Learning life support may seem silly. I mean, where are you going to require and use those skills, right? You will be surprised to know that most people use CPR and basic life support skills on their loved ones, right at home. This is because the AMA states that more than 230,000 heart attacks happen at home and outside the hospital. It takes more than 6 minutes for the local ambulance to reach the home and in that time, the victim has undergone irreparable organ and tissue damage. You could have prevented this by learning basic life support as soon as possible.
What you can do?
You can start by going online to find the different courses that are there. At present, there are more than 10 different courses to choose from but you should start with the BLS course, then continue to the ACLS course and end with the PALS course. This will provide you with the best technical knowledge and expertise to deal with any kind of emergency.
A little about the courses
1. The BLS course -- The basic life support course is designed for civilians as well as medical professionals. The course is taught at every medical college and hospitals and they usually offer it free. However, if you need a certificate, then you should choose a paid course that will provide you with the BLS certification online. The course will teach candidates patient assessment, administration of CPR and hands-on CPR, the AHA algorithms for survival, adult / child / infant assessments, bag masks, rescue breathing and choking relief procedures. After completing the course, the student can choose to take the exam. If you take the exam and clear it, you will get a BLS completion certificate issued by the AHA and the AMA. After completing the exam, you can take other courses or use the certificate to add to your skill set.
2. The ACLS course -- This advanced course teaches cardiac care. The student will learn basic life support skills like chest compression, the use of an AED, recognition and management of cardiac arrest or strokes, early management of pain, airway / circulation / breathing management, and effective interaction with professionals for treatment. This course is through a classroom format and it is 12 hours long. After completing the course, the student is given ACLS certification online. The certificate is given only after the student clears a written and practical exam. A minimum score of 84% is required for passing. You should know though that the course is valid only for two years. After two years, you will have to apply for an ACLS online renewal process. There are several websites that offer online ACLS courses. Just log on, pay for the course and complete it online. The course will be referred to as Experienced ACLS recertification online and it is completed much faster. This process of ACLS renewal is quick and easy and can be completed in 5 -- 8 hours.
3. PALS course -- This is an advanced course that is offered for medical personnel as well as for candidates who had to deal with children and infants daily. The course has a theory and a practical aspect. After completing the course, the student is offered PALS certification online to complete the course. This course is about 15 -18 hours long and it is very useful in preparing the students to deal with pediatric problems.
Cost of the courses
The cost of the courses will vary considerably. The BLS course is taught online as well and the course content may be provided by the hospital. However, the ACLs course requires additional books and coursework that cannot be supplied by the college. The students will have to read and prepare for the course by themselves. The PALS course will also require additional preparation and textbooks. As a result, the cost of the course will vary from hospital to medical college. The AHA also does not regulate the course content and cost.
Please note that the advanced ACLS and PALS courses will require a pretest that will assess the skills of candidate and his medical knowledge. You can take the pretest yourself and then submit the test to the course instructor.
What you can do?
You can start by going online to find the different courses that are there. At present, there are more than 10 different courses to choose from but you should start with the BLS course, then continue to the ACLS course and end with the PALS course. This will provide you with the best technical knowledge and expertise to deal with any kind of emergency.
A little about the courses
1. The BLS course -- The basic life support course is designed for civilians as well as medical professionals. The course is taught at every medical college and hospitals and they usually offer it free. However, if you need a certificate, then you should choose a paid course that will provide you with the BLS certification online. The course will teach candidates patient assessment, administration of CPR and hands-on CPR, the AHA algorithms for survival, adult / child / infant assessments, bag masks, rescue breathing and choking relief procedures. After completing the course, the student can choose to take the exam. If you take the exam and clear it, you will get a BLS completion certificate issued by the AHA and the AMA. After completing the exam, you can take other courses or use the certificate to add to your skill set.
2. The ACLS course -- This advanced course teaches cardiac care. The student will learn basic life support skills like chest compression, the use of an AED, recognition and management of cardiac arrest or strokes, early management of pain, airway / circulation / breathing management, and effective interaction with professionals for treatment. This course is through a classroom format and it is 12 hours long. After completing the course, the student is given ACLS certification online. The certificate is given only after the student clears a written and practical exam. A minimum score of 84% is required for passing. You should know though that the course is valid only for two years. After two years, you will have to apply for an ACLS online renewal process. There are several websites that offer online ACLS courses. Just log on, pay for the course and complete it online. The course will be referred to as Experienced ACLS recertification online and it is completed much faster. This process of ACLS renewal is quick and easy and can be completed in 5 -- 8 hours.
3. PALS course -- This is an advanced course that is offered for medical personnel as well as for candidates who had to deal with children and infants daily. The course has a theory and a practical aspect. After completing the course, the student is offered PALS certification online to complete the course. This course is about 15 -18 hours long and it is very useful in preparing the students to deal with pediatric problems.
Cost of the courses
The cost of the courses will vary considerably. The BLS course is taught online as well and the course content may be provided by the hospital. However, the ACLs course requires additional books and coursework that cannot be supplied by the college. The students will have to read and prepare for the course by themselves. The PALS course will also require additional preparation and textbooks. As a result, the cost of the course will vary from hospital to medical college. The AHA also does not regulate the course content and cost.
Please note that the advanced ACLS and PALS courses will require a pretest that will assess the skills of candidate and his medical knowledge. You can take the pretest yourself and then submit the test to the course instructor.