BLS Training for Healthcare & Lay First Responders

Survival from sudden cardiac arrest relies on a complete chain: calling emergency services, chest compressions, AED defibrillation and advanced life support. A gap in any link drastically reduces survival chances. Many organisations deploy AED hardware without regular training, leaving bystanders hesitant to act in emergencies.

VeMed recommends differentiated training pathways:

Healthcare providers: Standard BLS curriculum covering rhythm recognition, defibrillation timing, ventilation coordination and post-resuscitation handover, with refresher training tied to department quality control.

Lay first responders (security, teachers, facility staff): Simplified theory, focusing on identifying cardiac arrest, calling emergency services, safe AED power-on and following voice prompts. Rhythm interpretation is not required, reducing the fear of making mistakes.

Training best practices: Use AED training mannequins, run quarterly drills and annual refreshers, maintain a roster of assigned responders and review bottlenecks after each drill. Equipment is only a tool. People form the core of the emergency chain.