How to Get BLS Certification Online: Step-by-Step Guide

If you've ever completed an in-person BLS class before, you may be dreading the next time you have to recertify. Crawling through traffic, finding the right parking garage, and paying for parking all add up to a miserable morning or afternoon simply to knock out your requirement. Thankfully, online BLS certification offers a convenient and flexible alternative.

This article explains how online BLS certification with an accredited training provider is an authentic method for obtaining your certification.

Table of Contents

• BLS Certification Online: How It Works 
• Why Choose an Online BLS Course 
• How to Get BLS Certification Online 
• Online BLS vs In-Person Training 
• Start Online BLS Certification With ACLS Medical Training 

Is Online BLS Certification Accepted

BLS Certification Online: How It Works

Basic Life Support (BLS) certification is a credential that validates your ability to recognize and respond to life-threatening emergencies, including cardiac arrest, respiratory failure, and airway obstruction. BLS training covers core skills such as high-quality CPR for adults, children, and infants, the use of an automated external defibrillator (AED), and relief of foreign body airway obstruction.

Online BLS certification is required for a wide range of healthcare and emergency response roles. Nurses, physicians, paramedics, EMTs, dental hygienists, medical assistants, and respiratory therapists are among the professionals most commonly required to hold a current BLS credential as a condition of employment or licensure. Many hospitals, clinics, and healthcare systems mandate that all clinical staff maintain active certification at all times.

In most cases, BLS certification is valid for two years from the date of completion, after which recertification is required to maintain an active credential. Recertification courses are typically shorter than initial certification courses, covering updated protocols and skills refreshers rather than the full foundational curriculum.

Why Choose an Online BLS Course

There are several reasons why an online BLS certification course is preferable to an in-person course, as there are significant advantages with this route of certification; these include convenience, flexibility and a rapid certification process.

Convenience and Flexibility

First, online BLS courses offer the convenience of being able to complete the entire course from the comfort of your home. There is no need to travel outside of your living space to conduct an online course. Additionally, this online format offers the flexibility of completion of the course at your own pace. There is freedom to start and stop the course whenever needed; this stands in contrast to in-person BLS courses where you must commit an entire morning or afternoon to the class uninterrupted.

Certification Process

Next, on average, online BLS courses can usually be completed faster than in-person courses. In an online format, the course can take as little as 1-2 hours, whereas an in-person format will take up to 4-5 hours. The shorter course duration, in addition to the above benefits, makes the online format a desirable alternative to an in-person BLS class.

How to Get BLS Certification Online

So, how do you obtain BLS certification through an online course? This will be outlined below.

Enroll in an Online BLS Course

Virtually all online BLS courses require enrollment on the website hosting the content. Registering for the course will require you to submit your information for inclusion on the certificate at the end of the course. Additionally, payment for the course is typically made online at the time of registration.

Complete Training Modules

Next, you must navigate through the learning modules of the course. Of note, many online BLS recertification courses provide abbreviated versions of the course content which contain only the essential elements of BLS as well as any recent updates to BLS protocols and guidelines.

Pass the Exam

Finally, you must complete the course exam in order to receive your BLS training certification. With online courses, the certificate is typically available immediately after testing in a digital format as well as a printable version. This is very helpful if you are required to submit the certificate to an employer.

Is Online BLS Certification Accepted?

The question you may be pondering now is, “Will my employer allow me to obtain my BLS certification online?” The answer is that it depends on your employer’s requirements. Often, for roles requiring direct contact with patients, there may be a requirement for an in-person skills session in addition to the online format, as is seen with American Heart Association (AHA) and other courses. This method is not 100% online but still allows for a blend of online and in-person training to accommodate the requirement by employers. Be sure to check with your employer regarding their requirements and whether they allow a 100% online BLS training module format.

Online BLS vs In-Person Training

To summarize, online BLS training offers many benefits over in-person training. These include the convenience and flexibility of a home-based, self-paced environment that adapts to your schedule. You can complete the course however slowly or quickly your timeline allows for while learning these essential life-saving skills. However, you should also check with your workplace to ensure that a 100% online or “blended” model is acceptable for employment.

In-person training has the primary advantage of universally satisfying all employer BLS training requirements. If there is any doubt regarding which method of BLS training is acceptable, an in-person format will definitely meet the employer’s expectations for certification. Otherwise, 100% in-person training lacks the flexibility of an online format and involves a much longer course duration in one single session, as opposed to an online format.

Start Online BLS Certification With ACLS Medical Training

BLS certification doesn’t have to be a headache for you in the midst of your busy schedule. Online BLS certification offers convenience, flexibility, and swift completion for whatever your lifestyle requires. Don’t hesitate! ACLS Medical Training offers 100% online courses for both BLS Certification and ACLS Certification . Take the next step in developing these critical skills by registering for a BLS training course or ACLS training course today!