You never know when Basic Life Support certification will come in handy. This is exactly why it is a good idea to be certified in case something happens. In this sense, it is definitely better to be safe than sorry. Or more specifically, it is better to be prepared than unprepared. Usually, you can simply take a training class to acquire your BLS certification.
This training course will have to be provided by a recognized institution but you should not have any problem finding one. These certificates do however expire, and so you will need to get recertified after a particular period of time has passed. If you are interested in getting BLS recertification in southern California, this article will certainly help you.
Find a Recognized Institution to take the Renewal Course From
The first step is to find a place that can legitimately administer the renewal course. What institution you choose to go to will obviously be different depending on what area you live in. A quick google search should be able to tell you what institutions are nearby and therefore where you can go to get your certificate renewed.
The institution that you originally got your certification from does not necessarily need to be the same institution that you get your certificate renewed at. This is because of the standardization of the course. The material and techniques that you need to know should be consistent within your own state.
Enroll in a Class That Fits with Your Schedule
Once you have found the institution that you want to take the class from, you will need to pick a date that they offer the course and enroll in it. Make sure it is a day where you have at least four hours to dedicate to the course. You may need more depending on how long of a commute you have to take to get to the accredited institution.
Although the initial course to get your BLS certification is approximately 4 and a half hours long, the renewal course takes a little less time since it should primarily serve as a refresher to what you have already learned. That being said, it is probably best to dedicate an entire day to taking the course anyways. This way you can truly focus on the task at hand and soak in the knowledge afterwards.
Study for the Class
To get recertified you will need to do some studying before attending the actual course. Most programs have online systems that allow you to refresh your memory and clarify concepts before coming to the class. This will get you primed and ready to go for the course. The online system will also provide you with a digital copy of your certification that you can download, print and share with ease. This allows any employer to easily validate your claims of possessing a BLS certificate.
Attend the Course that you are Enrolled in
Now all you have to do is attend the course! After getting yourself set up to take the course on a day that is convenient for you, and studying to refresh your memory, you are prepared to take your course and get your certificate renewed. At this point, taking the course should be the easiest part since you will be prepared and you have done it all before. Of course, there may be updated methods or information that were not present in your initial certification that you will have to learn. However, since these nuances build on top of old information that you already know, you should have no problem adapting to the new ways.
To put it bluntly, BLS certification is worth having and it is also worth renewing. It is not a difficult process to get your certificate renewed and so should not deter anyone. This quick outline of the recertification process shows that it is a simple process that can be organized and finished quite easily.