Is being CPR certified and having a BCLS or ACLS the same thing?!
Question:
Is being CPR certified and having a BCLS or ACLS the same thing?
Answers:
CPR certification means you know how to deliver Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation to whichever age group you are certified for- adults, children, and/or infants. It usually includes other basic skills such as rescue breathing and choking.
A lot of different kinds of people are taught CPR, but most rescuers (or interested laypeople) take a more advanced class, such as the Red Cross "CPR for Professional Rescuers", where they will learn the skills most BCLS (Basic Cardiac Life Support) programs require, such as using a resuscitation mask, Bag Valve Masks, Two-person CPR, AEDs, etc.- but not medical interventions, IVs, etc. The average class is about a day-long.
Note, however, that in the US, the term BCLS is not carved in stone, and some places equate ANY CPR training with it. This is not common, however
Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) is the world of sticking stuff in the victim under a doctor's guidance- drugs, IVs, and more. The classes run much longer and the most common person taking them is a Paramedic.