Becoming a trained CPR rescuer is not an easy feat. Trainees have to find a quality training provider that offers affordable rates. Los Angeles CPR has the largest selection of programs in the city – all available at various schedules and rates. Other providers in Los Angeles cannot compare with the quality of training at Los Angeles CPR. There are a number of ways to enrol for a program, either through the internet or in person. Students can send in their applications over an e-mail or use the form on the Los Angeles CPR website. Applications over the phone and in person during operating hours are likewise encouraged.
Starting your training
There are two kinds of umbrella programs at Los Angeles CPR: BLS and ALS. One BLS program is for the general public and two are for healthcare providers. All ALS programs can only be taken by HCPs. Students can only take ALS programs if they have an existing valid BLS training certificate.
Basic Life Support
- Basic CPR and AED training – This general public program runs for four hours, over one day. The program curriculum teaches students how to adequately perform a number of CPR skills, primarily chest compressions, rescue breaths, and defibrillation. After the program, students will be able to perform one-person CPR rescue on a victim of cardiac arrest. Basic first aid is also included in this program. A longer version of this program is available for healthcare providers, lasting four and half hours long.
- Basic Life Support training – This is a healthcare provider course that teaches one and two-person CPR rescue to trainees. It also introduces them to the concept of BLS, created by the American Heart Association to serve as guidelines when giving CPR. A re-certification program is available, and lasts four hours.
Advanced Life Support
- Advanced Cardiac Life Support – This program is for healthcare professionals and runs for 16 hours over two days. Unlike BLS which teaches basic CPR, ACLS teaches trainees how to perform CPR with complete equipment and medication in a clinical setting. This is usually referred to as “answering a code” in medical lingo. One-person and two-person CPR rescue for adult victims is taught in ACLS training. The re-certification class is five to six hours long.
- Pediatric Advanced Life Support – The basics in PALS training is the same as ACLS but focuses on management of pediatric victims, particularly infants and children. How to give CPR to infants and children is very different from giving CPR to adults. Both one-person and two-person CPR is also included in the PALS curriculum. The entire course is completed over two days, 14 hours total. A re-certification class is available as well, six to eight hours long.
Getting your training certificate
After all the lessons have been completed, a set of post-tests – usually a skill and written exam – is given to certify the trainee as a trained rescuer. Trainees receive completion cards that serve as training credentials that are valid all over the US. The validity of credentials from Los Angeles CPR is 24 months; certificates can be renewed for another 24 months through re-certification.