ILS (Immediate Life Support) Course

Immediate Life Support was developed by Resuscitation Council UK for healthcare professionals who may have to act as the first responder in an emergency, giving them the skills to manage patients in cardiac arrest before a cardiac arrest team arrives.

An ILS course provides a variety of skills, from managing a deteriorating patient, identifying causes and treating cardiac arrest, to improving abilities as both a team member and leader.

Our ILS qualification is recognised by the European Resuscitation Council and the Australian Resuscitation Council, giving you the freedom to use your lifesaving skills in other countries.

The aim is to train healthcare personnel in cardiopulmonary resuscitation, simple airway management and safe defibrillation, enabling them to manage patients in cardiac arrest until the arrival of a cardiac arrest team and to participate as members of that team. The course is run over one day and consists of lectures and practical sessions.

This CPD course meets the criteria for the General Dental Council’s development outcomes C.

During the one-day course, you will develop the skills to:

• recognise and treat the deteriorating patient using the ABCDE approach;
• identify the causes and promote the prevention of cardiopulmonary arrest;
• undertake the skills of quality CPR and defibrillation (manual and /or AED) and simple airway manoeuvres;
• utilise non-technical skills to facilitate team leadership and effective team membership.

Who is the course for?

The ILS course is suitable for doctors, medical students, nurses, nursing students, midwives, paramedics and student paramedics, physiotherapists, dentistry professionals and other health and care professionals. It may also be suitable for fire service technicians, police personnel and prison officers.

Pre-course preparation:

Candidates receive their ILS manual two weeks before the start of the course. Candidates are expected to have prepared for the course by reading the manual. Some Centres may send Candidates a multiple-choice question (MCQ) paper to support Candidate learning.

Programme:

This course consists of lectures, skill stations and cardiac arrest simulations (CASTeach).

Assessment and certification:

Assessment is continuous throughout the course and is guided by the assessment forms provided for each core skill. Copies of the assessment forms should be forwarded to the candidate with their manual.

Successful Candidates receive a ILS provider certificate, which is valid for one year.

This course is recognised as continuing professional development (CPD) by the Medical, Dental and Nursing Royal Colleges and Health Care Professional Council. Please contact your registering body for further information.