Heartsaver® vs. Basic Life Support
One of the biggest topics that causes confusion among our customers is the difference between Heartsaver vs Basic Life Support (BLS). That’s totally understandable. So, we’re going to clear that up today and take a look at some of the differences.
Knoxville CPR Classes
What you may not have realized was that there were more than one option for CPR. It hasn’t always been that way, but the American Heart Association (AHA), along with other organizations have found that there was a need to tailor classes based on the social status of different individuals.
For example, a nurse and stay-at-home mom are in two different spheres. The nurse has a higher likelihood of performing CPR, and there’s also a greater expectation that the nurse performs at a certain level being that she’s a professional medical provider. On the flip side, the stay-at-home mom has less of a chance that she’ll need to do CPR one day. For that very reason, her recall and performance skills will be pretty weak if the situation ever arose.
The AHA recognized this and decided to create different CPR courses that were more streamlined and easier to remember for those who would not have as high a probability of using their knowledge. The results have been fantastic. As a result, survival rates have actually increased because people were less intimidated to perform CPR because there were less things they had to remember.
Heartsaver CPR/AED
Heartsaver CPR/AED is for the non-medical professional. It meets OSHA standards, so it is commonly taught to working professionals required to have this training by their employer.
There is an emphasis on the core of CPR which is compressions, early defibrillation with an AED, and giving breaths. They take out certain tools and circumstances that are unrealistic to someone outside of a hospital setting.
Basic Life Support (BLS)
BLS is meant for anyone with a medical certification or license. This could be lifeguards or CNAs, all the way up to physicians. There are a few extra numbers to remember, some additional skills that might be utilized in a hospital, and there are some more technical terms used.
Conclusion
All in all, they both teach the core concepts of high quality compressions and early/immediate defibrillation with an AED. CPR classes in Knoxville are one of many ways we can ensure the health and safety of our community.
For more questions about Heartsaver vs Basic Life Support or to sign up for a class, you can always give us a call or email us on our contact page.
