subject: The Basic Life Support Course [print this page] Basic Life Support is a series of pre-hospital interventions to maintain the victim"s airway, breathing and circulation. This is done to revive or sustain the victim experiencing cardiac or respiratory arrest which is common n stroke patients and patients having heart attacks or any scenario that involves the compromised breathing or heartbeat of the victim.
BLS or Basic Life Support is required of all health care providers as well as individuals who work with young children, elderly people or any individual who is most likely to meet cases that need basic life support. Lifeguards, policemen, and coaches are examples of these individuals.
Since 1975, the American Heart Association has issued periodically the standards and guidelines for the performance of resuscitation, that is why most employers look for AHA approved basic life support courses which is available in BLS class Nashville. A recertification is needed for at least every two years since the skill decay is recognized as rapid and the BLS course concepts and skills must be based on the most up-to-date available empirical evidence.
For one to be officially a basic life support provider, he or she must gain BLS certification which can be obtained after a few hours of class from any AHA (Anerican Heart Association) certified training center. Usually, basic life support training is done on dummies to correctly demonstrate the interventions during an emergency. This hands-on technique will promote fast retention and learning as well as the enhancement of skills.
The following are the required skills for basic life support:
"Chest compressons
"Abdominal thrusts (Heimlich maneuver)
"Rescue Breathing
"Automated External defibrillator training
"The use of bag-valve mask
"Choking management
The important and most basic concept in BLS is to make it simple just to remember ABC or airway, breathing and circulation.
Airway- the airway is the first priority, the passageway of the air needs to be cleared off for the lungs to be adequately ventilated before proceeding to the next priority
Breathing-when the airway is cleared; the breathing should be restored and returned in to the normal breathing pattern, this can be done by rescue breathing or the use of bag-valve mask
Circulation-oxygen is needed by every single cell in the body that is why proper transport and distribution of oxygen is necessary. Normal circulation must be restored; this is done by chest compressions or the use of AED (Automated external defibrillator) but this is only done when the victim has no pulse.
It is important to remember that 6 minutes of oxygen deprivation will result to irreversible brain damage that is why it is necessary to be knowledgeable, skilled and capable when providing CPR or cardiopulmonary resuscitation basic life support class Nashville emphasizes this important concept in their trainings. Basic Life support however does not only involve a single emergency response provider, assistance is also required such as an ambulance and paramedics. Such protocols are required to have a systematic and effective way in emergency response which lessens the incidences of preventable mortality rates.
