BLS training, or Basic Life Support, is something now practiced all around the world – and with good reason. Despite the advances in medical technology, patients undergoing some form of trauma need to be brought to the equipment before they can actually receive the benefits of it – and in many cases, only BLS training on someone else’s part keeps them alive long enough to get there.
The Beginning of BLS
The earliest known reference to BLS techniques was detailed in religious texts – namely the oldest parts of the Christian Bible, which in turn were copied from even earlier texts of the people known as the Israelites. A story of a deity breathing life into a still human form bears a remarkable resemblance to modern CPR techniques, and may have at least partially inspired the development of what we use today.
However, most cultures did not practice any form of CPR, and it wasn’t until 1744 that we have another note on the subject – a man named Tossach reported successfully using a form of mouth-to-mouth ventilation to aid another patient. Once again, though, BLS training would drop out of sight and out of mind.
Modern Developments
The 1950s heralded a change in the advancement of BLS and, especially, the CPR aspect of it. Modern medical thought was increasingly turning to ways of helping victims survive long enough to take advantage of emerging technologies, and once the technique was rediscovered, it became almost instantly accepted by the medical community at large.
However, there were a few bumps along the way. Several of the techniques for BLS were tried for a time, then discarded when it was realized that they might do more harm than good – and a number of people did fall victim to this before things could be corrected. Few people outside of medical settings have ever stayed up-to-date on BLS techniques, so it’s all too easy for incorrect information to remain in the public mind long after it’s been eliminated in formal settings.
1960 was the year that BLS truly took off, with research papers being published that encouraged moving away from previous manual techniques and towards direct mouth-to-mouth actions.
Teaching and Training
Nowadays, many institutions prefer to have BLS classes performed on a very regular basis – studies have shown that even the most well-trained professionals will quickly lose their skills if they don’t practice BLS techniques on a regular basis, and outside of emergency responders, very few people ever use their BLS training within 2-3 months of learning the skills.
As a result, some locations are quickly moving towards quarterly training – lessons every three months are usually adequate to keep people’s skills sharp and allow them to respond appropriately, and this is expected to have a noticeable affect on patients as the future continues to arrive.
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