The term “basic life support” might seem…well, basic, but that term shouldn’t mislead you into thinking that basic life support skills are universally possessed.

Did you know, for example, that according to figures shared by the British Heart Foundation (BHF) in 2018, almost a third(30%) of UK adults would be unlikely to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation(CPR) if they saw someone suffer a cardiac arrest, due to them not knowing how to do it properly?

That’s a very worrying statistic. Translated across the UK, and all the situations in which people do suffer cardiac arrest every day, it doubtless equates to many lost lives.

And while research has found that almost everyone (96%) said they were likely to call an ambulance if they saw that someone had collapsed and had stopped breathing, early CPR is crucial for buying time until paramedics arrive at the scene. Indeed, it can more than double someone’s chances of survival.

But basic life support is about more than CPR

As vital as CPR unquestionably is, the term “basic life support”, or BLS, is broader than this; it refers to a level of medical care that can be provided to a victim in an emergency, life-threatening situation before they can be cared for professionally, whether by a team of paramedics or in hospital.

Basic life support, then, is a crucial part of first aid, able to be provided to those who are experiencing cardiac arrest, respiratory distress, or obstructed airways. And enrolling in basic life support training will help equip you with vital skills in emergency situations, with the same applying to any staff of your organisation who might take on such a course.

After all, you can never be sure when acritical situation might occur, necessitating the use of basic life support techniques to keep individuals in a stable condition until the arrival of professional medical help.

A particularly high-profile illustration of this in recent years was footballer Christian Eriksen’s cardiac arrest during the Euro 2020 tournament – a case that underlined how even professional athletes in extremely physically fit condition that can be at risk of sudden emergency situations.

Anyone, then, can potentially benefit from and use basic life support training. It is especially recommended, however, for those who care for others, such as health care workers, social workers, carers of children, and teachers.
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Why not enquire to us about our own basic life support training?

Here at myAko, we are pleased to make available a basic life support training course that can be ideal for equipping the learner with a basic understanding of the techniques used in emergency first-aid situations.

By taking on this course, you will be able to learn about all aspects of basic life support, encompassing resuscitation, the recovery position, choking, and anaphylaxis. When this course is accompanied by face-to-face training and assessment, you can help ensure these all-important skills and knowledge are further embedded.

To find out more about our basic life support training course, please clickthrough to our online course page. You can also discuss this training in further detail with our team at myAko today, by calling us on 01202 283283, or by sending us an email.