Basic Life Support (BLS) Course | Red Cross

Basic Life Support (BLS)

Specialized training for working as part of a team

The Canadian Red Cross Basic Life Support (BLS) course gives you the knowledge, skills and confidence to respond quickly to a cardiac arrest or other life-threatening emergency.

The program focuses on a structured response within a team of professionals. You will learn how to:  

• perform a rapid primary assessment and recognize cardiac arrest;
• perform high-quality cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR);
• use an automated external defibrillator (AED) promptly;
• open and maintain an airway and provide assisted ventilation;
• coordinate care, communicate effectively and assign roles within a resuscitation team;
• adapt your techniques to special considerations in BLS;
• remove gloves safely to reduce the risk of contamination.

The course places particular emphasis on high-performance CPR, teamwork and the efficient coordination of care.

Who is this course for?

BLS training is primarily intended for people working in health care, emergency services or other professional response roles, including:  

• nurses and licensed practical nurses;
• physicians and other health care professionals;
• dental health professionals;
• care attendants, nursing assistants and hospital staff;
• students in health care programs;
• paramedics and prehospital care providers;
• firefighters and rescue team members;
• athletic therapists and other physical activity professionals;
• lifeguards and ski patrollers;
• anyone whose job or program of study requires advanced resuscitation training.

Important: Requirements may vary by employer, educational institution or professional regulatory body. Participants are responsible for confirming that the Canadian Red Cross BLS certificate meets their specific requirements.

Entirely in-class training (4 hours)

This course takes place in person. You will practise resuscitation and defibrillation techniques, as well as coordinating care as part of a team.

Prerequisites

None.

Completion requirements

To receive your certification, you must:  

• attend and participate in the entire course;
• demonstrate proficiency in the skills taught;
• achieve a minimum score of 75% on the individual, closed-book written exam.

A certificate is issued once all completion requirements have been met.

Certification

Upon successfully completing the course, you will receive an official digital Basic Life Support (BLS) certificate from the Canadian Red Cross. This certificate is valid for one year.

Renewal

You can renew this certification by completing a 2-hour course.