If you are hoping to become CPR certified for a job, volunteer opportunity, or for your own reasons, it's important to know the differences between the different levels of training and which one you need to have.
Before diving into the different levels of CPR training, let's first break down what exactly CPR is and what it is used for.
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a type of first aid that is performed on individuals whose hearts have stopped beating. It is an emergency lifesaving procedure that, when done immediately, can double or even triple the chances of survival after cardiovascular emergencies.
When someone's heart is unable to pump blood to the rest of the body, death can happen very quickly. To prevent this, CPR acts as basic life support that uses chest compressions to mimic heart pumps and help blood flow throughout the body.
It's important to note that first aid and CPR are not the same training. While first aid covers a variety of life-saving skills (which includes training for CPR), CPR training focuses primarily on performing CPR and using an automated external defibrillator. If you require first aid training, it's important to find a course that offers both first aid and CPR training.
First aid and CPR training are important courses that individuals can take to learn CPR skills that can come in extremely handy during medical emergencies. For most first aid or CPR courses, you are given a physical or digital certificate that you must submit to your workplace, volunteer supervisor, or employer.
There are several CPR levels and classes that cater to different needs and that can teach you advanced life support skills. To make sure you have the right course for your situation, here are a few CPR levels.
CPR Level A is probably the most basic level of CPR AED training. This standard first aid course involves skills related to CPR, choking procedures, and using an automated external defibrillator (AED training). This level of CPR training is recommended for those interested in learning basic CPR skills and only focuses on adult treatment methods.
This CPR course can usually be completed in person and in about 4 hours. It is provided through the Canadian Red Cross.
CPR/AED Level B emergency training is meant for individuals who work with babies, like nannies, babysitters, childcare workers, and daycare providers. Because the B course focuses only on babies, successful completion of the course does not substitute for the Level A training but is meant as a supplement.
This training also teaches students about using an automated defibrillator on babies. It takes just a few hours to complete the course and is usually offered through the Red Cross.
The third type of training for circulatory emergencies is CPR level C. This Level C emergency first aid training is considered to be an All Inclusive Approach and covers advanced skills for adults, children, and infants, including two-rescuer CPR skills.
The full course is recommended to those who may require it as training for their work duties like police officers, firefighters, lifeguards, personal trainers, or security guards. The Level C course is also recommended for those needing to comply with school requirements like those in early childhood education or another type of school program.
The CPR level C includes these courses:
The CPR Level BLS training is designed for healthcare providers and those in emergency medical services like personal support workers, paramedics, allied healthcare professionals, nurses, doctors, and others in the medical field.
The BLS course includes advanced training for basic life support and is the foundational course for healthcare professionals who provide care for patients in different medical settings. It is considered to be the cornerstone for healthcare professionals.
This BLS course will enable you to recognize a cardiac arrest, activate early defibrillation, respond quickly and confidently to medical emergencies, and perform high-quality single-rescuer CPR and multi-rescuer team CPR.
One last type of CPR class is the CPR-HCP level. This course covers all the different aspects of CPR, rescue breathing, AEDs, and the use of Bag-valve-mask ventilation (BVMs). This course is specifically designed for Health Care Providers (HCP) who have a duty to respond to life-threatening medical emergencies.
At TEAM-1 Academy, we can provide educational courses for you and your workers when being certified is a job and industry requirement.