What is BLS certification in the medical field?
BLS Certification or Basic Life Support Certification is designed for the provision of emergency medical care for patients in a life-threatening situation as a result of an illness or injury. The purpose of AHA BLS training is to tend to the patient in crisis, whether in a healthcare setting or when circumstances do not allow them to receive full medical care in a hospital environment immediately.
While CPR and First Aid certification is highly recommended or even required for a range of other professions, BLS certification is primarily intended for those in the field of healthcare. Namely, BLS certification is a program that covers a broad category of skills and requires medical background. The skills required to perform BLS extend beyond the knowledge required for basic certifications such as CPR and First Aid.
First Aid and CPR class is available to and often required from professionals in various other fields: police officers, firefighters, bus drivers, teachers, coaches, as well as those working in high-risk environments with high exposure to safety risks and health hazards.
On the other hand, those who opt for American Heart Association BLS Course are all trained medical personnel. This includes experienced physicians, paramedics, emergency medical technicians, nurses and other healthcare professionals, as well as those yet to join the field of healthcare.
How long does BLS certification take?
AHA BLS certification requires course participants to attend BLS training. BLS training itself lasts about
4 hours, breaks not included. This timeframe is based on a course with one instructor and six students using
two manikins. If you need BLS recertification in San Diego, expect it to take half as long or as little as
2 hours to complete.
Depending on your preferred learning style, you can choose between a traditional classroom environment somewhere in
San Diego or the online approach combined with hands-on practical training.
How long does BLS certification last?
A BLS certificate will be valid for two years from the date it was issued. If you need to renew your BLS
certification, you should do it before the initial certification expires or within 30 days of the expiration
date at the latest. This timely action enables you to take an abbreviated BLS course and obtain your
replacement BLS card fast.
What’s more, the course will be helpful in refreshing your memory and giving you a boost of confidence needed
to apply the knowledge and skills acquired in the course in a real-life emergency situation.
What are the perks of San Diego Cardiac AHA BLS course?
San Diego Cardiac is an American Heart Association-authorized training center. When you choose San Diego Cardiac
as your training center, you can choose between multiple courses and learning methods depending on your specific
professional or personal needs and preferences. You also get to choose between three locations across San Diego area.
In other words, if you are looking for best-in-class BLS certification in San Diego, you have come to the right place.
We offer AHA BLS certification, also known as BLS Provider course, designed specifically for those in the field of healthcare.
You can choose to attend your BLS Provider course with hands-on training in a small group with knowledgeable, experienced
instructors in San Diego or choose to attend an online course instead. After taking an online course, you take our in-person
skills testing feature designed to further save you time.
You will also get all the learning material you need so you can get the most of your time here with us. After you complete
the course, get a passing grade and perform hands-on demonstration, you will be issued your BLS certification card.
What is the difference between CPR and BLS certification?
Essentially, the difference is that CPR itself does not require any medical background whereas BLS does.
BLS certification is considered a more advanced CPR AED course, one that is geared primarily towards
healthcare providers. Namely, it builds on what First Aid CPR AED course has to offer and takes a more in-depth
approach to training.
On the other hand, First Aid and CPR certification are standard requirements for a vast range of professions,
from medical professionals, firefighters and police officers to lifeguards, daycare providers, etc. The end-goal
is to become competent enough to perform CPR on your own when you see someone in a life-threatening situation
until their needs can be provided for by a qualified medical professional.
As far as CPR within BLS training goes, the focus is on performing CPR in a hospital and other medically-oriented,
healthcare environments. The focus is also on teamwork and functioning as part of a well-coordinated team in case
of a medical emergency. In a BLS course, you will go over realistic scenarios and simulations to learn how to
perform animation with the rest of the team.
Last but not least, when you attend a BLS course and receive your BLS certification from a certified instructor,
you can count on 2.50 continuing medical education units.
How long does CPR certification last?
A CPR certification remains valid for two years. However, since CPR skill retention has been found to
decline after as little as one year, you might want to become recertified at an earlier time. And you
won’t have to wait long for your replacement CPR card: it will be issued right away.
How to renew CPR certification?
Professionals in various fields often find themselves in need of initial or renewal of CPR certification,
which is why the demand for CPR classes in San Diego is so high. Some need it because of the nature of
their job, others because of the requirements of some regulatory body. And then there are those who simply
want to acquire skills that are useful in more ways than one and so enhance their résumé and boost their
career opportunities.
To meet the needs and requirements of this diverse population of course participants, San Diego training
centers have had to come up with convenient alternatives and offer participants a greater variety of
options, learning methods and higher schedule flexibility.
Nowadays, it is possible to opt for the conventional classroom approach and attend the course with hands-on
training in accordance with your own schedule and needs, or opt for a combination of online learning and
in-person testing.
Is CPR and AED the same?
CPR refers to Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation whereas AED refers to an Automated External Defibrillator.
CPR is combined with the use of the AED when First Aid is administered. In a BLS course, the focus is
on a more in-depth, medically-oriented approach to CPR administration and the use of an AED.
What is CPR AED training?
A Heartsaver First Aid CPR AED course includes both CPR and AED training, that is, it covers CPR administration
and the use of an automated external defibrillator. The course is intended for the general public. CPR and AED
training within a BLS class is more detailed and intended for medical personnel.
What do you learn in a First Aid class?
By attending First Aid classes in San Diego, you will learn how to provide a response in case of a medical emergency.
Here is an overview of the most common ones:
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Bleeding
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Burns
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Respiratory emergencies
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Diabetic emergencies
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Choking
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Various injuries
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Shock
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Poisoning
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Stroke
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Heart attack
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Seizures
First Aid training also includes essential information and coverage of CPR administration and AED use.
For the majority of San Diego course participants, the main reason for attending First Aid and CPR class is
to meet the requirements of a job or other regulatory requirements. However, having the skills and being prepared
to provide First Aid matters because you never when you might find yourself in the position to save a person’s
life, whether you belong to the field of medicine or not. First Aid and similar courses can help you build the
necessary confidence to think on your feet in a crisis.
Your presence in the right place and at the right time could mean the difference between a person’s life and
death as long as you can actually apply the skills you have learned in class. But since it is in human nature
to simply forget the information and skills we seldom use, it is important to refresh your memory from time
to time, which is where renewal courses come in.
What do I learn in Heartsaver classes?
Our Heartsaver course comes in three varieties. It is a course meant for candidates who need to obtain
their course completion card due to regulatory or work requirements but who have either had no medical
training in the past, or have very limited medical background. This course is a popular choice for school
teachers, coaches, personal trainers, as well as construction workers.
The purpose of the Heartsaver CPR AED, Heartsaver First Aid or Heartsaver First Aid/CPR/AED course is
to teach course participants to assist victims by performing CPR and using AED timely, safely and
effectively. It is especially effective against choking. It can be administered on adults, children or
infants, although the children and infant modules are optional depending on the course participants’ needs.
The course teaches the basics of First Aid, including:
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Recognizing the most common types of first aid emergencies
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Getting help in case of an emergency
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Administration of lifesaving skills.
How long does Heartsaver First Aid last?
Just like Heartsaver CPR AED and Heartsaver First Aid CPR AED courses, the Heartsaver First Aid
course completion card remains valid for two years, at which point you can take the Heartsaver
First Aid CPR AED renewal course.
Where do I find Heartsaver CPR classes near me?
Here at San Diego Cardiac, we boast a long track record in going above and beyond to give our course
participants a personalized learning experience free of stress and hassle. Be it a Heartsaver CPR AED,
Heartsaver FA CPR AED or BLS course, our in-depth, hands-on approach allows you to master life-saving
skills with ease and self-confidence, in a convenient way and an intimate learning environment.
We value your time and the trust you put in us, which is why we offer you an easy and practical way
to promote your life-saving skills and develop the competence to put them to use. On top of that,
there are no delays: your certification card is issued immediately after course completion.
We can also perform onsite group or corporate training for your convenience, as well as supply you
with AED packages and related accessories.
Allow us to show you how to provide expert care when it is most needed, wherever in San Diego County
you may be, supported by experienced and approachable San Diego Cardiac instructors. Call today so we
can work out your optimal learning plan and schedule!