AHA BLS
AHA BLS Instructor
Nurses, EMTs, paramedics, dental teams, clinical educators and anyone with a current BLS Provider card who wants to teach BLS to healthcare workers and students.
Prerequisites and format- AHA BLS
- AHA Heartsaver
- Red Cross
CPR Instructor Certification in Pasadena
CPR Pasadena takes inquiries for three instructor courses: AHA BLS Instructor, AHA Heartsaver Instructor and Red Cross First Aid/CPR/AED Instructor. Each one starts with a current provider certification in the same discipline, then a blended instructor course: an online part first, then in-person teaching practice. AHA instructors also need an AHA Training Center that accepts them and a monitored first class; Red Cross instructors teach through a Red Cross Training Provider. Send the form and we reply with what is available.
Instructor courses
Three instructor courses
AHA Heartsaver
AHA Heartsaver Instructor
Safety coordinators, HR and facilities staff, coaches, trainers, teachers and child care leaders who want to teach Heartsaver first aid, CPR and AED to their own teams or the public.
Prerequisites and formatRed Cross
Red Cross First Aid/CPR/AED Instructor
Workplace safety leads, teachers, coaches, child care and camp staff, and current first aid and CPR holders who want to teach Red Cross first aid, CPR and AED.
Prerequisites and formatCompare
AHA or Red Cross instructor: the requirements side by side
| AHA BLS | AHA Heartsaver | Red Cross | |
|---|---|---|---|
| You teach | AHA BLS Provider, plus Heartsaver courses | AHA Heartsaver courses | Red Cross basic-level First Aid, CPR and AED |
| Provider card first | Current AHA BLS Provider | Current AHA Heartsaver | Current basic-level Red Cross First Aid/CPR/AED, or higher or equivalent |
| Minimum age | 18 | 18 | 16 on the last day of the course |
| Format | Online, then in person, then a monitored class | Online, then in person, then a monitored class | Online, then a skills session and classroom segments |
| Teach through | An AHA Training Center you align with | An AHA Training Center you align with | A Red Cross Training Provider |
Which one
Which instructor course should I take?
You will teach healthcare workers
Take AHA BLS Instructor. The AHA also lets BLS Instructors teach every Heartsaver-level course.
You will teach a workplace or the public
Take AHA Heartsaver Instructor, or Red Cross First Aid/CPR/AED Instructor if your audience asks for Red Cross.
You already teach for another organization
The Red Cross offers free online Instructor Bridge courses for instructors certified with equivalent organizations.
FAQ
Becoming a CPR instructor: your questions
How do I become a CPR instructor in Pasadena?
Hold a current provider certification in the discipline you want to teach, then complete that discipline’s instructor course: AHA BLS Instructor, AHA Heartsaver Instructor or Red Cross First Aid/CPR/AED Instructor. Each is blended, with an online part first and then in-person teaching practice. Send the inquiry form and we reply with what is available.
What is the difference between AHA and Red Cross instructor certification?
AHA instructors are accepted by an AHA Training Center, complete Instructor Essentials and teach a monitored first class, then align with that Training Center. Red Cross instructors complete the First Aid/CPR/AED Instructor course and teach through a Red Cross Training Provider. Choose the one your employer or audience asks for.
Source: American Heart Association, How Do I Become an AHA Instructor? (step-by-step guide, PDF)
How old do I have to be?
The AHA requires instructors to be at least 18 to teach Heartsaver and BLS courses. The Red Cross requires First Aid/CPR/AED Instructor candidates to be at least 16 on the last day of the instructor course.
Source: American Heart Association, Course FAQs: Instructor Courses
Can one instructor course cover first aid and CPR for healthcare workers too?
The AHA says BLS Instructors are authorized to teach all Heartsaver-level courses, so an AHA BLS Instructor can teach both BLS and Heartsaver first aid, CPR and AED.
Source: American Heart Association, Course FAQs: Instructor Courses
Do you publish instructor course prices and dates?
No. Send the inquiry form with the course and your timing and we reply with the dates and the cost.
Inquire
Ask about an instructor course
Tell us which instructor course you want and when. We reply by email or text with what is available, the dates and the cost.
Instructor inquiry
Keep going
Train your team instead
Sources for the facts on this page
- American Heart Association, How to Become an AHA Instructor
- American Heart Association, How Do I Become an AHA Instructor? (step-by-step guide, PDF)
- American Heart Association, Course FAQs: Instructor Courses
- American Heart Association, Instructor Essentials Blended Learning Courses FAQ (PDF)
- American Red Cross, Becoming an Instructor
- American Red Cross, First Aid/CPR/AED Instructor blended learning course