BLS Instructor Course
Become an AHA Certified BLS Instructor
Become An AHA BLS Instructor
Hopewell CPR Training is an American Heart Association Training Center and we are happy to let you know that we are accepting instructors for alignment. If you are looking to become a new instructor, change alignment, or qualify to renew your instructor status, we can help.
Learn The Right Way – Make A Difference in Your Community
As a BLS Instructor, candidates will also be able to teach any course within the Heartsaver portfolio. Even though instructor candidates will be able to teach both BLS Provider and Heartsaver courses after completing the BLS Instructor Essentials Course, you need only a BLS Provider card to take BLS Instructor Essentials.
Instructor Essentials Requirements
BLS instructor candidates must meet certain requirements before taking the Instructor Essentials Course.
Before Attending the Hands-On Session
- RBe at least 18 years of age
- RBe aligned with an AHA TC – Instructor candidates must have a TC that has agreed to accept them as an instructor once they have completed Instructor Essentials and their monitoring is completed.
- RHave a current AHA BLS Provider course completion card
- RBe proficient in the skills of BLS – If we feel that instructor candidates need to be retested in their skills of BLS, this will be included as part of the Instructor Essentials Course.
- RComplete an Instructor Candidate Application
- RSuccessfully complete the online portion of Instructor Essentials.
4 Steps to Become an AHA BLS Instructor
For successful completion, instructor candidates must follow these steps:
1
Be accepted by an AHA Training Center (TC) before enrolling in an Instructor Essentials Course and have a completed Instructor Candidate Application on file with that TC.
2
3
4
AHA Alignment Transfer Request
If you are already an AHA BLS Instructor and looking to transfer your alignment to a local Training Center that meets your needs or seeking a secondary alignment, we are currently accepting alignments to our Training Center.
What You Can Teach as a BLS Instructor
BLS Provider Courses
Teach healthcare providers the skills of high-quality CPR for adults, children, and infants.
Heartsaver Courses
Teach workplace safety courses including CPR, AED, First Aid, and Bloodborne Pathogens.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What are the prerequisites to become a BLS Instructor?
Instructor candidates must hold an active AHA BLS Provider card, which satisfies the foundational requirement.
Each candidate must complete the AHA Instructor Candidate Application so we can formally accept them for alignment with our Training Center.
Q: What is the BLS Instructor Essentials Course?
- The BLS Instructor Essentials Course is an American Heart Association (AHA) training program that teaches candidates how to effectively instruct BLS and Heartsaver courses
All candidates are required to complete the BLS Instructor Essentials program, which includes a self-directed online module and a hands-on classroom session.
The online portion covers the administrative policies and educational foundations of teaching AHA courses.
Candidates can view upcoming dates and enroll by visiting hopewellcpr.com, navigating to the BLS Instructor tab, and selecting the BLS Instructor Essentials course.
Q: What materials do I need for the course?
Candidates must obtain the mandatory teaching materials from the American Heart Association before starting the coursework.
These materials can be purchased on our website as additional add-on or directly at shopcpr.heart.org.
Candidates will need the BLS Instructor Manual and their own copy of the BLS Provider Manual.
Instructors will also need the BLS Course Video (Digital or DVD) once they begin teaching their own classes.
Q: How long is my AHA certification valid?
All AHA certifications are valid for 2 years from the date of completion.
Q: What courses can I teach once I become a certified BLS Instructor?
As a certified AHA BLS Instructor, you are authorized to teach the BLS Provider course as well as any course within the Heartsaver portfolio. This includes:
Basic Life Support (BLS): Evidence-based resuscitation education designed for healthcare providers and first responders.
Heartsaver CPR AED: High-quality CPR and AED training for employees and workplace safety teams.
Heartsaver First Aid: Training to help recognize and respond to life-threatening emergencies in the workplace.
Heartsaver First Aid CPR AED: Comprehensive first aid and CPR skills combined in one essential course.
Heartsaver Pediatric: Specialized training for infant and child CPR and first aid emergencies.
Heartsaver Bloodborne Pathogens: OSHA-compliant training on handling bloodborne pathogens safely in the workplace.
Q:Where are the in-person training sessions held?
We regularly host the hands-on instructor-led sessions at our Sacramento location (2829 Watt Ave, Suite 100)
Q: What is the final step to become fully certified?
The final step is for candidates to successfully teach their first BLS Provider course under the direct monitoring of our Training Center Faculty within 6 months of completing your hands-on session.
Q: Can my company set up a "train-the-trainer" program?
We regularly provide customized training programs for businesses and would be thrilled to support your organization in building an internal team of AHA-certified instructors.
