BLS
Abbreviation with 2 meanings
| Stands for | Basic life support |
|---|---|
| Meanings | 2 |
| Categories | Medical, Government & Politics |
BLS has two meanings. It stands for Basic life support (emergency medicine) or Bureau of Labor Statistics (US federal agency).
Meanings of BLS at a glance
| # | BLS stands for | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Basic life support | Medical › Emergency Medicine |
| 2 | Bureau of Labor Statistics | Government & Politics › US Federal Agency |
1. Basic life support
Medical · Emergency Medicine Abbreviations
Fundamental emergency care that keeps a person alive until advanced help arrives: high-quality CPR, use of an AED, rescue breathing and relief of choking. It is also the name of the American Heart Association's core certification course.
Example: All clinical staff must maintain current BLS certification renewed every 2 years.
BLS cards from the American Heart Association or American Red Cross are required for most healthcare jobs. In EMS, a BLS ambulance is staffed by EMTs without paramedic-level interventions. Courses include adult, child and infant techniques.
2. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Government & Politics · US Federal Agency Abbreviations
Principal federal agency for labor economics, publishing the monthly Employment Situation report (unemployment rate and payroll jobs), the Consumer Price Index, producer prices, wages and productivity. It belongs to the Labor Department and is led by a Commissioner.
Example: Markets rallied after BLS reported that employers added 150,000 jobs in September.
Founded in 1884 as the Bureau of Labor in the Interior Department, it is one of the oldest federal statistical agencies. The jobs report normally comes out on the first Friday of the month at 8:30 a.m. Eastern. The CPI it publishes is used to adjust Social Security benefits and federal tax brackets for inflation.
Related abbreviations
More emergency medicine abbreviations
- AND – Allow natural death
- ATLS – Advanced Trauma Life Support
- BIBA – Brought in by ambulance
- BIBEMS – Brought in by emergency medical services
- BSI – Body substance isolation
- BVM – Bag-valve-mask
- CAB – Compressions, airway, breathing
- CCT – Critical care transport
See all 97 emergency medicine abbreviations →
More US federal agency abbreviations
- BIA – Bureau of Indian Affairs
- BIS – Bureau of Industry and Security
- BJS – Bureau of Justice Statistics
- BLM – Bureau of Land Management
- BOP – Federal Bureau of Prisons
- CBO – Congressional Budget Office
- CBP – U.S. Customs and Border Protection
- CDC – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
See all 152 US federal agency abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.