The first step in signing up for any lifesaving course is deciding which class you need to enroll in. The problem? There are so many options to choose from. In the Heartsaver classes alone, there are over a dozen combinations to make the class tailored to fit your needs. For BLS, you have your standard class and a renewal option. Let’s not even get into blended and virtual learning options! Here’s the breakdown:
Heartsaver Courses
Heartsaver courses are designed for anybody, specifically people with no medical training. These are classes that I can give to students, teachers, employees, civic groups, and more. A typical Heartsaver course covers how to make sure a scene is safe, recognizing the problem, calling for help, and beginning to administer aid. There are options for Adult CPR, Child CPR, Infant CPR, and First Aid. This provides a baseline for you to hopefully keep a patient alive until more advanced help arrives.
BLS Courses
Basic Life Support, or BLS, is the next rung higher on the lifesaving ladder. This course is designed for people who are more likely to encounter situations where immediate life support is needed. These courses typically see police officers, EMTs, doctors, nurses, and more. Once you have your BLS certification, there is a renewal class you take every two years to maintain it. This class goes more into depth, covering two-rescuer CPR, team CPR, more advanced breathing techniques such as using an ambu-bag, and more.
Which class is right for me?
Are you a healthcare provider or more likely to run into people in need of immediate life support more often? BLS is probably your best bet. Many fields in this nature require BLS certification. In that case, you probably know who you are, but wanted to read a blog post written by a devilishly handsome CPR instructor anyway.
Are you more of an average Joe who wants to learn these very necessary skills, or in a career that requires base-level CPR certification? Heartsaver courses are probably best for you!
Unsure? Ask your supervisor what your work requires. Is your supervisor unsure? Contact us and we can help you decide!