Whats the difference between bls and cpr certification

Last updated Jun 25, 2020

You may have noticed that the two terms Basic Life Support (BLS) and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) are used interchangeably in the medical field. But is there a difference between the two? Absolutely!

Even though the two are closely related and have several similarities, there are prominent differences that can be used to distinguish between them. We’re here to help you understand better with the help of this article.

What does Basic Life Support (BLS) training cover

BLS is the course that is an umbrella under which CPR can be categorized. In this course, the students learn the following:

1. How to use an Automatic External Defibrillator
2. How to use bag-mask apparatus to aid ventilation
3. How to carry out complete rescue breathing techniques
4. Clearing a patient’s airway blocked due to choking
5. Work as a comprehensive team to provide immediate assistance

What Does Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) certification course cover

At times, CPR courses consist of topics that BLS training does not touch, such as:

1. First aid treatment
2. Basic use of AED
3. Blood Pathogens

BLS Vs CPR Clarified

To put it simply, BLS covers a lot more ground than CPR certification classes.
Another notable difference is that BLS is more successful when performed in a team, within the confines of a hospital since there is advanced medical equipment with the latest technology available to use. If an infant from the maternity ward stops breathing or chokes, a BLS is a must since the process of revival would require technical and sterile medical tools.

CPR, however, can be performed by an individual. For example, if you saw a person seizing at a park, the first step you’d think of is calling 911 and then performing a CPR if they collapse. At such times, only your presence of mind, knowledge of resuscitation and bare hands come into use to revive the individual.

Certification prerequisites needed in the healthcare field

If you’re planning to apply for a job in the medical field, you’re required to have a BLS training certification. It is considered an advanced form of CPR training and certification and is mandatory in most of the private or public medical institutions for courses like:

1. Board-certified doctors
2. EMTs
3. Lifeguards
4. Nurses
5. Pharmacists

Example of BLS

At the hospital, BLS covers a standard procedure to perform life-saving techniques based on the person needing the aid. The procedures are different in infants, children, adolescents and adults.
Example Of CPR

A CPR course teaches people how to perform chest compressions when someone is going under a cardiac arrest at any given place. The chest compressions in a systematic rhythm are used to pace the heart’s normal rhythm to pump blood through all the vital organs non-stop until the EMT arrives and uses a defibrillator to revive the heart.

Conclusion

BLS is an advanced hybrid of the CPR technique that involves the use of hospital equipment. CPR is, however, performed according to the guidelines of the American Heart Association.

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A very common question an instructor will get is about the basic difference between Heartsaver CPR (American Heart association) better known as just CPR and Basic Life Support (BLS). The answer is very simple but to some it can be a challenge to explain this and also to dive into this question even deeper what is CPR. To understand this question fully one must first completely understand what the differences are and what CPR actually is. CPR stands for cardiopulmonary resuscitation as per many medical dictionaries. CPR is the act of compressing a person chest in order to circulate blood from the heart to the brain and back to the heart again to oxygenate the brain and also in return oxygenate heart itself. Prior to this skill set being developed, a person very rarely survived cardiac arrest. This technique has evolved over the years and it’s changed a few times but the basic concepts are all the same, that is to circulate blood. Now let’s talk about the terminology from different certification organizations. There is the American Heart Association (AHA), the American Red Cross (ARC) and National Safety Council (NSC) to just name a few. They all title their courses differently but the basic concepts of CPR are established by the American Heart Association as they do the research in the case studies here in the United States. It is these basic concepts that all of these courses are based on. Thus, for the rest of the article let’s stick to what my training company, Life Saving Education offers here in New England and that is American Heart Association. There are few major differences between Heartsaver CPR and a Basic Life Support (BLS). Basic life support or as it use to be known as Healthcare provider is just that meant for anybody who through the course of work can be described as a healthcare provider for example doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists, dentists, paramedics, EMTs and firefighters. With this higher level of training there is expectation of professionalism which then changes the standard slightly with a more scientific-based approach. The changes include a pulse check and a change in the compression ratio for children and infants when there are two rescuers present. Also with the basic life support (BLS) certification there is the requirement of a written exam in which a student must pass with a score of 84% or more. With Heartsaver there is no change in compression ratio and no pulse check due to possibility of a lay-rescuer not providing CPR when it is truly needed. Also there is no written exam. These are the major differences between the two. The differences between Heartsaver CPR (American Heart association) better known as just CPR and Basic Life Support (BLS) are a few but with the simple understanding of the standards, mastering the terminology isn’t hard at all. As a simple rule thumb if the person throughout their day is providing any type of patient care then they are required to have the BLS certification.

Joseph Andrade

Joseph Andrade is a career Firefighter/Paramedic who has worked in both rural and urban EMS. Joe is the founder and Lead instructor of Life Saving Education, an emergency medical training company based out of Cambridge MA. He has been in emergency medicine for over eight years. Joe holds instructor certifications in American Heart Association (AHA) Basic Life Support, AHA Advance Cardiac Life Support and AHA Pediatric Advance Life Support as well Pre-Hospital Trauma Life Support and Tactical Combat Casualty Care through the NAEMT. He is also a proud member of the National Association of EMS Educators. He is also certified by the state of Massachusetts as an EMT Instructor Coordinator and a Pro Board Certified Firefighter Instructor 1.

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A very common question an instructor will get is about the basic difference between Heartsaver CPR (American Heart association) better known as just CPR and Basic Life Support (BLS). The answer is very simple but to some it can be a challenge to explain this and also to dive into this question even deeper what is CPR. To understand this question fully one must first completely understand what the differences are and what CPR actually is. CPR stands for cardiopulmonary resuscitation as per many medical dictionaries. CPR is the act of compressing a person chest in order to circulate blood from the heart to the brain and back to the heart again to oxygenate the brain and also in return oxygenate heart itself. Prior to this skill set being developed, a person very rarely survived cardiac arrest. This technique has evolved over the years and it’s changed a few times but the basic concepts are all the same, that is to circulate blood. Now let’s talk about the terminology from different certification organizations. There is the American Heart Association (AHA), the American Red Cross (ARC) and National Safety Council (NSC) to just name a few. They all title their courses differently but the basic concepts of CPR are established by the American Heart Association as they do the research in the case studies here in the United States. It is these basic concepts that all of these courses are based on. Thus, for the rest of the article let’s stick to what my training company, Life Saving Education offers here in New England and that is American Heart Association. There are few major differences between Heartsaver CPR and a Basic Life Support (BLS). Basic life support or as it use to be known as Healthcare provider is just that meant for anybody who through the course of work can be described as a healthcare provider for example doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists, dentists, paramedics, EMTs and firefighters. With this higher level of training there is expectation of professionalism which then changes the standard slightly with a more scientific-based approach. The changes include a pulse check and a change in the compression ratio for children and infants when there are two rescuers present. Also with the basic life support (BLS) certification there is the requirement of a written exam in which a student must pass with a score of 84% or more. With Heartsaver there is no change in compression ratio and no pulse check due to possibility of a lay-rescuer not providing CPR when it is truly needed. Also there is no written exam. These are the major differences between the two. The differences between Heartsaver CPR (American Heart association) better known as just CPR and Basic Life Support (BLS) are a few but with the simple understanding of the standards, mastering the terminology isn’t hard at all. As a simple rule thumb if the person throughout their day is providing any type of patient care then they are required to have the BLS certification.

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