There are 5 elements of Basic Life Support training that should be followed by healthcare professionals. Basic Life Support (BLS-HCP) comprises cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and many different elements. These include initial assessment, airway management, oxygen therapy and chest compressions.
During a Basic Life Support course, trainees learn the basic life-saving skills required by clinical health professionals, public safety personnel, first responders, and people working in a variety of jobs, including nurses, lifeguards, dental care workers, etc.
Basic life support training provides the skills to help revive, resuscitate, or sustain a person who may be experiencing respiratory failure or cardiac arrest from any type of emergency, like a heart attack, stroke, drowning incident, obstructed airway, etc.
Life Support Priorities
One of the first elements of Basic Life Support is what is prioritized. There are three main priorities during a Basic Life Support training course. These are airway, breathing, and circulation – otherwise known as the ABCs. On approaching a victim, the responder needs to ensure there is an airway, see if the person is breathing and assess the quality of the circulation. They must know how to provide CPR if it is required to help the victim until additional assistance arrives on the scene.
Immediate assistance needs to be offered, and this is the first link in the chain of survival, especially for a victim of a heart attack. Every responder is taught to check the scene for possible hazards and follow the Three C’s. These are Check, Call, and Care. This ensures quick action in an emergency.
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Basic Steps Required during the Assessment
Learning the basic steps during an assessment is part of the vital elements of Basic Life Support. This ensures the correct help is offered during an emergency. Trainees are taught to:
- Check for a response by tapping on the victim’s shoulder and asking if they are okay
- Open the airway with a head-tilt/chin-lift or a jaw thrust
- Check the victim’s breathing and circulation – this must take 10 seconds or less
- If you cannot detect a pulse within that time, you must begin CPR (unresponsive with no pulse)
- Begin CPR and be sure to give proper chest compressions – depth and cycles vary on age of the victim as well as the amount of responders. Be sure to provide a compression rate of 100-120 per minute
- Minimize the amount of CPR interruptions – you should perform between 60-80%
- Use a resuscitation mask (pocket mask) to perform ventilation – mask also acts as a protective barrier
- In some cases, you may be required to use a bag-valve-mask (BVM)
- If the person is still unresponsive, you will need to use an automated external defibrillator (AED)
The Correct Order of CPR
One of the next elements of Basic Life Support is understanding how to provide the correct order of CPR. According to the Canadian Red Cross, the primary assessment of a patient is the sequence A-B-C (airway, breathing and circulation). These steps must be completed in order to begin CPR. Follow this primary assessment for patients of all ages besides newborns. If you do not detect a pulse within 10 seconds, begin CPR. Complete the ABCs in cycles as you provide CPR.
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Cycles of CPR
Understanding how to provide CPR for patients is one of the elements of Basic Life Support. CPR is done in 5 cycles per 2 minutes. The new guidelines say that compression rates of at least 100 per minute need to be kept, no matter the age of the person. Compression depth should be about 2 inches for adults and ⅓ of the chest depth for younger children and infants. The chest must be allowed to recoil after every compression. CPR should only be stopped if the rescuer needs to use an AED or to change position.
Basic Rules and Objectives of a First Aider
One of the last main elements of Basic Life Support for a first aider are the Three Ps. This stands for – preserve life, prevent deterioration, and promote recovery. Therefore, the first aider must prevent the person from dying, prevent further injuries or damage and attempt to heal the injuries of the person.
Basic life support training teaches trainees the objectives of basic life support, under which circumstances it must be performed, and the golden rules they must adhere to.
There are 5 golden rules that all first aid responders learn:
- All medical emergencies require a systematic approach
- Responders must identify and avoid risks to themselves, the victim, and to third parties present at the scene
- Support must be requested early (whether this is from other first aiders, getting an AED, or calling the local emergency number)
- Victims must always be treated with the assumption that there is something seriously wrong
- Responders must quickly resolve any chaos that may prevent them from dealing with the situation at hand
Why the Elements of Basic Life Support are Important
As a healthcare professional, it is important to understand the elements of Basic Life Support for many reasons. Your job is to provide life-saving assistance to those in need. There are certain steps that must be taken to help ensure your patient receives the best care possible. Healthcare professionals are the heroes of our communities and we count on you to provide effective care.
If you are interested in completing a Basic Life Support training course, please contact us or check out our website. We provide many BLS-HCP courses throughout Ontario on a weekly basis. If you have any questions regarding a BLS-HCP training, please do not hesitate to contact us via phone or email.
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