR, basic first aid, and lifesaving care on a regular basis.
Many healthcare professionals earn their BLS certification online because of the ease and convenience of the courses. Our instructors are American Heart Association-trained and certified, and our course content is current with all the latest AHA guidelines. Occupations suited to this training and certification include:
- Doctors, LDNs and RNs
- Physical therapists and physical therapist assistants
- Physicians assistants
- Dentists, dental hygienists, and dental assistants
- Home health aides and caregivers
What Is The Difference Between Pacls And Bls

- A BLS practitioner is not permitted to use needles or other cutting instruments on the skin, nor is he or she permitted to give medication. Both are permissible for PACLS providers.
- Two emergency medical technicians are included in a BLS unit, whereas at least one paramedic is included in an PACLS unit.
- A PACLS unit includes airway equipment, cardiac life support, and other features.
Recommended Reading: Online Medical Billing And Coding Certification Programs