Course Overview

Who Should take this course?

The AHA’s BLS Provider Course is designed for healthcare providers caring for patients both in a pre-hospital and in-facility environments. In-facility refers to healthcare providers who work in a hospital, clinic, or other health care facility including a dentist office, skilled nursing, and assisted-living facilities.

This BLS Provider CPR Course teaches basic life support skills for application in both in-facility and pre-hospital settings, with a focus on high-quality CPR, improvement of chest compression fraction, and high-performing team dynamics. Participants are trained to promptly recognize several life-threatening emergencies, give high-quality chest compressions, deliver appropriate ventilations, and provide early use of an AED.

It is important to note that the BLS Provider CPR Training DOES NOT include First Aid. This is because this training is intended for those who already have a level of First Aid, EMS, or higher level of training. If you need First Aid and CPR training you should consider our Heartsaver® Courses.

Course Format Options

This course can be taken entirely in the classroom or in a blended format. A blended format combines the flexibility of online training with a hands-on skills testing session with an AHA Instructor.

Classroom training is also known as BLS – Instructor-Led Training. Instructor-Led Training means students are led by a Safety Unlimited AHA Instructor in a classroom setting. Students participate in simulated clinical scenarios and learning stations. Students also work with one of our AHA BLS Instructors to complete BLS skills practice and skills testing. Students are required to complete a written exam.

The blended format, also known as HeartCode® BLS, begins with the student taking eLearning portion of their training at the AHA website. Upon completion of the online portion, students must attend a structured BLS Hands-On Session with one of our AHA BLS Instructors. The skills session is referred to a BLS Provider Skills Session.

The online portion can be completed in approximately 1 to 2 hours. The time to complete the hands-on session can range anywhere from 45 minutes to 2 hours, depending on the experience of the student.

Student select their format option during the signup process.

Completion Card

Upon completion of this course, students receive an American Heart Association Heartsaver® First Aid Course Completion eCard via email that is valid for two years.

After enrollment and payment, students will be emailed a key-code and link that allows them access to their online course to be taken at the AHA website.

How to Claim Your AHA eCard

Objectives

After successfully completing the BLS Provider CPR course, students should be able to:

  • Explain the importance of high-quality CPR and its impact on survival;
  • Describe all the steps of the Chain of Survival;
  • Apply the BLS concepts of the Chain of Survival;
  • Recognize when someone requires CPR;
  • Perform high-quality CPR for an adult;
  • Describe the importance of early use of an automated external defibrillator (AED);
  • Demonstrate the appropriate use of an AED;
  • Ventilate effectively using a barrier device;
  • Perform high-quality CPR for an infant or child;
  • Describe the importance of teams in multi-rescuer resuscitation;
  • Perform as an effective team member during multi-rescuer CPR; and
  • Describe the technique for relief of foreign-body airway obstruction for an infant, child, or adult.

Features

 

BLS – Instructor-Led Training Features:

  • Reflects science and education from the 2020 AHA Guidelines Update for CPR and ECC;
  • Instructor-led, hands-on class format reinforces skills proficiency;
  • Emphasis on high-quality CPR including a team dynamics classroom activity; and
  • Video-based course with real world scenarios.

HeartCode® BLS Features::

  • Updated science and education reflecting the 2020 AHA Guidelines Update for CPR and ECC;
  • Includes in-facility and prehospital tracks (student chooses his/her track before starting the HeartCode® BLS Online Portion);
  • Enhanced learning experience through eSimulations, life-like animations, video scenarios, and knowledge checks;
  • Available for students with hearing, vision, and/or motor impairments (accessible on OnlineAHA.org only); and
  • This course option may be chosen for initial or renewal course completion.

Student Materials

 

Classroom

  • 20-1102 BLS Provider Manual (includes BLS Reference Card);

Online

  • 20-3553 HeartCode® BLS
  • 20-3102 BLS Provider Manual eBook (includes Digital BLS Reference Card)

What are Heartsaver® Courses?

Heartsaver® courses are courses that target Non-Healthcare Professionals.

These courses are designed for anyone with little or no medical training who needs a course completion card for job, or other requirements. These courses can also be taken by anyone who wants to be prepared for an emergency in any setting. For many Heartsaver® courses, students receive a course completion card that is valid for 2 years.

The Heartsaver® Series Includes:

FAQ

Below are some frequently asked questions specific to this course.

Q - How long will this course take to complete?

Our courses are set up to take a specific amount of time. Some students may get through the training more quickly, while others may actually take longer to complete their training. Remember, this training should be used as an intricate tool in the context of an overall training program; it can be combined with other training throughout the year in order to meet any hour requirements needed.


Q - Do I have to finish the course in one sitting?

No, our courses are designed so you can start and stop as needed, allowing you to break the training up over a longer period of time. Our system will keep track of your progress, enabling you to resume where you left off upon your next login. It is important that once you start a section, you complete that section or you will need to start that section over from the beginning upon your return.


Q - Can I take the course from more than one computer?

Yes, you can take the online portion by signing in with your username and password from any location and computer with high-speed internet access. However, each computer does need to meet our basic system requirements for viewing our online courses.


Q - Will I receive a certificate for this course?

Yes, once you have completed a course, you are able to download, save or print a certificate of completion from your student account. Certificates are created in a pdf format. Users must have the latest version of Adobe Acrobat Reader before attempting to download the completion certificate.