What to Expect from Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation & First Aid Certification Course

In this post, we’ll take a look at some of the topics covered in a basic life support (BLS) class or a CPR training course. 

A BLS class will cover CPR skills including CPR for all children and adults, how to use an AED, providing oxygen, and preventing choking.  You’ll leave your BLS CPR class with the knowledge, skills, and confidence you need to help save a life. 

Knowledge: Life-Saving Know-How

During the coursework portion of the class, you’ll review online videos and your detailed BLS manual to learn the basics. Many courses are “blended,” which means a good chunk of the instruction occurs online. However, traditional, instructor-led training allows participants to complete the coursework in one sitting is popular among large groups or in corporate settings. 

Either way, once you’ve completed the required “textbook” lessons and have passed the accompanying skills quizzes, you’ll complete your certification with hands-on, in-person training.

Some topics covered by the instructional phase of a BLS course include: 

• Learning what your role as a BLS provider is.
• How to identify sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). 
• How to recognize and provide treatment for secondary cardiac arrest (including cardiac arrest brought on by an opioid overdose, for example). 
• The links in the chain of survival.
• The qualities of high-performance CPR.
• The importance of personal safety and universal precautions.
• Steps to assess an unresponsive person.
• How to use an AED on an adult, child, or infant.
• How to place an unresponsive but breathing person in the recovery position.
• How to recognize and provide treatment for a choking adult, child, or infant.  

Skills: What You Need to Do 

Next, you’ll dive into the specific skills needed to perform CPR and use an AED.

• How to perform one-person CPR. 
• CPR with rescue breaths. 
• Hands-only CPR. 
• How to administer CPR as part of a 2 rescuer team. 
• How to administer a shock from an AED. 

Confidence: Putting CPR and First Aid Lessons into Practice

Textbook, classroom, and online learning is great, but there’s nothing like hands-on learning to reinforce your coursework. As part of your BLS CPR training, you’ll have the opportunity to practice how to perform CPR on adults, children, and infants (using a CPR manikin with real-time feedback). 

Your instructor will also review your first aid knowledge, taking you through the steps you’ve already learned to control bleeding, EpiPen use, patient assessment, and more. You’ll also practice the Heimlich maneuver, put someone into the recovery position, and more. 

Although you’ll gain the knowledge and skills you need to help someone in need, you’ll also learn about your boundaries and the limits of your abilities. Knowing what you can and cannot do is a huge part of building confidence. As a BLS provider, your job is to help someone who is ill and injured and to keep them safe until more advanced medical treatment arrives. That’s it! 

As an authorized Training Center, AED.com provides high quality and consistent training courses across the United States. Our courses are offered through the American Red Cross and the American Heart Association. For more information about blended or traditional CPR and First Aid training, call our team at 800-544-0004 or email us at customerservice@cardiopartners.com. 

DISCLAIMER: The information included in this post and on our website is not intended as legal advice. As legislation changes often, this post may inadvertently contain inaccurate or incomplete information. We urge you to contact your state representative should you require more information about current AED, CPR, and Good Samaritan laws in your state.