BLS Instructor Certification

The BLS (Basic Life Support) Instructor course is designed for current BLS Provider certification holders who are interested in teaching BLS CPR, AED and First Aid skills to others. BLS is a set of emergency procedures that are designed to help save the lives of people who are experiencing cardiac arrest or other life-threatening medical emergencies. The BLS Instructor course teaches participants how to effectively teach BLS to others, including how to present the material to course participants, and how to use various teaching techniques to ensure that the material is understood by learners in your CPR classes.

Follow these steps to become an AHA BLS Instructor:

Step 1: Register and submit certification documentation

If you want to become an instructor for American Heart Association courses, it's important to have a strong understanding of the subject you'll be teaching. That's why the AHA requires certification as a "provider" in the specific curriculum you want to teach. For example, if you want to become a BLS/CPR Instructor, you'll need to have a current American Heart Association BLS Provider Certification.

Documentation is really important, that's why AHA course certifications are accepted by all governing agencies. The AHA has some really strong guidelines that help make sure everything is consistent, and here at National CPR Center we continue to uphold that standard.

Step 2: Complete the BLS Instructor Essentials Course

As a BLS Instructor course candidate, you probably already have the required AHA BLS Provider Certification. That's one of the two things you need to attend our instructor course. The other thing you'll need to do is complete the BLS Instructor Essentials online portion of the course. Once you've finished that, just print out your certificate of completion and upload it on our website, or bring it with you to your BLS Instructor class.

You must complete the AHA Instructor Essentials self-led pre-course work before attending the live (classroom) part of the instructor course. You'll get access to the Instructor Essentials online coursework and instructions once you complete the registration process.

You'll also spend a day learning about the American Heart Association structure, curriculum, policies, guidelines, documentation, general expectations, and the (PAM) Program Administration Manual. This part of the course will be conducted in a live classroom presentation. You will have the opportunity to participate, ask questions and give feedback in real time.

Step 3: Live monitoring session (teach an actual live class)

Once you have completed the BLS Instructor Essentials pre-course work, and the in-person BLS Instructor Essentials hands-on training, the next step is to demonstrate you can actually teach a class. This will be a live monitoring session where your teaching skills will be assessed. Don't worry, the details of this will be covered thorougly during your coursework and documentation training, and you'll have all the tools necessary to complete the task. You're not expected to be perfect, but you need to be competent in your chosen discipline. No stress at all. You'll do fine.

We're sure you'll find the tools and resources you will have access to at this point really helpful for not only teaching your classes, but also for answering any questions your students might have. As you gain more experience as an AHA instructor, your classes will become both enjoyable and informative for you, and for your students.

Step 4: Receive your American Heart Association BLS Instructor Certification

Congratulations! In this last step of becoming an AHA Instructor you will create your account on the American Heart Association's Atlas Instructor Network and complete the alignment process with our training site National CPR Center. During this process you will receive your official American Heart Association Instructor Certification and Identification (ID) Number. You'll also get access to the Atlas Instuctor Network which includes a wealth of information, tools and resources to help you succeed as an AHA instructor.

The BLS Instructor Essentials Course is the training program designed to prepare individuals to teach the American Heart Association BLS Provider course. The following topics will be covered:

BLS instructors are trained to teach a variety of courses that focus on providing basic life support and emergency care in a prehospital setting.

Some examples of courses that a BLS instructor can teach include:

BLS instructors may also be qualified to teach a variety of other courses, depending on their training and certification.

The BLS Instructor Essentials online pre-course is designed to help participants understand the expectations and responsibilities of being an AHA instructor and to prepare them for the more in-depth training provided in the live instructor-led part of the course. It is typically completed online at the participant's own pace and includes interactive activities, quizzes, and other learning resources. You will be given access to the BLS Instructor Essentials Online course once you complete the registration process.

During the American Heart Association BLS Instructor course monitoring session, participants are expected to demonstrate their ability to effectively teach and evaluate students in an AHA course. This may involve preparing and delivering lectures, conducting skills demonstrations and practical exams, and providing feedback to students.

You will be responsible for teaching assigned parts of the class in your chosen discipline while being monitored by faculty. It is important to spend time preparing and understanding the material beforehand as you may be asked questions by students and will be expected to demonstrate your ability to perform the relevant skills. Keep in mind that this will be an actual live class, so it is important to be fully prepared.

Participants should also be able to demonstrate a thorough understanding of the AHA guidelines and course materials, and should be able to apply this knowledge to the teaching and evaluation process. It is important that participants arrive on time and are prepared for the session, as they will be evaluated on their teaching abilities and their ability to adhere to the AHA's instructional guidelines.

We will provide you with the teaching materials and supplies you need to complete your live monitoring session. Just make sure to come prepared to teach the AHA curriculum previously assigned during your live instructor essentials training.