First Aid

What is the Purpose of Basic Life Support?

What is the purpose of basic life support? We’re going to answer it here. Imagine this: you’re enjoying a day at the park when, suddenly, someone collapses. Panic sets in, the crowd parts and fear takes hold. Do you freeze, or do you spring into action?

With Basic Life Support (BLS) training, you become the hero in that scenario, the one who knows what to do when seconds count.

BLS isn’t just CPR on dummies and dusty textbooks. It’s the real-life skill that equips you to face emergencies with confidence, turning helpless moments into potential lifelines. Forget capes and masks; BLS is your superpower –

  • the power to save lives,
  • empower your community,
  • and become the hero that you never knew you could be.

In this complete guide, we’ll look at why BLS is important for your safety and how it helps you react well in situations where someone’s life is in danger.

Two male paramedics examining injured woman

What Does Basic Life Support Involve?

BLS encompasses various techniques, including (note: first aider training is a part of basic life support training):

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)

CPR has two important parts –

  • Chest Compressions: This is like rhythmic pushing on the middle of the chest. It helps keep the blood flowing to important organs, especially the brain. It’s crucial to learn the correct hand placement, depth, and rate of compressions for adults, children, and infants.
  • Rescue Breaths: When someone is not breathing well, rescue breaths are needed. This means giving artificial ventilation. It involves using your mouth to breathe for them – either mouth-to-mouth or mouth-to-nose. Make sure to position the airway correctly and avoid blowing too hard.

blog-star How can obtaining certification in Basic Life Support and Resuscitation benefit you?

This one is a basic life-saving course online. This training not only instils crucial life-saving skills but also boosts confidence and readiness to respond during critical situations. Consider Study Plex's Basic Life Support and Resuscitation Certification Program for comprehensive training, ensuring you're well-prepared to handle emergencies and save lives.

Automated External Defibrillator (AED) Usage

An Automated External Defibrillator (AED) is a device that helps restart a person’s heart during a cardiac emergency by delivering controlled electric shocks. It provides clear voice instructions to guide users through the process of using it effectively.

  • Recognising Cardiac Arrest: Learning the signs and symptoms of cardiac arrest is essential to prompt AED use.
  • Operating the AED: Follow the clear voice instructions provided by the AED to deliver electrical shocks (if indicated) and continue CPR until help arrives.

Foreign-Body Airway Obstruction Management

Helping someone who is choking involves doing abdominal thrusts or back blows to clear the blocked airway and bring back normal breathing. Act fast and get medical help if the blockage doesn’t go away.

  • Recognising Airway Obstruction: Identifying choking signs in adults, children, and infants is crucial for immediate intervention.
  • Heimlich Manoeuvre: This technique uses abdominal thrusts to dislodge objects lodged in the airways of conscious adults and children.
  • Back blows and chest thrusts: For infants and unconscious victims, a combination of back blows and chest thrusts can help dislodge the object.

Visit our insightful blog to get a thorough understanding of first aid for choking.

Basic First Aid Skills

Let’s explore some basic first-aid skills in the following:

  • Wounds and Bleeding: Learn how to control bleeding using direct pressure, wound dressings, and pressure points.
  • Burns: Discover the right way to cool minor burns and understand when severe burns need medical attention.
  • Bandaging and Splinting: Find out how to keep injured limbs still using slings, splints, and bandages to avoid more harm.

Wondering what to do if someone is having a heart attack? Read our insightful blog to find out the process.

Front view of paper heart with heartbeat and ladder

Basic Life Support Steps

When faced with a potential life-or-death situation, knowing what to do can mean the difference. Here’s a detailed breakdown of the essential steps to take when responding to an emergency:

Recognise the Emergency

Let’s start by recognising emergencies:

  • Unconsciousness: Check if the person responds to verbal or gentle physical stimuli like a tap on the shoulder. Look for movement or signs of life.
  • Abnormal Breathing: Look for signs of ineffective breathing, such as shallow breaths, gasping, or no chest rise and fall. Pay attention to unusual sounds like gurgling or wheezing.
  • No Pulse: Locate the pulse point on the wrist (radial artery) or neck (carotid artery) and feel for a steady beat. Use two fingers and press firmly for 10-15 seconds.

Call for Help Immediately

When faced with an emergency, take these steps immediately:

  • Dial the emergency response number: This will vary depending on your location (e.g., 911 in the US, 999 in the UK, 112 in many European countries).
  • Stay calm and clear: Provide the dispatcher with your location, the nature of the emergency, and any other relevant information. Follow their instructions carefully.
  • Put the phone on speaker: This allows you to keep your hands free while performing life-saving actions.

Artificial respiration. First aid help concept.

Initiate CPR if Necessary

If CPR is necessary, follow these steps:

  • Only if the person is unconscious and not breathing normally: Begin chest compressions immediately.
  • Proper hand placement: Place the heel of your dominant hand in the centre of the chest between the nipples and your other hand on top.
  • Correct compression depth: Push down firmly and vertically at least 2 inches (5 cm) but not more than 2.5 inches (6 cm).
  • Compression rate: Aim for 100-120 compressions per minute.
  • Rescue breaths (if trained): After every 30 compressions, open the airway, pinch the nose, and seal your mouth completely around the victim’s mouth. Give two slow, gentle breaths, allowing the chest to rise fully between each breath.

Use an AED if Available

If an AED is available, follow these steps:

  • Look for an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) and grab it.
  • Turn it on and follow the clear voice instructions. The AED will guide you through attaching the pads, analysing the heart rhythm, and delivering shocks if necessary.
  • Continue CPR even after using the AED.

Continue Care Until Help Arrives

Continue providing care until help arrives:

  • Don’t stop emergency CPR unless you are exhausted or help arrives.
  • Monitor the victim’s condition and recheck for breathing and pulse periodically.
  • Follow any instructions provided by the emergency dispatcher over the phone.

Basic Life Support FAQs

What is basic life support certification?

BLS certification, short for Basic Life Support, is your official badge of honour in emergency response. It confirms you’ve completed a training program and can confidently perform life-saving techniques like CPR and AED use in emergencies. Think of it as a superpower that equips you to be a hero when seconds count.

What does basic life support prioritise?

In an emergency, every second is crucial. BLS prioritises keeping blood and oxygen flowing to vital organs, especially the brain until professional help arrives. It’s like buying precious time for someone in critical condition.

What are the four elements of basic life support?

The four key elements of BLS are:

  • Early recognition: Spotting the emergency quickly and knowing what to do first.
  • Early CPR: Initiating chest compressions and rescue breaths if the person isn’t breathing normally.
  • Early defibrillation: Using an Automated External Defibrillator (AED), if available, to potentially restart a stopped heart.
  • Early advanced life support: Seamless transition to care by medical professionals upon arrival.

Does basic life support include first aid?

BLS mainly deals with serious emergencies like problems with breathing or heart-stopping. Some courses might briefly cover basic first-aid training for small injuries, but specific first-aid training goes into more detail and covers a broader range of situations.

How do you check for breathing in basic life support?

During BLS assessment, look for chest rise and fall, listen for breath sounds near the mouth and nose, and feel for movement on your cheek placed near the victim’s mouth.

Wrapping Up

By now, you should have a pretty good idea of “What is the purpose of basic life support? Remember Sarah, the teacher who used her BLS training to save a stranger? Or Emily, who saved her husband from choking?

They’re not superheroes; they’re ordinary people empowered by knowledge. Each life saved creates a ripple effect, impacting families, communities, and futures.

BLS training isn’t just a one-time skill; it’s an investment in yourself, your loved ones, and the world around you. You have the power to be the difference between life and death, to turn fear into action, and to become a true hero.

So, don’t wait for a crisis to hit. Embrace your inner hero, unlock your potential, and learn BLS today. It might just be the most empowering step you will ever take.

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