Many people suffer from different illnesses that cause life-threatening problems. Medical professionals try their best to save their patients till the last phase. Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) are both supportive treatments medical professionals give for cardiac arrest patients and victims of severe injuries. The objective of both ACLS and BLS are the same: learning the proper medical techniques to help save the life of someone in cardiac arrest. But what are the differences between these two? Let’s take a look at this article!
What is BLS?
BLS or Basic Life Support involves various life-saving skills like CPR, pulse checks, and rescue breaths without compressions. BLS also uses specialized equipment like AEDs (Automatic External Defibrillators) and bag valve masks, just to name a few. It is performed mainly by healthcare professionals, like doctors, physicians, nurses, Emergency Medical Technicians, paramedics, and first responders like police officers and firefighters.
Read more about: What is Basic Life Support and BLS Certification?
What is ACLS?
ACLS stands for Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support. In ACLS, healthcare professionals use algorithms to treat life-threatening conditions like cardiac arrest, heart attack, coronary syndrome, stroke, and other emergencies. ACLS also involves interpreting the heart rhythm of a patient using an electrocardiogram. Then, treatment options are decided based on the heart rhythm.
People that provide Advanced Cardiac Life Support must have the skills and knowledge to place advanced airways and insert an IV or IO line to administer fluids and medications. Also, they must have a thorough understanding of all the medications available to them that are used to treat the variety of heart rhythms and conditions they will encounter.
What are the Differences Between BLS and ACLS?
The main difference between Basic Life Support and Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support is the phase of the treatment. BLS is the supportive treatment that treats the injuries and illness in the first phase that helps the patients until providing the entire treatment. On the other hand, ACLS is a supportive medical treatment that doctors use to furnish treatment for severe cardiac problems, stroke, and other life-threatening emergencies.
Curriculum
Basic Life Support certification relates to the necessary training to perform basic life support functions. Of course, this is a requirement for healthcare providers and first responders in their jobs. Still, it’s also often a requirement for other professions like teachers, librarians, lifeguards, coaches, daycare workers, and nursing home employees. During basic cardiac life support certification training, you’ll learn the basic life-saving skills that can be applied when encountering a cardiac arrest or heart attack victim. Then, it’ll be your job to revive, resuscitate, or sustain the victim until more advanced help arrives.
Like BLS, Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support certification is the process of learning the skills and techniques necessary to handle all advanced cardiovascular emergencies properly. Both BLS and ACLS certification teaches participants how to increase the patient outcome by sustaining life and making efforts to keep the neurological function intact during cardiovascular events such as stroke and heart attack. Advanced Cardiac Life Support training will focus on the following:
- Understanding of Basic Life Support
- How to recognize and manage cardiac and respiratory arrest properly?
- How to support or lead a resuscitation team?
- Advanced airway management skills
- ACLS pharmacology
Try Free Basic Life Support (BLS) Practice Test Quiz.
Background of Medical Knowledge Needed
Medical knowledge is helpful going into both courses, but it’s not necessarily required for BLS. Conversely, ACLS demands at least a basic foundation of medical knowledge that will allow you to absorb the material and complete the course. It is common for ACLS trainees to have completed a BLS training before beginning their ACLS certification course. In addition, ACLS Certification courses often include a Basic Life Support course material review.
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