First Coast CPR -
BLS – Basic Life Support CPR/AED
American Heart Association BLS Certification for Healthcare Professionals & Students
Get BLS certification in Jacksonville, FL, or Fernandina Beach, FL, with hands-on American Heart Association training.
Choose a traditional classroom course or complete the online portion before attending an in-person skills session.
Same-Day AHA eCard After Successful Completion
BLS CPR/AED Training for Healthcare Professionals
Basic Life Support, or BLS, is designed for healthcare professionals, first responders, and students preparing to enter healthcare programs.
The course focuses on the lifesaving skills needed to recognize and respond to cardiac arrest and other emergencies in both healthcare and pre-hospital settings.
BLS includes CPR, AED use, ventilations, choking response, and effective teamwork during a resuscitation emergency.
Who Needs BLS CPR/AED?
BLS is commonly required for people working in or preparing to enter healthcare.
This may include:
- Nurses and nursing students
- CNA students and nursing assistants
- EMTs and other first responders
- Medical assistants
- Physicians and medical students
- Radiology and imaging professionals
- Physical therapy professionals and students
- Occupational therapy professionals and students
- Pharmacy students and professionals
- Dental professionals
- Other healthcare workers and healthcare-program students
If your employer or school requires BLS, Healthcare Provider CPR, or CPR/AED for healthcare professionals, this is most likely the course you need.
If you are unsure, confirm the required certification with your employer or school before registering.
Choose Your BLS CPR/AED Training Option
BLS CPR/AED – Classroom Course
Complete the full AHA BLS course in person with an instructor.
The classroom course includes instruction, hands-on practice, and skills testing during the same class session.
✓ Same-day AHA eCard after successful completion
Best for students who prefer:
- Instructor-led learning
- Hands-on practice throughout the course
- The ability to ask questions in real time
- Completing the entire course in one visit
BLS CPR/AED – Online + Skills
Complete the AHA online BLS course at your own pace, then attend an in-person skills session with an instructor.
The hands-on session allows you to demonstrate the CPR and BLS skills required to complete your certification.
✓ Same-day AHA eCard after successful completion
Best for students who prefer:
- More flexibility with the classroom portion
- To complete the cognitive portion from home
- A shorter in-person visit
- The same AHA BLS Provider certification as the classroom course
What You Will Learn in BLS CPR/AED
BLS training focuses on the skills healthcare professionals may need when responding to life-threatening emergencies.
Training includes:
- High-quality CPR
- CPR for adults, children, and infants
- Automated External Defibrillator — AED use
- Rescue breathing and ventilations
- Recognition of cardiac arrest
- Choking and foreign-body airway obstruction response
- Single-rescuer BLS
- Multi-rescuer BLS
- Effective resuscitation team dynamics
- Responding in both healthcare and out-of-hospital environments
Hands-on practice is an important part of both the classroom and blended-learning options.
Does BLS Include CPR and AED Training?
Yes.
BLS is a CPR and AED course designed specifically for healthcare professionals and healthcare students.
If someone tells you that you need “CPR and BLS,” they may be referring to healthcare-provider CPR training. BLS already includes CPR, AED use, and other lifesaving skills required for healthcare settings.
If you are uncertain about your employer or school’s requirement, ask whether they specifically require an American Heart Association BLS Provider certification.
BLS CPR/AED Certification
After successfully completing the course requirements, students receive an American Heart Association BLS Provider eCard.
The BLS Provider certification is valid for two years.
Both the classroom and Online + Skills options lead to the same AHA BLS Provider course completion card.
Renewing Your BLS Certification in Jacksonville FL
Current or expired BLS providers can take our regular American Heart Association BLS course to renew their certification.
Rather than offering a shortened renewal-only course, we use the full BLS course so participants receive a complete review of CPR, AED use, choking response, and team-based resuscitation skills.
Students who successfully complete the course receive a new American Heart Association BLS Provider eCard valid for two years.
