Online BLS Certification

Basic life support (BLS) is a system for responding to selected medical emergencies. Basic life support includes instruction on CPR, basic education on risk factors associated with those emergencies, information for recognizing and managing those emergencies, and information on how to assist someone who has an obstructed airway.

Every healthcare professional that provides direct patient care is required to have BLS certification. Basic life support certification is awarded after successful completion of a BLS class: nurses, physicians, etc. typically take a class that is called Healthcare Provider BLS or something similar to that. The classes cover the information outlined above, and the classes are divided into a) lectures, and b) demonstration and hands-on practice of the physical skills such as CPR.

The student buys or is provided with a study manual prior to the class, most classes are approximately five hours long, and the students take a written test and are tested on the practical skills. The certification – assuming the student passes – is valid for two years: recertification classes are usually shorter, but follow the same format. 

When deciding to take a BLS course, there are two options. You can take a traditional, classroom-based BLS course, or you can take an on-line course. Classroom-based courses are offered by hospitals, the American Red Cross, etc., and on-line courses are obviously accessible from anywhere: it is a personal decision as to which to choose. How to decide?

• Convenience: Classroom-based courses are widely available in most areas, but most specific locations, i.e., a particular hospital, only offer them several times a year. It may not be possible for you to find a course when and where it is most convenient for you. On-line courses are always available, you can take one at any time – you are not limited to certain hours of the day – and there is no travel involved in taking an on-line course.

• Learning the material: A classroom-based BLS course is typically five hours. The material must be covered quickly, and the teacher must accommodate the learning needs of many different students. Your experience may differ, but this may not be the optimal learning environment. If you choose an on-line course, you study the material at your own pace and in the order that most helps you. Once the on-line course is completed, the student simply needs to find a BLS instructor in the area and be tested on the practical skills. 

• Support: It may seem that a classroom-based course would offer the best level of support and attention from the instructor. This is certainly possible, but it is also that the class will be full, there will be lots of questions, and the instructor will have limited time. With an on-line course, instructors and technical assistance are available at any time. 

Traditional classroom-based BLS courses have been the standard for many years, but on-line courses offer convenience, support, ease of learning, and the same content: they are certainly worth a look.    

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