COnfused about difference between BCLS and CPR for Health Professionals

[geekgolightly, BSN, RN]

What is the difference?

TIA.

KAthy

[jemb]

BCLS is 'basic cardiac life support', which is primarily CPR, but also includes rescue breathing and Heimlich maneuver. The difference between BCLS for healthcare professionals and the basic CPR course taught to unlicensed and lay people is that the professional version includes CPR for adult, child, baby, and teaches two person CPR. The lay class teaches adult, sometimes baby, and only single rescuer CPR.

AHA used to differentiate them by calling the non-professional class 'Heartsaver' intead of BCLS. Not sure what they call it now since I quit teaching a few years back.

Either one can be called a CPR class.