Basic Cardiac Life Support or BCLS certification is a type of qualification confirming that one has fulfilled a compulsory BCLS certification course and passed the tests administered at the end of the course. People who are BCLS certified have the ability to give some simple interventions to people in need of emergency medical attention. No medical knowledge is required for BCLS course takers. This course is open to members of the general public as well as care providers.
The BCLS is not the treatment nor cure for cardiac life support problems. These are merely simple steps taken to help ease the patient’s suffering until professional help arrives.
There are many hospitals and universities that offer the BCLS certification online or in-class where you can enroll and get this training. The course can last from 4 hours to a 2 day long training. If you opt for online BCLS certification, make sure that it is from an accredited institution.
Also known as basic life support or BLS, this course is intended to provide people with basic knowledge that will be easy to remember and draw upon in an emergency situation where rapid intervention may be critical. BCLS does not teach techniques that are invasive and drugs are not used in the student’s training performed by emergency medical personnel in life threatening situations (both of which are advanced life support skills that require medical training to be administered safely).
As the name implies, the most basic certification is the BLS and can be obtained from the AMA, Red Cross, American Heart Association, or associations that are in the medical field and offers such courses.
BCLS Certification Course Content
The primary skills taught in the BLS course include basic mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and CPR (chest compressions to circulate blood). Procedures are not invasive in BLS and no medical equipment is needed. One of the few key points taught in BLS are the “ABCs”:
- Airway – allowing air to pass or flow to the lungs, airway is cleared from any obstructions
- Breathing – making sure lungs are filling with air
- Circulation – ensuring blood is circulating through the body
In addition to teaching people about appropriate interventions in life threatening situations, BCLS provides people with education about protecting themselves. This includes teaching people about using barrier methods during CPR, avoiding blood to blood contact, and other potential risks. Learning to assess situations as well as patients is an important skill people can use to provide assistance in dangerous environments like car accidents, or sudden asthma attacks from your neighbor.
Therefore, BLS is often required of people who work with young children, with elderly people, or who are lifeguards, coaches, or anyone involved with people on a regular basis who could have any sort of incident.
While there are not pre qualifications required for this training, some of the most common people that take this course are Physician Assistant, Registered Nurse, Licensed Practical Nurse, Charge Nurse, and anyone else in the medical field.
Generally, the course trains the people on the common CPR skills for adults as well as infants. People who just collapsed or have a foreign body in the airway too can be treated with BCLS training. The certification will train people on all aspects related to several circumstances of the injured individual needing treatment such as if the person is conscious or unconscious, the age, physical structure etc.
Where To Get The Certification
Getting these basic certifications varies from country to country. While the basic steps are mostly the same, there may be some minor changes based on the procedures approved by the government in your locality.
To get the certification you need to attend theory courses in the classroom. Aside from that, there are some practical training sessions. Depending on the certification scope and the course syllabus you could be taught saving people from choking, people who collapse suddenly, people who are shocked and other such commonly encountered situations. AED or Automatic External Defibrillator are also offered in some courses. To pass the exam you need pass a written exam and a practical test. Some institutes offer the theory in CDs for study from home while others blend practical and theory so have class room sessions.
Attendees of a BCLS certification course must be able to finish a written exam at the end of the class. The exam tests people on basic understanding and competencies. In addition, students usually must pass a demonstration exam where they show an instructor the techniques they have learned with the assistance of a dummy. In some classes, the dummies may have on board computers that provide feedback to test takers and students. Successful completion of the exams will result in issuance of a BCLS certification, good for a period of time such as one or two years.
Nowadays, anyone has the convenience to take a BCLS Certification online. All you have to do is complete part one of the course, the cognitive portion, over the Internet.
When you are done with the exam, print out your certificate of completion and present this certificate to your instructor when you complete the skills test in person.
Schedule a time with an instructor at a local AHA training center. Training centers can be located through the ECC Class Connector on the AHA website. You will receive your BLS for Healthcare Providers Course Completion Card upon completion.
In short, BCLS is an important and useful certification to get if you are in the medical profession. Being an emergency training you can make some serious impact on people’s lives with this knowledge and skill.