Isnt BLS an advanced CPR?

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Feb 17, 2008

BLS is not an advanced form of CPR certification, but ACLS is. Click on the blue links below for more information.

seanpdent, ADN, BSN, MSN, APRN, NP · Feb 17, 2008

I wonder.
Isnt BLS an advanced CPR?
I got my CPR, but after searching, I realized I needed to take BLS class because it's CPR for healthcare provider!
Just wonder!
One thing more: most job I search has description like this:
REQUIRED: BLS certification, and able to perform CPR.
My card is Adult/CHild/Infant CPR and First Aid card! The training included AED machine . ANyone knows if this is the same as BLS?
Thanks,

I ran into this confusion too when I first became a nurse. It all depends on the certifying body.

The American Heart Association (AHA) breaks it down into Basic Life Support (BLS) and then Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS).

The American Red Cross (ARC) simply has CPR whether it's for adult/child and then CPR w/ AED.

The way I look at it is the AHA is geared towards a healthcare provider (meaning someone who is employed to provide healtcare services) and the ARC is geared towards the non-healthcare provider, or laymen, someone who is not employed for theses same services.

The ARC touches on the 'Good Samaritan Act' because you are not 'legally' responsible to perform these task as a laymen, where as a healthcare provider you are due to your contractual employment.

For the AHA, BLS includes the AED as well as adult/child. For the ARC, they break it down further... you can be simply CPR certified, or Adult CPR, or infant/child CPR, or CPR w/ AED... the list goes on.

So in a nut shell... you need to have your BLS for employment as a healthcare provider, CPR certification through the ARC is not recognized as an adequate certification.

Hope this helps, and doesn't confuse you.

Best of luck.

:paw:

chare · Feb 17, 2008

it would depend on exactly which course you took. both the american heart association (aha) and the american red cross (arc) sponsor courses for both lay rescuers and health care providers. for healthcare providers, the arc course is cpr/aed for the professional rescuer, and the aha course is basic life support for healthcare providers. additionally, the aha and arc have renewed their statement of understanding regarding recognition of each other’s programs.

aha updated 2006 course matrix provides information pertaining to aha courses while preparing professional rescuers provides information regarding arc course.

some facilities may require a specific course, while others will accept either certification as long as it is current and then transition you into whichever course used locally when you are recertified.

seneyka · Mar 3, 2008

Interstingly, I took the AHA BLS anyway. The thing is that the class was exactly the same to my last Adult/Child/Infant CPR/AED provided by Emergency First Response! I wonder why the names are different but the course contents are just the same!

corrie · Apr 6, 2008

BLS is Basic Life Support -- but it is more advanced than the CPR / AED class. This is the classes nurses need. The standard CPR / AED class is not enough. There is a difference in the protocals for healthcare providers and the general public.

ohmeowzer RN, RN · Apr 7, 2008

you want to get your ACLS that is advanced cardiac life support.... i got mine and i got a whole 50 cent raise...

JaimeS · Apr 8, 2008

I told the guy at the American Red cross that I needed BLS for health care providers for my nursing program and he said I could take the CPR for health professionals with AED and that it was the same thing. It has to be the professional one though and not the regular. At the red cross you can take it part online and than attend a skill session for $65.

tferdaise · May 22, 2008

To helo you to understand, there is a CPR class for NON medical people and then there is BLS. BLS is just CPR for healthcare workers which includes AED's now. I use to teach CPR and BLS...

Interstingly, I took the AHA BLS anyway. The thing is that the class was exactly the same to my last Adult/Child/Infant CPR/AED provided by Emergency First Response! I wonder why the names are different but the course contents are just the same!

tferdaise · May 22, 2008

There is more to ACLS then just CPR, there are medications to understand as well as EKG rythems to know.

I agree with one of the comments that ACLS is the advanced version of BLS, some of the online CPR classes are also impressive impressive, I got the chance to visit www.CPRAEDCourse.com and was pleasently surprised.