It is difficult to determine the difference between CPR certification and BLS certification and even harder to understand who needs BLS certification and who doesn't. Many employers offer BLS training in the workplace, but it is crucial to know who needs which type of training. In simple terms, medical professionals must be BLS certified, but people in other professions may only require CPR training. At Quick CPR, we provide comprehensive, personalized CPR classes and BLS training covering all the bases of your profession.
Doctors must be BLS certified to ensure they can effectively respond to life-threatening emergencies. Whether a doctor practices medicine at a family clinic or a hospital, having a BLS certification is the first step to proving they meet the requirements needed to handle patients in an emergency. However, doctors who work in a hospital have higher credentials besides a BLS certification called Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS). Both certificates are crucial in proving they have undergone specialist training to provide critical emergency care.
Most nurses provide similar lifesaving care to doctors in hospitals and must be ACLS certified. However, before reaching such a higher level of certification, they need to be BLS certified first. When emergencies occur in hospitals, nurses are usually the first to respond, which is why they need advanced life support certification. While medical assistants are different from nurses and don't usually respond to emergencies, they still play a vital role in providing emergency life support. Therefore, medical assistants should be BLS certified to provide primary lifesaving care when necessary.
Paramedics and EMTs are first-time responders and are not required to undergo advanced life support training since they don't perform complex emergency care. EMTs and paramedics are often the first on the scene when medical emergencies occur outside a hospital setting. This is why they are required to have a BLS certification, similar to the initial training for emergency caregivers.
Different states have different rules when it comes to dentists and BLS certification. Depending on your state, dental license renewal requires a dentist to complete a specified amount of education hours. BLS certification is counted as part of the education hours in some states. Dentists should undergo basic life support training in case a medical emergency arises while a patient is under their care.
There are professions when it is necessary or preferred to be CPR trained, such as teachers, coaches, and childcare providers. BLS certification is not mandatory in non-medical fields, but it remains a valuable qualification under your portfolio. Advancing to BLS certification gives these professionals confidence in performing CPR and makes their CVs more appealing to prospective employers.
Are you looking to upgrade to BLS certification? Or start from the bottom and work your way up? Contact us at Quick CPR and enroll for BLS certification and CPR classes today. We guarantee individualized training at pocket-friendly rates.