Which certification is required for airway maintenance and CPR?

The Basic Life Support (BLS) certification is specifically designed to equip individuals with the skills necessary to maintain an airway and provide cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in emergency situations. This certification focuses on the essential techniques of recognizing life-threatening emergencies, performing high-quality CPR, and using an automated external defibrillator (AED), which are crucial for effective airway management.

BLS training emphasizes the foundational lifesaving interventions that can be executed by healthcare providers and laypersons alike, making it a universally recognized standard for responding to cardiac arrest or other emergencies requiring immediate support.

In contrast, while the other certifications, such as Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), build upon these basic skills and target specific patient populations and scenarios, BLS is the fundamental certification required before advancing to these more specialized trainings.