Imagine you’re standing in a queue and a woman right before you suddenly collapses. If you have the knowledge of Basic Life Support (BLS) you will quite easily be able to take control of the situation and even save her life (not to mention the boost it’ll have on your own personal feeling of greatness)!

Basic Life Support training is more essential than we care to know. So, it’s for you, a healthcare professional or anyone who might be present at the scene of an accident.

By the way, BLS is also known as CPR or Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation in some countries & organizations.


A brief history of BLS
In 1992, the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR) was established to organise resuscitation efforts around the world. ILCOR members congregated from all over the world, including the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, as well as the European, Asian, and African continents.

The first resuscitation manual was written by the committee in 2000. The International Consensus on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and Emergency Cardiovascular Care (ECC) Science with Treatment Recommendations was issued by the committee in 2005.

After 2010, the committee has given materials to international resuscitation organisations such as the European Resuscitation Council and the American Heart Association in order for them to compose their own recommendations. After 2015, ILCOR has used a modern approach named Consensus on Science with Care Recommendations (COSTR) to assess the accuracy of the most recent research and come to a decision on the right resuscitation therapies. ILCOR began conducting quarterly assessments and publishing reports on the new evidence of resuscitation using the COSTR approach, as opposed to the former 5-yearly analysis.

CPR or BLS in the field extends the period it takes for higher-level emergency responders to arrive to deliver ALS care. The automatic external defibrillator, or AED, is a significant advancement in delivering BLS. Which increases the chances of recovery in cardiac arrest situations.


The Basic Concept Behind BLS
There is a certain disambiguation regarding what we refer to as BLS certification for healthcare professionals to the one designed for the general public.

Basic life support is a concept that refers to a collection of non-invasive rescue procedures used to preserve a patient's life. BLS, bone fracture stabilisation, spinal immobilisation, bleeding prevention, and simple first aid are only a few examples. But that's perplexing.

These workshops for healthcare professionals concentrate on teaching how to administer critical treatment for heart and respiratory emergencies in adults, teenagers, and babies.

They are some of the most dangerous and life-threatening health emergencies a patient may experience. At the healthcare provider stage, workshops emphasise teamwork, strategic thought, and problem-solving in medical cases, as well as real-life, case-based experiences that help students learn how to administer clinical treatment both within and outside the facility.


The Significance of the Basic Life Support Programme
Basic Life Support (BLS) at Auckland is a type of medical treatment provided during any life-threatening cases so the person can be treated by a team of paramedics or taken to a hospital. It can save people who are coughing, drowning, or experiencing heart arrest, and in certain cases, it can be the difference between life and death.

A BLS certification at Auckland includes all first aid training programmes and other life-saving techniques. This type of first aid instruction is especially beneficial for teachers, daycare centres, health and social care professionals, and also security forces, in addition to representatives of the emergency services.

BLS, in the most simple form, entails securing the patient's adequate blood circulation, airways, and breathing in order to hold them safe before an ambulance or another emergency professional arrives.

On a first aid course, you'll even learn about other critical steps like the recovery posture and how to use an automatic external defibrillator (AED). It could be appropriate to take a special AED training course in certain situations.


What does it imply to say "for healthcare providers"?
It doesn't matter if the course you're thinking of taking is called CPR or BLS—what matters is that it gives you the knowledge you'll need to do CPR professionally.

BLS for healthcare professionals (https://www.emcare.co.nz/quality-teaching.html) at Auckland teaches the same skills as a CPR workshop, albeit at a more advanced stage. They further emphasise serving as part of a squad rather than alone while providing treatment.

The following are some of the items you might expect to learn:
BLS (delivering on your own or as a part of a team)
Using an AED
How to carry out a primary assessment
Advanced airway management
What is an Ambu (Artificial Manual Breathing Unit) Bag and how can you use it.
First Aid for choking (both conscious and unconscious states)
BLS for children and infants

There is no national certifying agency that regulates CPR or BLS courses, so each curriculum is unique. Courses, however, that adhere to the American Heart Association's guidelines, on the other hand, should cover relevant content.


Who Can Do Basic Life Support Certification?
Although the Basic Life Support certification (https://www.emcare.co.nz/quality-teaching.html) course for healthcare professionals is a must, people in other occupations can find themselves in a situation where they must use basic life support without prior warning. So, from bus drivers to coaches, babysitters, lifeguards, nurses, security personnel, pharmacists, guardians, physiotherapists, among others are eligible for such courses. Because having a basic knowledge of this course can actually save a life.

In reality, since no one can determine who anyone they are with may choke or go into cardiac arrest, someone who deals with the public can feel that obtaining a simple life support credential is beneficial.

In reality, no one can determine who will have to encounter someone who falls unconscious or goes into cardiac arrest, but ideally, anyone who deals with the public more often should have themselves certified to perform basic life support procedure.

The Emcare BLS course teaches basic life support which contributes to an American Heart Association two-year initial basic life support credential. You'll never have to wonder, "What is simple life support?" ever after taking a 3-hour BLS lesson!


Emcare's BLS Programme
Our three-hour-long BLS programme at Emcare is designed to give non-clinical staff the following skills necessary to manage life-threatening conditions such as

• DRSABCD approach to patient management
  
• Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation
• Use of an Automated External Defibrillator (AED)
• Recovery position
  
• Management of choking
• Management of Anaphylaxis

We can run these courses in your area of work (minimum numbers apply) or you can book onto any of our open courses.

Get in touch with us to know more.

Our office or workstation may seem like a safe & secure spot, but there are dangers hidden that most of us aren’t aware of - until they show up! An accident can happen at any moment without any fair warning. But do your employees really know how to tackle or respond to such situations?

As per company policies, you have a legal obligation to guarantee that your workers are safe and are given prompt attention, during times of emergencies. First aid training comes with such benefits which guarantee that.

Here are ten reasons why you should provide basic New Zealand first aid training to your staff.


1. It has the potential to save lives
This may appear to be the most apparent reason, but first aid training has proven to be beneficial in so many ways as a prompt response to workplace emergencies. Your employees will have training that helps them develop a sense of confidence and inner security to respond quickly to an incident, accident, or illness once they’ve received their very own First Aid Training.

As per expert reports, CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) and First Aid Training in NZ has the potential to save lives, which are provided in critical or life-threatening hazards at workplaces.


2. Decrease the number of workplace mishaps
Employees who avail of First Aid Training in New Zealand  become more aware of workplace safety rules, which lead to fewer accidents and injuries. Employees become more safety conscious, which helps to reduce accidents.


3. A pleasant working atmosphere
imagine a working environment where your employees have received training in First Aid. Their confidence surges, ushering them a sense of security and well-being. They are capable of not only protecting themselves but also reaching out to a fellow worker when in time of need.


4. A Thriving Working Environment
Workplace First Aid Training is also utilised as a team-building activity and a morale booster.
Employee morale is an integral part of any company. Good attitudes lead to positive outcomes, and positive outcomes lead to a happy working environment.

Employee happiness and well-being will aid in the development of solid relationships, resulting in a better working environment. Employee health and safety, as well as wellness and morale, will benefit from First Aid Training in NZ.


5. Safer working environment
The bigger the size of the corporation, the higher the risks involved. So, (imagine) the more your employees are equipped with quality First Aid Training in NZ, the higher is the safety quotient in your company.

FYI: Many big corporations have started including First Aid Training as part of staff training, and we think it’s a smart move.


6. Learning to Use a First-aid Kit Appropriately
Your workers will not only know what should be in the first aid kit and how to properly maintain it, but they will also be able to utilise it successfully in an emergency.

They'll know where to find it immediately, which will save time and lessen the severity of the situation. First-aid students are familiar with the contents of their first-aid kits, how to use them, and how to respond in an emergency. It makes each employee an unofficial health and safety risk manager, which is a good thing.


7. Reducing the Time to Recuperate
Quick reaction to any sickness or injury before additional assistance, such as calling an ambulance, may not only save lives but also shorten the patient's recovery time.

If the patient is a member of staff, they will be able to return to work sooner and with less disruption to the company.


8. Keeps workers Safe While They’re at Work
Your employees will be able to harness those abilities at every walks of their life, particularly if they get to participate in refresher classes regularly, so excellent First Aid Courses aren't only for the workplace. This implies that in any emergency, they can successfully treat themselves, their family and friends, as well as the general public.


9. It's a Great Team-building Exercise
When your employees have the chance to acquire a new skill together, one that will allow them to care better for one another, it draws them closer together. They also become aware of the strengths and weaknesses of one another. During times of need, they’ll know who’s the best person to reach out to for a certain kind of emergency.

Through First Aid Training, several teams have reported a greater awareness of their coworkers' well-being.


10. Gain a Sense of Clarity & Confidence within Employees
It offers your workers peace of mind and clarity in the event of an emergency.
First Aid Training in NZ not only teaches your employees how to treat people who need first aid, but it also provides them with the confidence to handle an emergency without fear, confusion, or overload.


11. Great ROI
A positive company image always leads to better brand value. This automatically qualifies it to be an investment. Because guess what, people talk!

The training benefits supersede the cost of First Aid Training in NZ and goes a long way toward ensuring a healthy workplace, safety and shaping a positive company image.


If this has piqued your interest, Emcare offers a variety of training courses. Check out our course schedule, give us a call at 0800 362 273, or click here to reach out to us.

Alternatively, you may register for a course online here.