Clarification on Basic Life Support Certification for Sedation Team

Further to our September 27 communication to registrants, clinical staff who are part of the sedation and/or general anaesthetic team are required to have current Basic Life Support (BLS) level certification.  

BCCOHP’s expectation is that clinical staff on the sedation team hold current BLS certification as defined by the course provider. It is up to the registrant to determine whether the course meets BCCOHP’s requirements (see below) and that your certification is valid.  

We recognize that there is a broad range of BLS course content and the course offerings are not consistent among providers. To provide clarity, BCCOHP will accept any BLS course that is designed for healthcare professionals, and that:  

  • Includes bag-valve-mask training (airway management)
  • Has a hands-on component (courses entirely online are not acceptable)
  • Has a certification length of not longer than 24 months

Note that CPR Level C is not acceptable for sedation and/or general anaesthesia clinical staff.

If you are uncertain about the validity of your certification, we recommend contacting your training provider.  

Please note that the related standards and guidance documents will be updated in the coming months to reflect all of these changes.  

*Basic Life Support (BLS) level certification replaces the previous CPR-HCP (Health Care Provider) requirement.  

Questions? Contact the Sedation team via our contact form.