American Heart Association
The American Heart Association is a world leader that publishes the guidelines for layperson CPR, Basic Life Support (BLS), Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS). Established in 1924 by six cardiologists in Chicago, they have grown into an international organization dedicated to resuscitation science and leading research on heart disease and stroke.
What do we do as an AHA training site?
We offer all the courses under the Heartsaver, Basic Life Support, Instructor, and Community programs. See below for our class catalog.
Heartsaver® CPR AED
Who should take this course?
The AHA Heartsaver CPR AED Course is designed for anyone with limited or no medical training who needs a course completion card in CPR and AED use to meet job, regulatory, or other requirements.
What does this CPR AED course cover?
- Describe how high-quality CPR improves survival
- Explain the concepts of the Chain of Survival
- Recognize when someone needs CPR
- Perform high-quality CPR for an adult
- Describe how to perform CPR with help from others
- Give effective breaths using mouth-to-mouth or a mask for all age groups
- Demonstrate how to use an AED on an adult
- Perform high-quality CPR for a child*
- Demonstrate how to use an AED on a child*
- Perform high-quality CPR for an infant*
- Describe when and how to help a choking adult or child
- Demonstrate how to help a choking infant*
*Child and infant modules are optional.
Course Options
- Classroom Heartsaver CPR AED
- Blended Learning Heartsaver CPR AED Online
Heartsaver® First Aid
The Heartsaver First Aid course trains participants in first aid basics for the most common first aid emergencies, including how to recognize them, call for help, and perform life-saving skills. Reflects science and education from the American Heart Association Guidelines Update for CPR and Emergency Cardiovascular Care (ECC) and the 2020 AHA/Red Cross Guidelines for First Aid.
Who should take this course?
The AHA Heartsaver, First Aid Course, is designed for anyone with limited or no medical training who needs a course completion card in first aid to meet job, regulatory, or other requirements.
What does this course teach?
- First aid basics
- Medical emergencies
- Injury emergencies
- Environmental emergencies
- Preventing illness and injury
Course Options
- Classroom Heartsaver First Aid
- Blended Learning Heartsaver First Aid Online
Heartsaver® First Aid CPR AED
The AHA’s Heartsaver First Aid CPR AED course trains participants to provide first aid, CPR, and use an automated external defibrillator (AED) safely, promptly, and effectively. Reflects science and education from the American Heart Association Guidelines Update for CPR and Emergency Cardiovascular Care (ECC).
Who should take this course?
The AHA’s Heartsaver First Aid CPR AED Course is designed for anyone with little or no medical training who needs a course completion card for their job, regulatory (e.g., OSHA), or other requirements, or anyone who wants to be prepared for an emergency in any setting.
What does this course teach?
- First aid basics
- Medical emergencies
- Injury emergencies
- Environmental emergencies
- Preventing illness and injury
- Adult CPR and AED use
- Opioid-associated life-threatening emergencies
- Optional modules in Child CPR AED and Infant CPR
Course Options
- Classroom Heartsaver First Aid CPR AED
- Blended Learning Heartsaver First Aid CPR AED Online
Heartsaver® Pediatric First Aid CPR AED Training
The Heartsaver Pediatric First Aid CPR AED course trains participants on how to respond to and manage illnesses and injuries in a child or infant in the first few minutes until professional help arrives. Reflects science and education from the American Heart Association Guidelines Update for CPR and Emergency Cardiovascular Care (ECC) and the 2020 AHA/Red Cross Guidelines for First Aid.
Who should take this course?
The AHA Heartsaver Pediatric First Aid CPR AED Course is designed for anyone involved in childcare who must respond to illnesses and injuries in a child or infant in the first few minutes until professional help arrives. Including childcare workers, teachers, camp counselors, etc
What does this course teach?
First aid basics include medical, injury, poison, and environmental emergencies, preventing illnesses and injuries, and controlling bleeding & bandaging. It covers topics like using a tourniquet, shock, internal bleeding, burns and electrical injuries, allergic reactions, breathing problems & dehydration, diabetes & low blood sugar, heat, and cold-related emergencies, drowning, amputations, bites and stings, broken bones and sprains. It also covers splinters, nose bleeds, fainting, seizures, and injuries to the head, eyes, neck, spine, mouth, and teeth.
- CPR AED and choking: CPR and AED Use for Adults*, Children and Infants, Adult*, Child, and Infant Choking
*Optional module
Course Options
- Classroom Heartsaver Pediatric First Aid CPR AED
- Blended Learning Heartsaver Pediatric First Aid CPR AED Online
Heartsaver® Bloodborne Pathogens Training
The Heartsaver Bloodborne Pathogens course teaches students how to protect themselves and others from being exposed to blood or blood-containing materials. When paired with site-specific instruction, this course meets Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requirements for bloodborne pathogens training. Reflects science and education from the American Heart Association Guidelines Update for CPR and Emergency Cardiovascular Care (ECC).
Who should take this course?
The AHA Heartsaver Bloodborne Pathogens Course is designed for anyone with a reasonable chance of coming into contact with bloodborne pathogens, such as Correctional Officers, Childcare workers, Security guards, Maintenance workers, School personnel, Hotel housekeepers, Health and fitness club staff, and Tattoo artists.
What does this course teach?
This course uses the PACT acronym (Protect, Act, Clean, Tell) and tagline, “Make a PACT, Know How to Act™,” to help students learn and easily recall bloodborne pathogens training.
Students learn how to:
- Protect themselves from blood or blood-containing materials.
- Act quickly and safely.
- Clean the area that has blood or blood-containing materials.
- Tell their supervisor about the incident.
Course Options
- Classroom Heartsaver Bloodborne Pathogens
- Blended Learning Heartsaver Bloodborne Pathogens
Basic Life Support (BLS)
The AHA’s BLS course trains participants to promptly recognize several life-threatening emergencies, give high-quality chest compressions, deliver appropriate ventilations, and provide early use of an AED. Reflects science and education from the American Heart Association Guidelines Update for CPR and Emergency Cardiovascular Care (ECC).
Who should take this course?
The AHA’s BLS Course is designed for healthcare professionals and other personnel who need to know how to perform CPR and other basic cardiovascular life support skills in various in-facility and prehospital settings.
What does this course teach?
- High-quality CPR for adults, children, and infants
- The AHA Chain of Survival, specifically the BLS components
- Important early use of an AED
- Effective ventilations using a barrier device
- Importance of teams in multi-rescuer resuscitation and performance as an influential team member during multi-rescuer CPR
- Relief of foreign-body airway obstruction (choking) for adults and infants
Course Options
- Classroom BLS
- Blended Learning HeartCode® BLS
Instructor Training
As an American Heart Association Training Site, we provide training to become a BLS or Heartsaver instructor. A dedicated faculty member will work closely with you to develop your skills to deliver high-quality, successful, and compliant CPR training. Learn more about the process of becoming an American Heart Association instructor.
Family & Friends® CPR
Community Training (non-certification)
The Family & Friends CPR Course teaches the lifesaving skills of adult Hands-Only CPR, adult CPR with breaths, child CPR with breaths, adult and child AED use, infant CPR, and mild and severe airway block for adults, children, and infants. Skills are taught in a dynamic group environment using the AHA’s research-proven practice-while-watching technique, which provides students with the most hands-on CPR practice time possible.
Course Features
- Uses AHA’s research-proven practice-while-watching technique, which improves learning and retention
- The classroom format works well for learners who prefer group interaction and feedback while learning skills.
- Each student receives high-quality course materials for ongoing reference
Course Content
- Adult Hands-Only CPR and AED
- Adult CPR With Breaths (Optional)
- Mild and Severe Airway Block: How to Help a Choking Adult (Optional)
- Child CPR and AED (Optional)
- Mild and Severe Airway Block: How to Help a Choking Child (Optional)
- Infant CPR (Optional)
- Mild and Severe Airway Block: How to Help a Choking Infant (Optional)