About ITLS

International Trauma Life Support (ITLS) is a global organization dedicated to preventing death and disability from trauma through education and emergency trauma care.

ITLS was founded in the early 1980's as Basic Trauma Life Support.  From its early roots as a local and regional trauma education course for EMS professionals, BTLS grew to have over  70 chapters around the world.  In 2005, BTLS became ITLS to better reflect the scope of the organization.

Organization : A not-for-profit organization incorporated in Alabama and registered to do business in Illinois, ITLS is exempt from federal taxation under section 501 (c)(3) of the IRS code. ITLS training programs are aimed at prehospital (or out-of-hospital) providers. Since its founding in 1982, over 330,000 EMS professionals have learned proven techniques endorsed by the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) and the National Association of EMS Physicians (NAEMSP.)

International Trauma Standard : ITLS is accepted internationally as the standard training course for prehospital trauma care, and is not only taught as continuing education course, but is also used as a textbook in many Paramedic, EMT, and first responder training programs.

From October 2005 forward, BTLS are transitioning to become ITLS courses.

ITLS courses give the student the knowledge and hands-on skills to take better care of trauma patients. ITLS stresses rapid assessment, appropriate intervention and identification of immediate life threats. The ITLS framework for rapid, appropriate and effective trauma care is a global standard that works in any situation.

ITLS courses combine classroom learning and hands-on skills stations. They also challenge the student with scenario assessment stations where learning is put to work in simulated trauma situations. ITLS courses are designed, managed and delivered by course directors, coordinators and instructors experienced in EMS, prehospital care and the ITLS approach.

Each ITLS course includes a comprehensive manual sent to the student in advance. The manual enhances learning experience with in-depth content, photos and illustrations. ITLS manuals are written by trauma care experts and edited by the ITLS Editorial Board. After the course, the student can refer to the manual as a valuable recap of what has been learned.

ITLS Programs - ITLS provides its courses through its chapters and training centres. Each chapter is based on a geographic region, with the exception of the US military. Training centres are established for proprietary training organizations to educate their own personnel in ITLS. Training centres are only approved in geographic areas where there is not an exisitng ITLS chapter.

EMS agencies, hospitals, and other training centers who wish to conduct ITLS courses should contact the ITLS chapter in their area if one exists.  Chapters will provide mechanisms for developing course sites within their region.

ITLS International mandates essential policies and procedures for its courses; however, each chapter and training centre has the flexibility to develop their own policies and procedures for their individual program

ITLS encourages persons interested in establishing a ITLS to seek sponsorship from a larger

organization such as hospitals or EMS agencies. In the UK, for example, the Northern and Yorkshire chapter of ITLS is coordinated by the TENYAS organization. In the US, many ITLS chapters are sponsored by state chapters of the American College of Emergency Physicians.

For more information about starting a ITLS program, see Starting an ITLS Program