ERC
Paediatric Basic Life Support (PBLS)
Parents, teachers, childcare staff — anyone around children.
At Life Support Hub, PBLS trains anyone who works with or comes into contact with children and may find themselves facing a child in or close to cardiac arrest.
Next scheduled session
- Date:
- Time:
- 09:00–14:00
- Duration:
- 5 hours
- Participants:
- up to 24,
- with practice in small groups
Taught in Greek. For a group — a company, school, team or organisation — that wants a seminar in English, we organise a separate class: write to us at info@lifesupporthub.edu.gr.
The programme
Focusing on rescue techniques for children, the programme prepares you to handle paediatric emergencies with confidence and the right care. It is especially important for professionals in pre-school and school education, public and private, who look after the most precious members of our society.
Why is paediatric CPR important?
Unlike adults, where cardiac arrest is often of cardiac origin, in children it is mainly due to respiratory causes, such as obstruction of the airway by a foreign body (choking). That is why immediate recognition of the problem, with an initial 5 rescue breaths and then alternating chest compressions and breaths, is vital.
Immediate CPR by bystanders can increase a child's chances of survival by 2 to 3 times. Conversely, for every minute that passes without resuscitation, the chances drop dramatically.
What should I do if a child is choking?
The management of choking is common to adults and children, but differs in technique, mainly in the force applied. In partial (mild) obstruction there is still a cough reflex: we encourage the person to cough and stay next to them until the foreign body is expelled. In complete obstruction the person communicates with gestures but cannot cough. Calmly, we let them know we are there to help and apply alternately 5 back blows and 5 abdominal thrusts (in an infant, chest thrusts with 2 fingers). If the person collapses, CPR begins immediately and at the same time we call 112.
Can a non-specialist perform CPR on a child?
Yes. According to the ERC, even someone trained only in basic adult CPR can safely perform it on a child. Any intervention is better than inaction. Specialised paediatric training, such as PBLS, provides the best techniques and increases effectiveness.
What will you do on the course?
The training is mainly hands-on. It opens with a little theory, just enough to understand the framework you will be working in, and from there on you practise every skill in the list that follows with your own hands.
By the end of PBLS you will be able to:
- recognise and assess an unconscious child or infant
- perform rescue breaths and chest compressions
- safely use an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) on children
- place a child or infant in the recovery position
- manage a child or infant who is choking
Where are the courses held and what certification do you get?
Life Support Hub's first-aid courses are held mainly in Athens: our base is in Alimos, and classes are also held at partner organisations' premises across Attica. We also travel all over Greece, depending on the schedule and on partnerships, and for companies the training takes place on their own premises. On successful completion you receive Paediatric Basic Life Support (PBLS) certification from the European Resuscitation Council (ERC), which is internationally recognised.
“Very good experience! A well-trained staff! Hands-on enough that the information sticks with everyone, regardless of their background and knowledge!”
The certifying body
European Resuscitation Council
The European Resuscitation Council (ERC) is the European body that sets the guidelines for cardiopulmonary resuscitation. It was founded in 1988 as a non-profit organisation, with the mission of "preserving human life by making high-quality resuscitation available to all". Its guidelines, updated every five years, are a point of reference across Europe. Through a network of national councils, the ERC trains around two million people a year in 56 countries. Programmes that follow its standard lead to an internationally recognised certification.
Visit the body’s websiteFrequently asked questions
Do I need any prior knowledge?
For most programmes, no — they start from zero. Where a prerequisite exists, the programme itself says so: the Basic Instructor Course, for example, requires an active ERC BLS or PBLS certification.
Do you train schools and groups?
Yes. We offer free training to schools of every level and to the community, and through the Double Score programme a school can earn a free defibrillator. For a training at your own venue, write to us at info@lifesupporthub.edu.gr.
Can we have a seminar in English?
Yes, for a group. A company, school, team or organisation that wants a seminar in English gets a class of its own — write to us at info@lifesupporthub.edu.gr with the programme and roughly how many people. Our scheduled seminars are taught in Greek, and we do not run them bilingually: translating slows the training down.
How is the hands-on training run?
Everyone practises, however many people the session holds. In a large session, practice takes place in small groups. How many people a session holds in total depends on the venue, and differs from session to session.
Can I take a course online?
No. Every course is taught in person. Two of them — C-TECC for First Responders and ECSI Wilderness First Aid — have theory preparation you do online, on our training platform. After you register we enrol you on the platform and you receive an email with your login details; the platform holds your material and programme instructions.