• Serve as BLSO™  Faculty

    Roles, Requirements, and Responsibilities 

    The BLSO program is based on an adult learning model whereby participants prepare through advanced reading from the BLSO Provider manual and take responsibility for their own learning before and during a Provider Course.

    Instructors, Course Directors, and Additional Faculty are expected to approach learners in a positive, constructive, and respectful manner, and to have demonstrated these attributes during the training of new Providers. 

    The ALSO program requests and expects honest feedback from instructors regarding their effectiveness. The BLSO program reserves the right to remediate or terminate Instructor status of individual faculty who do not model these attitudes and approaches.

    Your BLSO program will need the following faculty:

    • One Course Director who is an ALSO Approved Instructor
    • If there is an ALSO Instructor Candidate in need of evaluation, one Advisory Faculty Member is required
    • At least one maternity care provider (not required to be an ALSO Approved Instructor)
    • At least 50% of the remaining faculty must be maternity clinicians or maternity providers

    Course Director

    Requirements
    BLSO Course Directors must be ALSO Approved Instructors.

    Role
    The Course Director, with assistance and direction from the AAFP, oversees and manages all aspects of course implementation. Although a coordinator or assistant may be used to assist with planning and implementation, the Course Director is ultimately responsible for ensuring that the course meets all course requirements specified on this page and in the Memorandum of Agreement from the AAFP. The Course Director must also remain on-site during the entire program.

    The Course Director may not fulfill the role of the Advisory Faculty for the same course.

    Responsibilities
    Each Course Director is responsible for:

    • Recruiting faculty with the appropriate skill and training to teach all components of the course.
    • Reaching the recommended faculty-participant ratio of 1:5 - with no more than 1:6.
    • Involve the AAFP in the planning and development of the course.
    • Organizing a faculty meeting prior to the course.
    • Coordinating the use of equipment and meeting rooms for the course.
    • Ensuring all participants have submitted their BLSO pre-course exam summary sheet prior to the start of the course. Only those who have scored at least 80% will be allowed to take the course.
    • Presenting opening announcements and introductions
    • Being available for questions from faculty and participants
    • Ensuring that the course runs smoothly and according to schedule
    • Returning the post-course materials to the AAFP within two weeks following course completion.
    • Ensuring the materials invoice is paid within 30 days of receipt.

    The Course Director is also responsible for completing and/or compiling all required BLSO course reporting forms including:

    The Course Director must return all completed forms to the AAFP within two weeks of the course completion date.

    Advisory Faculty

    Requirements
    The role of the Advisory Faculty is not needed at a BLSO course unless there is an ALSO Instructor Candidate teaching. In this case, the Advisory Faculty would evaluate the Instructor Candidate and complete the evaluation for them to submit to ALSO staff within two weeks of the course.

    Additional Faculty

    Requirements
    Additional Faculty for the Provide Course are selected by the Course Director to adhere to the recommended faculty-participant ratio of 1:5 - with no more than 1:6. Faculty members may include qualified healthcare professionals who are actively participating in maternity care, in emergency management of maternity care, or in medical or nursing education. Instructors without BLSO or ALSO training may be used to teach specific modules that they have clinical expertise in, such as a neonatal nurse for the neonatal module or an emergency medicine physician for the maternal resuscitation module.

    Responsibilities
    Additional Faculty responsibilities include:

    • Adherence to all AAFP requirements for conducting a Provider Course.
    • Familiarity with all slides associated with the topic he or she is presenting.
    • Consultation with the Course Director to answer any questions regarding the content or how the material should be presented.
    • Arrival at the course 30 minutes prior to his or her presentation.
    • Mandatory participation in the pre-course faculty meeting.
    • Presentation of his or her topic(s) in a manner consistent with the course material.

    Please note that being a faculty member for a BLSO course does count towards an ALSO Approved Instructor's requirement of teaching three ALSO courses in five years.

    Questions?

    Email: also@aafp.org
    (800) 274-2237, ext. 7506