Which CPR Course Do Healthcare Workers Need? BLS, ILS and ALS

‍

Healthcare workers face a different reality than the general public when someone goes into cardiac arrest—you're expected to respond, you'll have equipment available, and you'll typically work alongside other trained professionals. That's why standard CPR courses designed for lay rescuers don't meet the expectations for doctors, nurses, paramedics, and other healthcare staff.

This guide explains which resuscitation training healthcare workers in the UK actually need, from Basic Life Support (BLS) as the foundation, through Immediate Life Support (ILS), to Advanced Life Support (ALS) and paediatric courses for specialised roles. You'll learn what each course covers, who typically needs which, and how healthcare CPR training differs from public courses.

‍

What CPR Training Do Healthcare Professionals Need

‍

Basic Life Support (BLS) is the standard CPR training for healthcare workers in the UK. The course goes beyond standard public CPR by teaching two-rescuer techniques, bag-valve-mask ventilation, and team coordination—skills that reflect how resuscitation actually happens in hospitals, clinics, and care facilities.

The difference matters because healthcare workers respond to emergencies as part of their job, not as bystanders. You'll have access to equipment like bag-valve-masks and AEDs, and you'll typically work alongside other trained professionals during a cardiac arrest. BLS training prepares you for that reality.

Depending on where you work, you might also need further training. Staff who may lead a resuscitation before the arrest team arrives often hold Immediate Life Support (ILS); emergency department and critical care staff often hold Advanced Life Support (ALS); and those treating children typically add a paediatric course such as Paediatric Immediate Life Support (PILS) or European Paediatric Advanced Life Support (EPALS).

‍

Basic Life Support (BLS) for Healthcare Providers

‍

BLS serves as the foundation for anyone providing patient care in the UK. The course assumes you'll respond to cardiac and respiratory emergencies as part of your professional responsibilities, which changes both what you learn and how you learn it.

Unlike public CPR courses that focus on single-rescuer scenarios, BLS emphasises working as part of a team. You'll practise communicating during resuscitation efforts, coordinating role switches, and maintaining high-quality compressions even when multiple people are involved.

‍

What BLS Certification Covers

BLS courses teach the practical skills you'll use during actual emergencies in healthcare settings:

• High-quality chest compressions: Proper depth (5-6 cm for adults), rate (100-120 per minute), and hand placement, with minimal interruptions
• Rescue breathing: Mouth-to-mouth, bag-valve-mask ventilation, and pocket mask techniques for effective oxygenation
• AED operation: When to shock, when not to shock, and how to integrate defibrillation into ongoing CPR
• Team coordination: How to assign roles, switch positions during extended efforts, and communicate clearly under pressure
• Choking relief: Back blows and abdominal thrusts for adults and children (chest thrusts for infants), and starting CPR if the person becomes unresponsive

These figures follow the current Resuscitation Council UK guidelines. The training focuses heavily on compression quality because research shows that depth, rate, and chest recoil directly affect survival rates. You'll practise on manikins until the technique becomes automatic, so you can perform it confidently when someone's life depends on it.

‍

Who Requires BLS Training

Most healthcare roles require BLS training as a condition of employment. It demonstrates you can respond appropriately to cardiac emergencies while providing patient care.

Healthcare professionals who typically hold BLS training include:

• Doctors, nurses, and midwives
• Paramedics and ambulance technicians
• Dental professionals and hygienists
• Physiotherapists and occupational therapists
• Care home staff and healthcare assistants
• Radiographers and diagnostic imaging professionals

Even if you work outside emergency settings, your employer will likely require BLS because cardiac arrests can happen anywhere patients receive care—from outpatient clinics to dental surgeries.

‍

BLS Validity and Renewal

Certificate validity varies by provider—Kasorb's BLS certificate is valid for three years—but most NHS trusts and care employers ask clinical staff to update their resuscitation training annually, in line with Resuscitation Council UK quality standards.

Most employers won't accept expired training, even by a few days. Booking your update three to four weeks before it's due gives you buffer time if scheduling conflicts arise.

‍

Advanced Life Support (ALS)

‍

ALS builds on BLS and ILS by adding advanced interventions for cardiac emergencies. The Resuscitation Council UK ALS course targets healthcare professionals who lead or participate in resuscitation teams, particularly in settings where patients experience acute cardiac events. (If you've seen "ACLS" mentioned, that's the American equivalent.)

While BLS focuses on the physical skills of CPR and basic airway management, ALS introduces ECG interpretation, medication administration, and clinical decision-making during cardiac arrest. You'll learn systematic approaches to different arrest rhythms, from ventricular fibrillation to pulseless electrical activity.

‍

When Healthcare Workers Need ALS

ALS isn't universal—it's specifically designed for those working in acute care settings where they'll manage critically ill patients.

Roles that typically hold ALS include:

• Emergency department doctors and nurses
• Intensive care unit staff
• Cardiac care unit personnel
• Anaesthetists and surgical teams
• Advanced paramedics

If you work in a general ward, community setting or dental practice, BLS or ILS is usually sufficient. ILS is the usual choice for staff who may need to manage a cardiac arrest for the first few minutes before a specialist team arrives. Our guide to ILS vs BLS vs EFAW compares them in more detail. Dental teams can book dental ILS training, run at the dental chair with your practice's own emergency kit.

‍

ALS Course Components

ALS courses cover interventions that extend well beyond basic CPR:

• ECG interpretation: Reading cardiac rhythms to identify the type of arrest and determine treatment
• Medication protocols: Understanding drugs used during cardiac arrest, such as adrenaline and amiodarone, and peri-arrest drugs such as atropine
• Advanced airway management: Supraglottic airway insertion and support for tracheal intubation for patients who can't maintain their own airway
• Post-arrest care: Stabilising patients after successful resuscitation, including temperature control

The training uses simulation-based scenarios that mirror real cardiac emergencies. This approach helps you develop the clinical judgement to make rapid decisions when every second counts.

‍

Paediatric Life Support Training

‍

Children aren't just smaller versions of adults—their physiology and common emergencies differ significantly. Healthcare workers treating paediatric patients require specialised training that addresses those differences.

Paediatric courses emphasise preventing cardiac arrest in children, since most paediatric arrests result from respiratory failure rather than primary cardiac problems. Early recognition and intervention can often stop deterioration before it reaches cardiac arrest.

‍

EPALS for Healthcare Professionals

European Paediatric Advanced Life Support (EPALS) is the Resuscitation Council UK course for healthcare providers managing critically ill or injured children. The training covers systematic assessment, recognition of respiratory distress and shock, and management of paediatric cardiac arrest. (The American equivalent is PALS.)

EPALS is typically held by emergency department staff, paediatric intensive care nurses, anaesthetists working with children, and paramedics. The course combines knowledge-based learning with hands-on practice through realistic paediatric scenarios.

‍

PILS for Wider Clinical Teams

Paediatric Immediate Life Support (PILS) is a one-day course for healthcare staff who don't regularly treat critically ill children but might encounter paediatric emergencies. The focus is on early recognition and initial stabilisation rather than advanced management.

PILS works well for general ward nurses, community healthcare workers, and others who would quickly hand a sick child over to paediatric specialists. It bridges the gap between BLS and EPALS.

‍

Healthcare Provider CPR vs Standard CPR

‍

The distinction between healthcare provider CPR and public CPR courses matters when it comes to professional expectations and practical capability. Healthcare courses assume you'll respond to emergencies as part of your job, with access to equipment and support from other trained professionals.

‍

‍

Standard CPR courses teach compression-only CPR as an option for lay rescuers uncomfortable with rescue breaths, but healthcare providers are expected to deliver both compressions and ventilations. The training also assumes you'll have barrier devices, bag-valve-masks, and other equipment not typically available to the public.

Perhaps most importantly, healthcare courses include scenarios where you'll coordinate with other rescuers, communicate during the resuscitation, and switch positions to maintain quality during extended efforts. These team dynamics are critical in healthcare settings but aren't covered in public courses. For how BLS differs from workplace first aid, see Is BLS the same as first aid?

‍

CPR Training Requirements for Healthcare Roles

‍

Different healthcare roles carry different training requirements, though BLS serves as the baseline for nearly everyone providing patient care. Understanding what's required for your specific position helps you meet employer policies and professional expectations.

‍

Hospital Staff Requirements

Most hospital positions require BLS training regardless of department or specialty. This universal requirement reflects that cardiac emergencies can occur anywhere in a hospital—from outpatient clinics to operating theatres.

Emergency departments, intensive care units, and cardiac care units typically expect ILS or ALS for medical and nursing staff. Paediatric units add PILS or EPALS.

‍

Care Home and Community Healthcare

Care home staff, community nurses, and domiciliary care workers typically hold BLS training to respond to cardiac emergencies while waiting for ambulance services. The training prepares them to provide effective CPR and use an AED during those critical first minutes.

Community settings present unique challenges because you often work alone without immediate backup. BLS training prepares you to manage emergencies independently until paramedics arrive.

‍

Allied Health Professionals

Physiotherapists, occupational therapists, radiographers, and similar roles usually require BLS even though they don't work in emergency settings. The requirement reflects that these professionals have a duty of care and might witness a cardiac arrest during routine patient contact.

Speech and language therapists, dietitians, and other allied health professionals working clinically typically face the same BLS requirements, usually set through their employer's mandatory training policy.

‍

Group CPR Training for Healthcare Teams

‍

Training entire teams together offers advantages over sending individuals to separate courses. When you practise resuscitation scenarios with the colleagues you'll actually work alongside during emergencies, you develop the communication patterns and role clarity that improve real-world performance.

Group training also allows practice with your workplace's actual equipment in your real clinical environment. This familiarity matters during emergencies when you're locating equipment quickly and working efficiently in your specific space.

On-site training benefits include:

• Workplace delivery: Training at your facility eliminates travel time and allows practice with your own equipment
• Team coordination: Practice with colleagues you'll work with during actual emergencies
• Cost efficiency: Group bookings typically offer better value per person than individual courses
• Flexible scheduling: Sessions arranged around shift patterns minimise disruption to patient care

Kasorb delivers on-site BLS training at a flat rate for up to twelve staff and ILS for up to six, led by trainers who have used these skills for real. Qualsafe accreditation is available on BLS as an optional extra for £100+VAT per session, and certificates are emailed the next day. See on-site Basic Life Support training for your team.

‍

Healthcare CPR Refresher Process

‍

Most healthcare employers expect resuscitation training to be kept current—often with an annual update—because they need to show that all staff keep their skills up to date. Most won't accept lapsed training, even by a few days.

Refresher courses are often shorter than initial training. The focus shifts to refreshing your skills, correcting technique drift, and updating you on guideline changes.

You'll still need to show you can perform all the core skills—chest compressions, rescue breaths, AED use, and team coordination—but the course assumes you're already familiar with the material. This makes refreshers more efficient while ensuring you maintain the quality technique that saves lives.

‍

Frequently Asked Questions About Healthcare CPR Courses

‍

What is the difference between BLS and CPR for healthcare providers?

BLS (Basic Life Support) is the CPR training designed for healthcare providers, while "CPR" often refers to courses for the general public. BLS includes bag-valve-mask ventilation and two-rescuer coordination that standard courses don't cover, reflecting the professional responsibilities and resources available in healthcare settings.

‍

Can healthcare workers complete CPR training entirely online?

Healthcare CPR training requires hands-on skills assessment, so fully online courses aren't accepted by most employers. Some providers offer blended learning with online theory and in-person practical assessment, which can reduce face-to-face training time.

‍

How long does healthcare provider CPR training take to complete?

BLS courses typically take half a day, ILS a full day, and the Resuscitation Council UK ALS course two days.

‍

What happens if my healthcare CPR certification expires?

Depending on the provider, you may need to complete the full course again rather than a shorter refresher. Many healthcare employers require current training as a condition of employment, so renewing before it lapses avoids gaps in your ability to work clinically.

‍

Is ALS required for all nurses in the UK?

ALS isn't required for all nurses—BLS is the standard requirement across most healthcare roles, with ILS common for staff who may lead the first minutes of a resuscitation. ALS is typically held by nurses in emergency departments, intensive care units, and cardiac care where they manage critically ill patients experiencing cardiovascular emergencies.

‍