Hospital and clinic staff
Nurses, physicians, techs and other clinical staff at hospitals and clinics usually need a current AHA BLS card to work with patients. Check the exact course name your employer lists.
- BLS
- Blended
BLS Certification in Pasadena
BLS certification in Pasadena at CPR Pasadena is the American Heart Association BLS Provider course in its blended form. You finish HeartCode BLS online first, a course sold separately by the AHA, then come to 40 N Altadena Dr, Suite 102-B, in East Pasadena for a 60 minute hands-on skills session and test. Your AHA BLS Provider card is valid for 2 years.
The course
What is AHA BLS Provider?
BLS (Basic Life Support) is the American Heart Association course for healthcare providers and students. It teaches high-quality CPR for adults, children and infants, early use of an AED, rescue breaths with a pocket mask and a bag-mask device, relief of choking, and how a team works a cardiac arrest together.
HeartCode BLS is the AHA name for the blended version. The knowledge part is online and adaptive, and the hands-on part is a skills practice and testing session with an instructor. Both parts lead to the same AHA BLS Provider card as the classroom course.
What you practice
High-quality CPR
Compression rate, depth and full recoil for adults, children and infants, with as few pauses as possible.
AED use
Turning on the AED, placing pads for adults and children, and resuming compressions right after a shock.
Breaths and bag-mask
Rescue breaths with a pocket mask, and one and two rescuer bag-mask ventilation.
Choking relief
Responsive and unresponsive choking for adults, children and infants.
Team resuscitation
Clear roles, closed-loop communication and switching compressors during a code.
Who needs it
Who needs AHA BLS Provider?
Always check the exact course name your employer, school or licensing office asks for.
Nursing, medical and allied health students
Most clinical programs ask for BLS for healthcare providers before your first clinical placement, and many name the American Heart Association.
Dental offices
The Dental Board of California requires BLS for license renewal, from a provider such as the AHA or the Red Cross, and the course must include an in-person skills session and test. Online-only BLS does not count.
EMT and paramedic students
Local programs ask for BLS at the healthcare provider level before you start: Pasadena City College's EMT course requires CPR training at the AHA Healthcare Provider level, and Glendale Community College's paramedic program requires a current AHA Healthcare Provider BLS card.
Format
How the blended course works
Book your skills session
Pick a date on the booking page. It opens right here on the site.
Do HeartCode BLS online
Buy HeartCode BLS from the American Heart Association, work through it at your own pace and save the certificate of completion.
Come to 40 N Altadena Dr
Bring your completion certificate. The in-person session is about 60 minutes of hands-on practice and the skills test.
Get your AHA card
Pass the skills test and the AHA BLS Provider card is issued to you as an eCard. It is valid for 2 years.
Before you book
How long, how long it lasts, what to bring
How long is it?
About 60 min in person in person at 40 N Altadena Dr, after the online part.
How long is it valid?
The AHA BLS Provider eCard is valid for 2 years. Renew before it expires.
What to bring
- Your HeartCode BLS certificate of completion, printed or on your phone
- Clothes you can kneel in, since compressions are practiced on the floor
- Glasses or anything else you need to read a screen and a manikin feedback light
About the online part (sold separately by the AHA)
The online part is HeartCode BLS, sold separately by the American Heart Association, not by CPR Pasadena. You buy it from the AHA, complete it before your session, and bring the certificate of completion.
The AHA says the online part takes about 1 to 2 hours, depending on what you already know. Finish it before your skills session date: the session is the hands-on practice and test only.
Getting here
Getting to 40 N Altadena Dr
The classroom is on N Altadena Dr in East Pasadena, near the Altadena Dr exit of I-210. Two Metro A Line stations sit in the I-210 median in East Pasadena, Allen and Sierra Madre Villa, and Pasadena Transit Route 31 runs along Altadena Dr.
By car on I-210
From the west (Glendale, SR-134, La Cañada Flintridge): I-210 eastbound, Exit 28, Altadena Dr / Sierra Madre Blvd. From the east (Arcadia, Monrovia): I-210 westbound, Exit 27B, Allen Ave (Exit 28 is an eastbound exit only).
Metro A Line
- Allen (Allen/College)395 N Allen Ave, elevated in the I-210 median above Allen Ave
- Sierra Madre Villa149 N Halstead St, in the I-210 median at Sierra Madre Villa Ave, with a station parking garage and bus plaza
Buses
- Pasadena Transit 31Runs along Altadena Dr between Altadena and Sierra Madre Villa station
- Pasadena Transit 40Old Pasadena to Sierra Madre Villa station
- Metro 266, 268 and 487Connect at the Sierra Madre Villa station bus plaza
Parking
Parking details for 40 N Altadena Dr are not posted yet. If you need them before class, send a text and ask.
FAQ
AHA BLS Provider: questions
Where can I get BLS certification in Pasadena?
CPR Pasadena teaches the American Heart Association BLS Provider skills session at 40 N Altadena Dr, Suite 102-B, Pasadena, CA 91107, in East Pasadena near the Altadena Dr exit of I-210. You do HeartCode BLS online first, then come in for about 60 minutes.
How long is the in-person part of BLS?
About 60 minutes. The knowledge part is done online beforehand in HeartCode BLS, so the session is hands-on practice and the skills test.
Is the online HeartCode BLS course included?
No. HeartCode BLS is sold separately by the American Heart Association. You buy and finish it with the AHA, then bring the certificate of completion to your session.
How long is an AHA BLS card valid?
The AHA BLS Provider card is valid for 2 years. Renew before it expires so your card stays current.
Is HeartCode BLS the same card as the classroom BLS course?
Yes. HeartCode BLS is the blended version of the AHA BLS Provider course. After you pass the skills session you receive the same AHA BLS Provider card.
When do I get my BLS card?
The AHA BLS Provider card is issued as an eCard after you pass the skills test, following American Heart Association practice. It is sent to the email address you booked with.
Can I take BLS if my card already expired?
Yes. The blended BLS Provider course works for first-time students and for people whose card has lapsed. You complete HeartCode BLS online and the skills session the same way.
What should I bring to the BLS skills session?
Your HeartCode BLS certificate of completion and clothes you can kneel in. Compressions are practiced on the floor.
Areas we serve
BLS for nearby neighborhoods and cities
Every class is held at 40 N Altadena Dr. Each page covers the trip from that area and the local hospitals, schools and employers.
Sources for the facts on this page
- American Heart Association, BLS course options
- American Heart Association, HeartCode BLS
- Dental Board of California, continuing education and BLS
- Pasadena City College, Emergency Medical Technician
- Glendale Community College, Paramedic program entry requirements
- Interstate 210 exit list, Exit 28 Altadena Dr / Sierra Madre Blvd and Exit 27B Allen Ave (Wikipedia)
- iExit, I-210 Exit 28, Altadena Dr / Sierra Madre Blvd
- California State Route 134 (Wikipedia)
- Allen station, Metro A Line (Wikipedia)
- Sierra Madre Villa station, Metro A Line (Wikipedia)
- Pasadena Transit routes 31, 33 and 40 (Wikipedia)