VHA SimLEARN
New Basic Life Support program added to REdI’s resuscitation training portfolio
By Lisa Baker, MEd, BSN
VHA National Program Director
Resuscitation Education Initiative (REdI)
VHA SimLEARN National Simulation Center
ORLANDO, Fla. – As of Oct. 1, a new program developed by the American Heart Association (AHA) is available as part of the Resuscitation Education Initiative (REdI) program resuscitation training portfolio. The Advisor: Basic Life Support (BLS) Program is designed for candidates who pass the cognitive portion of the HeartCode BLS Provider course but cannot independently perform the physical skills of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). The training specifically meets the needs of individuals with physical disabilities by focusing on their abilities to communicate and advise another person on how to perform the skills of CPR and use an AED while waiting for emergency responders to arrive.
The Advisor: BLS program will be assigned as part of the BLS permanent waiver training. Candidates will complete the HeartCode BLS online training through the Talent Management System (TMS) and present a course completion certificate for a one-hour face-to-face or virtual session with a BLS instructor. During the one-hour session, the candidate will review and certify on directing the actions of a rescuer for adult, child and infant BLS skills. Upon successful completion, candidates will receive an electronic course completion card for Advisor: BLS program.
For additional questions or concerns, contact your local facility Resuscitation Program Director.
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