A great number of our students call or email inquiring whether the BLS class is the class that they need. So here is a short breakdown of what BLS means and who this class is intended for.
With the extensive number of professions, work environments, and various state licensing requirements, it can be a strenuous task determining what class you need to take. BLS stands for "Basic Life Support" and is the the basic CPR course for the majority of healthcare providers. This might include emergency room staff to in-home adult caregivers. Although these environment might be quite differed, the CPR process that we cover in the BLS class are applicable to all healthcare environments. In the BLS class we review the CPR skills of compressions, breathing, and the use of the AED. We cover both single rescuer as well as multi-rescuer scenarios. Changes to these procedures that are not covered in the lay rescuer CPR training include the administration of pulse checks, the use of bag valve masks, (BVM's), CPR with the use of an advanced airway, and addressing the various issues that occur in team dynamics such as closed looped communication, leadership, and roles and responsibilities.
The BLS class allows the student to develop their skills in an environment that promotes an effective review, reinforcement, and when required modification. So whether your renewing your BLS CPR certification or taking the BLS CPR for the very first time, our BLS Provider class will help you develop the confidence to administer CPR and use the AED effectively.

 

When is narcan and nalaxone going to be part of every first aid kit? US Surgeon General Jerome recently acknowledged that Narcan should be part of every first aid kit. But what exactly is Narcan? Narcan is the brand name of nalaxone, an opiate antidote. the active ingredient competes with opiods to bind with the same receptors in the brain that feast on the drugs. It usually reverses the effects of an opiod overdose in 2 to 3 minutes, buying the effected person time for emergency help to arrive.
So what happens if the overdose victim doesn't receive assistance and narcan? Without narcan someone overdosing can have his or her breathing slow down or stop completely causing brand damage or death. With heroin and such, the effects of overdosing are not exactly immediate but typically develop over a 1 to 3 hour period.
Being prepared for a heroin or opiate overdose that could happen to a friend or family member or even just someone walking down the street might seem as unnecessary. However, this can happen to anyone at any time. It is always important to be prepared to address and handle this opiate crisis.
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http://www.niagara-gazette.com/opinion/confer-narcan-a-necessary-part-of-your-first-aid-kit/article_9a10c01b-8fb0-5a33-9d1d-e48521f84651.html

It is vital that organizations evaluate their disaster preparedness programs not just per OSHA requirements but also for the safety of their employees and organization. OSHA facilitates the responsibilities for medical services and first aid for ill employees according to the 29 CFR 1910.15. The standard is as follows: Employers must ensure that medical personnel are readily available for advice and consultation, a person or persons on site are trained i first aid, and first aid supplies are readily available.  In addition, facilities for emergency drenching or flushing of eyes and body must be present within work areas where a worker's eyes or body may be exposed to harmful corrosive materials.
According to OSHA's 1904.7 (b( (5) (ii) first aid can be defined as a variety of actions including the use of wound coverings such as bandages, removing foreign bodies from the eye using irrigation or a cotton swab, and even administering tetanus immunizations. Minimum requirements for the first aid kit according to OSHA include the following: Adhesive bandage, Adhesive tape, Antibiotic application, Antiseptic, Breathing barrier, Burn dressing (gel soaked), Burn treatment, Cold pack, Eye covering (with means of attachment), Eye/skin wash, First aid guide, Hand sanitizer, Medical exam gloves, Roller bandage (2 inch), Roller bandage (4 inch), Scissors, Splint, Sterile pad, Tourniquet, Trauma pad, and Triangular bandage.
Remember however, that organizations must also assess the needs of their workplace according to the needs of their employees, state safety and health requirements, and organization protocol.