Basic Life Support

Who this course is for

• Emergency response team members who lead the BLS response
• HSE staff who coordinate the medical emergency on site
• First aiders who want the BLS step up from the basic first aid
• Anyone who has led a medical emergency and wants the formal BLS credential

The syllabus — what you’ll actually cover

Module	What it covers
The BLS survey	The scene safety; the primary survey; the DRABC; the call for help; the handover This module is the baseline the rest of the drill assumes — build it properly.
The CPR at BLS level	The compression technique; the advanced airway interface; the team roles; the fatigue management The applied module: the technique is simple until the drill puts it under time and pressure.
The AED and the defibrillation	The AED sequence; the defibrillation; the team coordination; the post-arrest care The practical core — the module that separates workers who do the work from workers who describe it.
The team response	The team roles; the communication; the handover to the advanced team; the debrief Keep this module automatic until the assessment day; it is the area with the most direct marks.

The exam & assessment

Practical assessment: you lead a BLS team response on a manikin, including the CPR, the AED and the handover. Completion certificate issued on passing the practical team assessment.

Duration & delivery

One day (the standard BLS duration) through the official programme, including the practical team BLS assessment.

How to prepare — the tips that actually work

1. Lead the team response, not just the CPR — the BLS standard is the team, not the individual
2. Practise the team communication and the handover; the assessment is a team scenario
3. Know the post-arrest care sequence; it is the part most first aiders miss
4. Do a full team BLS drill before the course; the practical mirrors it

Where this takes your career

Basic Life Support is the team emergency response credential, and it is the step up from the basic first aid. This one-day course is the formal BLS credential for the person who leads the medical emergency response on site.

What you’ll be able to do

• Do the practical work safely, with the technique trained and drilled
• Pass the practical assessment with the standard the course requires
• Hold the credential your site, permit or tender lists for this task
• Work the interface — the permit, the team, the handover — the way the real work runs
• Respond correctly under pressure, when the drill becomes the emergency

What the course actually looks like

The course runs through the official programme in the standard duration for this practical, with the drill and the assessment on the real equipment. You get the sequence trained until it is automatic, the assessment standard demonstrated, and the certificate on passing. Schedules and fees are published on the official website — one message gets you the written quote.

How employers see this qualification

On the site, the practical credential is the line that gets you on the task. The permit lists it, the tender lists it, and the supervisor checks it before the work starts. A trained and credentialed worker is the worker the site plan is built around — and the one the investigation credits when something goes right.

Common mistakes candidates make

1. Treating the practical as a formality — the assessment is timed and on the real equipment
2. Skipping the pre-use inspection sequence; it is the first thing assessed and the first thing that saves you
3. Practising alone instead of with the team communication the work actually needs
4. Letting the credential lapse without the refresher the employer or permit expects

How this fits with the other qualifications

On the practical skills range, Basic Life Support sits alongside the others like this:

• First Aid CPR AED (Practical Skills) — First Aid, CPR & AED — 1-Day Practical, The Emergency Response
• Emergency Response Training (Practical Skills) — Emergency Response Training — 1-Day Drill, Muster & Handover
• Fire Marshal Warden (Practical Skills) — HSE Fire Warden & Fire Marshal Training — 1-Day Practical Course

The official programme will map the right sequence for your goals — one conversation on WhatsApp saves months of guessing.

Before you enrol — confirm these five things

• The exact syllabus version the awarding body is running right now — and that it matches the batch you are booking
• The assessment format in writing: open-book or closed-book, the duration, the pass mark, and how many sittings per year
• The total fee in your currency, what it includes (materials, exam entry, certificate) and the refund position
• The delivery language and whether the classes are in person, virtual or self-paced with a live exam
• Your exam slot and the validity window, so the qualification lands when your role or tender actually needs it