American Heart Association Courses
Initial and Renewal
Courses
Basic Life Support
(BLS)
The AHA’s BLS course trains participants to promptly recognize several life-threatening emergencies, give high-quality chest compressions, deliver appropriate ventilations and provide early use of an AED. Reflects science and education from the American Heart Association Guidelines Update for CPR and Emergency Cardiovascular Care (ECC).
Who should take this course?
The AHA’s BLS Course is designed for healthcare professionals and other personnel who need to know how to perform CPR and other basic cardiovascular life support skills in a wide variety of in-facility and prehospital settings.
What does this course teach?
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High-quality CPR for adults, children, and infants
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The AHA Chain of Survival, specifically the BLS components
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Important early use of an AED
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Effective ventilations using a barrier device
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Importance of teams in multirescuer resuscitation and performance as an effective team member during multirescuer CPR
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Relief of foreign-body airway obstruction (choking) for adults and infants
Initial and Renewal Courses
Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS)
The AHA’s ACLS course builds on the foundation of lifesaving BLS skills, emphasizing the importance of continuous, high-quality CPR. Reflects science and education from the American Heart Association Guidelines Update for CPR and Emergency Cardiovascular Care (ECC).
Who should take this course?
Healthcare professionals who either direct or participate in the management of cardiopulmonary arrest or other cardiovascular emergencies and for personnel in emergency response. Participants should be proficient in performing BLS and ACLS skills, reading and interpreting ECGs, understanding ACLS pharmacology; and who regularly lead or participate in emergency assessment and treatment of prearrest, arrest, or post-arrest patients.
What does this course teach?
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Basic life support skills, including effective chest compressions, use of a bag-mask device, and use of an AED
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Recognition and early management of respiratory and cardiac arrest
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Recognition and early management of peri-arrest conditions such as symptomatic bradycardia
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Airway management
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Related pharmacology
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Management of ACS and stroke
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Effective communication as a member and leader of a resuscitation team
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Recognize and manage cardiac arrest until termination of resuscitation or transfer of care, including post–cardiac arrest care
Renewal Courses Only
BLS / ACLS Renewal Combo Course
This renewal course is for current BLS and ACLS providers. It begins with a renewal session in BLS and concludes with ACLS renewal. Lecture and hands-on practice will be used, as well as a written exam for each session.
Who should take this course?
This course is for current BLS and ACLS providers who are in need of renewal prior to lapsing in their certifications.
What does this course teach?
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Perform high‐quality cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) per American Heart Association (AHA) basic life support (BLS) recommendations
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High-quality CPR for adults, children, and infants
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The AHA Chain of Survival, specifically the BLS components
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Important early use of an AED
-
Effective ventilations using a barrier device
-
Importance of teams in multirescuer resuscitation and performance as an effective team member during multirescuer CPR
-
Relief of foreign-body airway obstruction (choking) for adults and infants
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Differentiate between patients who do and do not require immediate intervention
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Recognize cardiopulmonary arrest early and begin CPR within 10 seconds
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Apply team dynamics
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Differentiate between respiratory distress and failure
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Perform early interventions for respiratory distress and failure
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Differentiate between compensated and decompensated (hypotensive) shock
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Perform early interventions for the treatment of shock
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Differentiate between unstable and stable patients with arrhythmias
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Describe clinical characteristics of instability in patients with arrhythmias
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Implement post–cardiac arrest management
Initial and Renewal Courses
Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS)
The AHA offers two separate courses for healthcare providers who require training in pediatric care. Both courses reflect science and education from the American Heart Association Guidelines Update for CPR and Emergency Cardiovascular Care (ECC).
Who should take this course?
Pediatric Advanced Life Support courses are for healthcare providers who respond to emergencies in infants and children and for personnel in emergency response, emergency medicine, intensive care and critical care units.
What does this course teach?
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Perform high‐quality cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) per American Heart Association (AHA) basic life support (BLS) recommendations
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Differentiate between patients who do and do not require immediate intervention
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Recognize cardiopulmonary arrest early and begin CPR within 10 seconds
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Apply team dynamics
-
Differentiate between respiratory distress and failure
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Perform early interventions for respiratory distress and failure
-
Differentiate between compensated and decompensated (hypotensive) shock
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Perform early interventions for the treatment of shock
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Differentiate between unstable and stable patients with arrhythmias
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Describe clinical characteristics of instability in patients with arrhythmias
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Implement post–cardiac arrest management
First Aid / CPR / AED
The AHA’s Heartsaver First Aid CPR AED course trains participants to provide first aid, CPR, and use an automated external defibrillator (AED) in a safe, timely, and effective manner. Reflects science and education from the American Heart Association Guidelines Update for CPR and Emergency Cardiovascular Care (ECC).
Who should take this course?
The AHA’s Heartsaver First Aid CPR AED Course is designed for anyone with little or no medical training who needs a course completion card for their job, regulatory (e.g., OSHA), or other requirements, or anyone who wants to be prepared for an emergency in any setting.
What does this course teach?
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First aid basics
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Medical emergencies
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Injury emergencies
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Environmental emergencies
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Preventing illness and injury
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Adult CPR and AED use
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Opioid-associated life-threatening emergencies
First Aid
The Heartsaver First Aid course trains participants first aid basics for the most common first aid emergencies, including how to recognize them, how to call for help, and how to perform lifesaving skills. Reflects science and education from the American Heart Association Guidelines Update for CPR and Emergency Cardiovascular Care (ECC) and the 2015 AHA/Red Cross Guidelines for First Aid.
Who should take this course?
The AHA Heartsaver First Aid Course is designed for anyone with limited or no medical training who needs a course completion card in first aid to meet job, regulatory, or other requirements.
What does this course teach?
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First aid basics
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Medical emergencies
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Injury emergencies
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Environmental emergencies
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Preventing illness and injury
CPR / AED
The Heartsaver CPR AED course trains participants to give CPR, and use an automated external defibrillator (AED) in a safe, timely, and effective manner. Reflects science and education from the American Heart Association Guidelines Update for CPR and Emergency Cardiovascular Care (ECC).
Who should take this course?
The AHA Heartsaver CPR AED Course is designed for anyone with limited or no medical training who needs a course completion card in CPR and AED use to meet job, regulatory, or other requirements.
What does this course teach?
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Describe how high-quality CPR improves survival
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Explain the concepts of the Chain of Survival
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Recognize when someone needs CPR
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Perform high-quality CPR for an adult
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Describe how to perform CPR with help from others
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Give effective breaths using mouth-to-mouth or a mask for all age groups
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Demonstrate how to use an AED on an adult
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Perform high-quality CPR for a child*
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Demonstrate how to use an AED on a child*
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Perform high-quality CPR for an infant*
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Describe when and how to help a choking adult or child
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Demonstrate how to help a choking infant*
*Child and infant modules are optional.
Pediatric First Aid / CPR / AED
The Heartsaver Pediatric First Aid CPR AED course trains participants how to respond to and manage illnesses and injuries in a child or infant in the first few minutes until professional help arrives. Reflects science and education from the American Heart Association Guidelines Update for CPR and Emergency Cardiovascular Care (ECC) and the 2015 AHA/Red Cross Guidelines for First Aid.
Who should take this course?
The AHA Heartsaver Pediatric First Aid CPR AED Course is designed for anyone involved in childcare who have a duty to respond to illnesses and injuries in a child or infant in the first few minutes until professional help arrives. Including: childcare workers, teachers, camp counselors, etc.
What does this course teach?
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First aid basics including medical, injury, poison, and environmental emergencies, preventing illnesses and injuries and controlling bleeding & bandaging. Covers topics like using a tourniquet, shock, internal bleeding, burns and electrical injuries, allergic reactions, breathing problems & dehydration, diabetes & low blood sugar, heat-and cold-related emergencies, drowning, amputations, bites and stings, broken bones and sprains. Also covers splinters, nose bleeds, fainting, seizures, and injuries to the head, eyes, neck, spine, mouth, and teeth.
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CPR AED and choking: CPR and AED Use for Adults*, Children and Infants, Adult*, Child, and Infant Choking
*Optional modules
Bloodborne Pathogens
The Heartsaver Bloodborne Pathogens course teaches students how to protect themselves and others from being exposed to blood or blood-containing materials. This course is designed to meet Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requirements for bloodborne pathogens training when paired with site-specific instruction. Reflects science and education from the American Heart Association Guidelines Update for CPR and Emergency Cardiovascular Care (ECC).
Who should take this course?
The AHA Heartsaver Bloodborne Pathogens Course is designed for anyone with a reasonable chance of coming into contact with bloodborne pathogens such as: Correctional Officers, Childcare workers, Security guards, Maintenance workers, School personnel, Hotel housekeepers, Health and fitness club staff, and Tattoo artists.
What does this course teach?
This course uses the PACT acronym (Protect, Act, Clean, Tell) and tagline, “Make a PACT, Know How to Act™,” to help students learn and easily recall bloodborne pathogens training. Students will learn how to:
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Protect themselves from blood or blood-containing materials.
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Act quickly and safely.
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Clean the area that has blood or blood-containing materials.
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Tell their supervisor about the incident.
American Heart Association Instructor
The American Heart Association is always seeking professionals to conduct training in first aid, CPR, AED, and advanced cardiovascular care. If you are passionate about saving lives, motivated to facilitate learning, feel comfortable in group settings, and find it easy to make complex concepts understandable to others, you may be a perfect candidate.
Becoming an American Heart Association instructor is easy after consulting with an American Heart Association Training Center to find out whether the Training Center (TC) is accepting new instructors.
Follow These Steps to Become an AHA Instructor
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After being accepted by an authorized AHA TC, complete an Instructor Candidate Application for the TC before enrolling in an AHA Instructor Course.
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Have current AHA provider status in the discipline for that Instructor Course and be proficient in all the skills of that discipline. Disciplines include ACLS, BLS, PALS, PEARS and Heartsaver.
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Successfully complete the Instructor Essentials Course for the discipline for which you are becoming an Instructor, including both the online portion and the classroom/hands-on session.
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Successfully be monitored teaching within 6 months of completing the hands-on session of their Instructor Essentials Course (TC Coordinators may require additional monitoring, if needed)
Once you become an Instructor, you will have access to the most current emergency cardiovascular care science, course updates, training resources and tools through the online AHA Instructor Network. You will also be able to post class dates and times to reach more students through our public website.