ACLS/BLS

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Hi all,

I am going through training right now to become an in home daycare provider since I am having difficulty finding a job. I am in the training class now and I am ACLS and BLS certified. This is probably the most crazy question but they keep asking me. They require you to be first aid certified as well so doesn't my ACLS and/or BLS cover that cert as well or do I have to do another cert for first aide? I have seen some cards that say CPR/First Aid, however mine does not say that so I just would like to make sure I am in the clear. Please do not laugh at my question, lol.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

Wouldn't PALS (Pediatric Advanced Life Support) be more pertinent to your future job as a daycare provider? After all, your clientele will consist of mostly infants and children.

Pediatric Advanced Life Support - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Wouldn't PALS (Pediatric Advanced Life Support) be more pertinent to your future job as a daycare provider? After all, your clientele will consist of mostly infants and children.

Pediatric Advanced Life Support - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

You are correct but they only require persons to have CPR cert and first aide. I am not finished with getting my certs because of nursing so PALS is in my future. However, at the moment what they require is what I'm trying to provide.

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Specializes in ED.

ACLS, I would say no it doesn't cover first aid - its too specific. But wow, I would think BLS would! (Personal opinion only of course).

DC :)

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Specializes in ED, ICU, Education.

First aid is a totally different class. It is sometimes offered with BLS. It teaches you things like how to splint fractures and make pressure dressings, c-spine precautions, nosebleed first aid, bee stings (how to use an epi pen) and other animal bite care. Try your local EMS for information, or even a community center or college may offer the class. Good luck.

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Resumecpr put it quite nicely.

BLS and First aid are completely different.

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Specializes in Emergency Nursing.

The CPR + First Aid classes/certs are from the Red Cross.

BLS ACLS PALS are all American Heart Association certs I'm not sure that the AHA has a First Aid certification.

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Specializes in Tele/cardiovascular stepdown.

Personally if I were going to work in a day care I would definitely take the first aid class because what you'll learn there will probably be used on a daily basis (nosebleeds, cuts/scrapes, what to do when someone may have swallowed something toxic). BLS is exactly what it stands for: basic life support (i.e. the person is dead/dying and you are trying to make them.... well... less dead. ;) )

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BLS is a CPR class. It teaches nothing about identifying and taking care of little boo-boos or recognizing a more serious illness but not quite so serious it needs CPR.

ACLS and PALS would be good only as far as the CPR portion. In a daycare you will not have access to a code cart nor will you be pushing those medications. You will be calling 911 unless the daycare is in the center of a hospital and is owned by the hospital. If not owned by the hospital, you will probably still be calling 911. As a nursing student (if your profile is still correct) without a nursing license, ACLS would also only be good for the CPR portion and the rest would be just extra knowledge. As an employer I might also question why someone without a professional license would even be using that cert on an application. Granted it is an easy cert to get but it is not practical for your purpose right now. But, congrats on taking ACLS as a student.

The Natoinal Safety Council and the ARC will usually have approved courses for child care first aid. A college or votech school may also teach an approved course. EMS could be teaching a basic first-aid course but you should make sure it is approved by your state. I would not take a course unless it specially states it is approved for daycare workers.

Here's an example for California:

http://www.sdarc.org/TakeAClass/IndividualTraining/CaliforniaChildCarePediatricFirstAidCPR/tabid/140/Default.aspx

The purpose of the California Child Care (CACC) Program is to teach individuals who work in the childcare field the knowledge and skills they need to keep children who are in their care safe and healthy. This state-specific course was developed in response to California Government Code, Training Standards for Child Care Providers, Title 22, Division 9, Chapter 1 and satisfies the requirements as stated in that code. All childcare providers will benefit from attending this program. However, there are childcare providers in California who must take the training (any person who provides childcare in a licensed child day-care facility).

This is an example of the many different courses that the ARC teaches and another example for NY and child care providers. Again you must be careful that it is a course recognized by the state for child care providers.

http://romearea.redcross.org/services/health_safety.html

This program is designed primarily for use in secondary schools, colleges, universities and other settings that require a curriculum of greater length than the American Red Cross First Aid/CPR/AED Program.

You have NC listed as your state. Here is some information pertaining to the approved agencies and requirements.

http://ncchildcare.dhhs.state.nc.us/pdf_forms/cpr_first_aid_information.pdf

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Thanks everyone. This is why this site is great and after reading everything I totally agree. I don't have to find a class around here because they are offering it through the course I just wanted to make sure that I get it and that they just didn't take my BLS and say that my first aid is satisified with that cert. As I mentioned before I have seen some BLS cards that say first aid on them and my doesn't so I was a little confused.

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as i mentioned before i have seen some bls cards that say first aid on them and my doesn't so i was a little confused.

that would depend on where you took the bls class. the arc has this course:

standard first aid with cpr/aed-adult

the aha also has heartsaver courses with first aid.

list of the many different aha courses for professionals and layperson:

http://www.heart.org/idc/groups/heart-public/@wcm/@private/@ecc/documents/downloadable/ucm_306636.pdf

however, standard first aid might not be good enough in many states since it may not meet all the requirements listed by the state child care licensing agency.

also, once you become a nurse you will have to be careful that the bls (cpr) class is recognized for health care professionals.

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Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

do whatever the employer says. American Heart offers MANY types of "CPR" courses. First aid is one. Healthcare Provider and Heartsaver-AED are others PALS is overkill as you will call 911 if there is an emergency. You will not have the team or the equipment, including an MD, to perform advance skills. But first aid could be required.

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