What is a Basic Life Support Certification?
Basic Life Support (BLS) certification, formerly known as CPR Level HCP, is an essential credential for all healthcare providers and public safety professionals. It is a focused certification course that provides the critical, clinical skills needed to respond to life-threatening emergencies such as cardiac arrest and severe respiratory distress.
This comprehensive guide from BraveHeart explains what BLS training involves and why it's a vital skill for anyone in Nova Scotia. Unlike a general first aid course, our program focuses specifically on emergency medical care, equipping you with the skills to be a confident and effective team member in a high-stakes situation.
What is a Basic Life Support Certification?
A Basic Life Support (BLS) certification is a professional credential that validates an individual's ability to provide immediate medical care during life-threatening emergencies.
The training covers skills like high-quality chest compressions, rescue breaths, and using an automated external defibrillator (AED). This certification is crucial for healthcare providers, first responders, and others who may need to act quickly in a clinical or emergency setting.
What is Included in a BLS Certification?
A Basic Life Support (BLS) certification is a professional credential that teaches critical life-saving skills. This training goes beyond standard CPR to cover skills essential for healthcare providers and other professionals. You'll learn how to respond to cardiac arrest, respiratory emergencies, and other life-threatening situations. Here is what our certification covers:
Rapid Patient Assessment
Learn to quickly and accurately conduct a visual survey and identify immediate life-threatening emergencies. You'll develop the crucial skills to recognize a patient's condition and activate the emergency response system without delay, ensuring prompt care.
High-performance CPR for Adults, Children & Infants
Master the art of high-quality chest compressions and rescue breaths. Our training focuses on the proper rate, depth, and recoil for adult, child, and infant patients, equipping you with the skills needed to improve survival rates.
AED Use and Troubleshooting
Get hands-on experience with an automated external defibrillator (AED). You will learn to correctly attach electrode pads, deliver a shock, and troubleshoot common issues, ensuring you can operate this vital piece of equipment with confidence.
Obstructed Airway Response
Learn effective techniques for managing a foreign-body airway obstruction in patients of all ages. Our course provides the practical skills to help someone who is choking, whether they are conscious or unconscious.
Two-Rescuer Team Scenarios
Practice working seamlessly with another rescuer. These interactive scenarios focus on team dynamics, clear communication, and coordinated care to maximize efficiency and patient outcomes during a cardiopulmonary arrest.
Bag-Valve-Mask (BVM) Use
Gain proficiency using a bag-valve-mask (BVM) to deliver effective rescue breaths as a team member. This essential skill is crucial for providing adequate oxygenation when a patient is not breathing on their own.
Pulse Checks and Breathing Management
Master the ability to quickly assess a patient’s pulse to determine if their heart is beating. You’ll also learn how to manage breathing, ranging from delivering effective rescue breaths to maintaining a clear, open airway.
Who Needs a BraveHeart BLS Certification?
This BLS Certification is specifically tailored for those who require a clinical and team-oriented approach to emergency medical response. It is not a general CPR certification, but a specialized healthcare provider certification designed for professional environments.
Target Audience for Our BLS Course
This is the perfect certification course for a wide range of professionals, including:
Registered nurses
Dental professionals
Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) and other prehospital providers
Medical and collegiate program students
Allied health personnel who need to respond effectively in in-facility environments
This training is designed for professionals who may be called upon to work as part of a clinical team. It emphasizes the pace, communication style, and protocols of clinical environments, ensuring the skills you learn are relevant and immediately applicable on the job.
Talk to our experts to determine if a BLS course is right for you
How Long is a BLS Certificate Valid?
A Basic Life Support (BLS) certificate from the Canadian Red Cross or Rescue 7 is typically valid for one year. To maintain your certification, it is crucial to complete a renewal course before your current certificate expires.
Failing to do so may require you to retake the full course, as skills and knowledge updates in resuscitation science are frequent. Always check the expiry date on your certificate to ensure continuous coverage.
What is the Difference Between Basic Life Support and Other Courses?
While many courses teach life-saving skills, Basic Life Support (BLS) is a specialized certification course for healthcare providers and professionals. Unlike Basic First Aid or CPR training, BLS focuses on a clinical, team-based approach to managing cardiac arrest and other life-threatening emergencies.
| Programme | Public cible | Focus | Portée médicale | Durée | Prérequis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BLS (Basic Life Support) |
|
Haute performance en RCR, gestion avancée des voies respiratoires, dynamique d’équipe, utilisation du DEA. | Milieux cliniques, préhospitaliers et en établissement. | Typiquement une demi-journée, session ciblée. | Souvent aucun, mais des notions de base peuvent être présumées pour certains niveaux pros. |
| Basic First Aid |
|
Prise en charge générale des blessures et maladies : coupures, brûlures, entorses, réactions allergiques. | Large, situations non urgentes. | Journée complète ou cours sur plusieurs jours. | Aucun. |
| CPR Training |
|
Réanimation cardio-respiratoire (compressions thoraciques et insufflations). | Focalisation sur l’arrêt cardiaque ou la noyade. | Demi-journée. | Aucun. |
Why Choose BraveHeart for Your BSL Certificate?
At BraveHeart, we are committed to providing the highest standard of BLS training in Nova Scotia. Our specialized course goes beyond basic instruction, focusing on real-world application and hands-on skills mastery. We train you to act quickly and confidently as part of a team in any emergency situation.
Here are just a few things that set us apart:
Certified by Canadian Red Cross and Rescue 7, providing a 1-year BLS certification.
Our instructors have real-world experience and teach like they've been there.
We run interactive scenarios to build muscle memory and team dynamics.
Focus is on clinical skills and high-quality CPR, not just theory.
Blended learning options combine online flexibility with essential in-person practice.
Choose BraveHeart to gain the skills and confidence to be a true lifesaver. Our curriculum meets the highest standards for healthcare providers and other professionals.