Qualsafe Level 3 Award in BLS and AED for Adults, Children and Infants (RQF)

Course Overview

Fully updated and re-launched in September 2025 – For more details on how our BLS suite of qualifications has been changed, please see our Overview document.

Details of the previous version of this qualification, including the qualification specification can be found here.

This regulated and nationally recognised qualification provides learners with the opportunity to develop their skills and knowledge in basic life support (BLS) and using a defibrillator (AED) in emergency situations.

Intended Audience

This qualification has been designed for people who have a specific interest or responsibility at work, or in voluntary and community activities, to provide BLS and safe use of an AED on adults, children and infants.

Overview

The qualification and learning outcomes are based on the recommendations of:

The Resuscitation Council (UK)
A distinguished panel of experts in emergency medical care

Successful Learners will develop the practical competencies needed to provide BLS interventions (including the use of an AED) on adults, children and infants. Topics include: Incident and casualty assessment, Adult CPR and AED, Child CPR and AED, Infant CPR and AED and unconscious casualty.

Firefighters
Nurses
Care Workers
Doctors
First Aiders
Medical workers
People needing basic CPR skills

Introductory First Aid Training
- Basic Life Support Introduction
- Fears of First Aid
- Asking Permission to Help
- Scene Safety
- Chain of Survival
- DRAB and the ABCD's
- Initial Assessment
- Stop Think Act
- Differences in Child Size
- Barriers
- Face Shields
- Hand washing and hand gels
- Adult Bag Valve Mask
Cardiac Arrest
- Heart Attack
- Heart Attack Position
- Adult CPR
- Adult CPR
- Adult CPR Hand Over
- Compression-Only CPR
- AED Introduction
- Drowning
Choking
- Adult Choking
Summary
- Oxygen for First Aid
- Summary to BLS