Why BLS Recertification is Essential

BLS or Basic Life Support as it implies is the basic aid provided to an individual who suddenly loses consciousness and suddenly stops breathing. Basic life support is a first aid measure to maintain the ABCs which stand for airway, breathing and circulation without auxiliary tool. This is done while waiting for the ambulance or while waiting for medical and professional help. This is not only advantageous for you, but it is also advantageous for your family as well. This will make you prepared for any life threatening situation that require basic life support and BLS Recertification can absolutely help.

Basic life support is needed when:

  • The individual is unconscious
  • There is no presence of breathing
  • Abnormal pulse rate

The primary objective in basic life support is to establish and maintain an open airway to restore breathing and to correct respiratory acidosis (the carbon dioxide levels are higher than the oxygen levels). An open airway is achieved by removing the object that impedes with the victim’s breathing. If there is no object that is blocking the airway, this might involve a heart condition so chest compressions are required. This applies pressure onto the victim’s chest (with proper positioning of the hands on the correct location) to maintain the normal transport of oxygen to the brain and vital organs. Oxygen deprivation is fatal, especially when 6 minutes or more has passed since the irreversible brain damage has occurred already and the chances of survival slim down. BLS Recertification can actually help a person learn the basics and the essence of learning the BLS.

Why is BLS Recertification important?

Some procedures like chest compressions require training. Doing this properly will successfully restore a normal heart beat and rate, but if not, this will result to further harm and injury such as a fracture on the. Providing rescue breaths might look simple, but it needs proper technique. This procedure should not be taken for granted since the bag-valve mask procedure places the victim for at risk of gastric aspiration and worse, may result in aspiration pneumonia which will eventually result in death. This is why proper training is required for a person planning to be a basic life support provider.

Certain specific figures are required to keep in mind in basic life support. 100 compressions on the chest are required and the depth of compression for an adult victim is 1 ½ to 2 inches. For an adult victim, 20 rescue breaths are given in one minute. The CPR sequence has now changed to CAB instead of ABC. The community health has now followed the new CPR guidelines set by the American Heart Association and emphasizes that compressions are the first intervention that is given during cardiac arrest. A training that is hands on is much better that online training. Since hands on training prepares you for the real emergencies and it allows you to familiarize with the emergency equipment to be used in the emergency setting.