The aims of the BLS courses are to enable each candidate to gain competency in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and the use of an automated external
defibrillator (AED). BLS courses are appropriate for a wide range of providers. These may include clinical and non-clinical healthcare professionals (particularly those who are less likely to be faced with having to manage a cardiac arrest), general practitioners, dentists, medical students, first aid workers, lifeguards, those with a duty of care for others (such as school teachers and care workers), and community responders, as well as the general public.
The ILS course aims to train healthcare providers in advanced resuscitation enabling them to manage patients in cardiac arrest until the arrival of a resuscitation team and to participate as members of that team. That includes: the ABCDE approach to the deteriorating patient, CPR, simple airway management and safe defibrillation (manual and/or AED).
The ALS course comprises all ILS objectives with an additional focus on team related non-technical skills. Following the ALS course candidates know about the relevant factors and skills necessary leading the resuscitation team and will be able to lead the resuscitation team.
That includes to highlight the causes of cardiac arrest, identify patients in danger of deterioration and manage cardiac arrest and the immediate peri-arrest problems encountered in and around the first hour or so of the event. The target candidates for this course are doctors, nurses and paramedics working in emergency areas in or out of the hospital or Emergency Medical Systems (EMS), and those who attend cardiac arrests on a regular basis or may be expected to lead a cardiac arrest team. It can also be suitable for individuals who are regularly members of resuscitation teams or regularly working in the EMS.
The aim of the PBLS course is to prevent and manage cardiorespiratory arrest in children and to enable each candidate to gain competency in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and the use of an automated external defibrillator (AED). PBLS courses are appropriate for a wide range of providers as described in the BLS course and for health care professionals.
EPILS is aimed at training healthcare providers to recognise and manage critically ill children and children in cardiorespiratory arrest whilst awaiting the arrival of a resuscitation team in the first minutes. EPILS will also train the candidate to participate as members of that team.
The EPALS course is designed for healthcare professionals who are involved in the resuscitation of a child, infant or newborn whether in or out of hospital. The course aims to provide caregivers with the knowledge and skills for the management of the critically ill child during the first hour of illness, and to prevent progression of diseases to cardiac arrest.
The NLS course aims to provide the detailed knowledge and practical instruction in resuscitation of babies at birth. It is designed for all health workers, regardless of their discipline or status, who may be called upon to resuscitate a newborn baby.
This course is for candidates who have attended BLS or EPBLS provider courses and subsequently want to become instructors themselves. For this reason, the ERC has developed a Basic Instructor Course. Candidates for this course must hold the ERC BLS or EPBLS certificate.
This course is for candidates who have attended ALS, EPALS, ILS, EPILS, NLS or ETC1 (European Trauma Course - is organised by the European Trauma Course Organisation (ETCO) ivzw (international non-profit organisation), of which the ERC is one of the four member organisations.) provider courses and been recommended as having Instructor Potential (IP) by the respective course faculty. The course concentrates on teaching non-technical skills, leading a simulated cardiac arrest scenario, teaching team-work, assessing knowledge, skills and attitudes, and providing effective feedback.
The Educator Master Class trains selected Instructor Trainers or Medical Educators in the field of Resuscitation (e.g. resuscitation officers or members in a CPR training centre) to become an ERC Educator Candidates (EdC).
- Refresher Seminar (RS)
A Refresher Seminar is a short modular skills training, organised for the general public with prior experience in resuscitation, being an ERC provider or not topic.
- Recertification modules
Recertification modules aim to keep CPR providers competent over time and are one of the ways a provider can re-certify their provider competences skills, and keep their respective certificate up to date, as outlined in 10.3.
- Transition Course
A Transition Course is part of the conversion process of instructors who were trained by other organisations. It focuses on the educational aspects of the ERC courses and is instructed by ERC senior Instructor Trainers (ITs) chosen by the Science and Education Committee (SEC) of the relevant course type and Development Committee Education (DC-Edu) chair.
NB: the European Trauma Course (ETC) - albeit supported by the ERC, registered in the ERC CoSy, the ERC being one of the founding fathers of the European Trauma Course Organisation (ETCO) and a member of the ETCO Board and General Assembly - is not an ERC course. The ETC is organised by the ETCO ivzw and may be subject to different rules than the ERC courses. For more information about the ETCO, check www.europeantraumacourse.org