TL;DR
BLS (Basic Life Support) certification trains healthcare professionals and other first responders how to recognize life-threatening emergencies, perform CPR, use an AED, relieve an airway obstruction, and work with other rescuers as part of a resuscitation team. If you’re entering healthcare or need CPR certification for your job, understanding what BLS covers can help you choose the right course and be prepared to help save a life.
BLS Stands forBasic Life Support. It refers to the skills used by emergency first responders, medical professionals, and more to help during a medical emergency. People who are trained in BLS will know how to use skills like cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for victims of cardiac arrest, be able to clear airways for victims suffering from respiratory failure, and will be trained to use an automated external defibrillator (AED) to help restore normal heart function.
Any layperson can (and should) learn these skills, as they can help save lives. However, if you want to get a job that uses these skills, you need to get BLS certification.
How Can I Become BLS Certified?
To become BLS certified, you will need to take a nationally accredited course. Then, after taking the course and passing the exams, you will be able to receive a card as proof of your certification.
You can take the course in person or online from your computer or phone. In-person courses are only a few hours long. By comparison, our online course can teach you everything you need to know in about 45 minutes. In either case, the process is quick.
What Does a BLS Course Consist Of?
A BLS course covers the essentials for life support. In fact, the course covers the skills you will need to respond to the most common life-threatening emergencies.
The course will cover the basic life support skills, including:
- CPR (Cardiopulmonary resuscitation for adults, children and infants.
- This includes single-rescuer and 2-rescuer techniques. It also includes the signs and symptoms of a heart attack.
- Use of an AED (automated external defibrillator) for adults and children.
- Additionally, the course includes the medical-legal aspects for professionals.
- Treatment for choking victims.
- This includes the Heimlich Maneuver, Adult, child, and infant FBAO (Foreign Body Airway Obstruction), and how to treat victims who are conscious or unconscious.
- How to recognize a medical emergency.
While you can earn CPR certification from a standalone CPR class, the material learned in a standard CPR course is also covered in the BLS course.
Who Needs a BLS Certification?
Many different careers require BLS certification. These include:
- Doctors and nurses
- EMTs and paramedics
- Police officers
- Firefighters
- Lifeguards
- Dentists, dental assistants, and hygienists
- and more…
In general, you will need to have BLS certification if your job makes you likely to encounter a medical emergency.
What is the Difference Between BLS Certification and CPR Certification?
The Basic Life Support Class is more advanced than the standard CPR class. In fact, BLS is a professional-level course designed for career rescuers. It is the standard for doctors and nurses.
The BLS course contains all of the information from the standard CPR course and then some. You could say it’s a professional-level CPR course. The BLS course will teach you more advanced skills when compared to a standard CPR course.
For example, the BLS course covers 2-rescuer CPR. It also teaches you how to use a bag valve mask.
Like the CPR course, the BLS course covers compression-only CPR. However, this was not always the case. In the past, only the CPR course included compression-only CPR. This is because it is easier for a layperson to perform. The BLS course, on the other hand, requires rescue breaths in addition to chest compressions. This is because the BLS course is designed for professionals who would likely have PPE such as a barrier or bag-valve mask handy. However, the BLS course now also covers compression-only CPR for situations in which PPE is unavailable.
How Much Does a BLS Certification Cost?
The cost for BLS certification varies based on the type of class and the provider. Typical classroom-based courses cost between $55 and $150. Online BLS certification from a legitimate provider generally costs between $30 and $60. Check out our best discount on BLS certification. Our specials change every few days.
How Long Does BLS Certification Last?
BLS Certification lasts exactly 2 years. In accordance with national guidelines, you must renew your certification after your certification has expired. You need to renew your certification every 2 years because:
- CPR and other skills are perishable. If you don’t brush up on them every now and then, you can get rusty.
- Every so often, the course guidelines are updated to reflect new evidence and techniques.
What Is Involved in Renewing a BLS Certification?
To renew your BLS certification, all you have to do is take a renewal course. You can renew your certification online with our Online BLS Certification Renewal Course. You can renew in a few easy steps:
- Review the BLS course material
- Take the test
- Print or download your card. (A Free wallet card will also be mailed)
About the Author
Mike Figuero is the founder and president of the American AED CPR Association.
Mike was raised in New York, where at a young age he became an instructor… learn more