First Coast CPR -
AHA BLS Instructor Training
Become an American Heart Association BLS Instructor
Take the next step from learning lifesaving skills to teaching them.
First Coast CPR offers American Heart Association BLS Instructor training for qualified candidates who want to teach BLS and Heartsaver-level courses.
Instructor classes are generally offered quarterly in March, June, September, and December.
What Is the AHA BLS Instructor Course?
The American Heart Association BLS Instructor pathway prepares qualified candidates to teach AHA Basic Life Support and Heartsaver courses.
Becoming an instructor involves more than attending one class. Candidates must complete several steps, including Training Center acceptance, prerequisite training, Instructor Essentials, classroom instruction, and instructor monitoring.
Who Can Become an AHA BLS Instructor?
Before beginning the instructor pathway, candidates must:
- Be at least 18 years old
- Be accepted by an AHA Training Center
- Have a completed Instructor Candidate Application on file
- Hold a current AHA BLS Provider course completion card
- Be proficient in BLS Provider skills
- Complete all required Instructor Essentials training
- Successfully complete instructor monitoring
- Complete the required Training Center alignment process in AHA Atlas
How to Become an AHA BLS Instructor
Follow these six steps to complete the instructor pathway.
1. Apply to an AHA Training Center
Every instructor candidate must be accepted by an American Heart Association Training Center.
You will need to complete an AHA Instructor Candidate Application and submit it to the Training Center you want to align with.
If you would like to become an instructor through First Coast CPR, submit your application to us before registering for Instructor Essentials.
DOWNLOAD INSTRUCTOR CANDIDATE APPLICATION
SEND YOUR APPLICATION TO INFO@FIRSTCOASTTRAININGCENTER.COM
2. Have a Current AHA BLS Provider Card
Instructor candidates must hold a current AHA BLS Provider course completion card and be proficient in BLS skills.
If you do not currently have a valid BLS Provider card, complete a BLS course before beginning the instructor pathway.
3. Obtain Your BLS Instructor Materials
Before beginning Instructor Essentials Online, the American Heart Association strongly recommends obtaining the current BLS Instructor Manual and appropriate instructor course materials.
The Instructor Essentials course references information contained in the Instructor Manual, so having access to the current manual while completing the online prerequisite will help you properly prepare for the course.
AHA currently offers BLS instructor materials in several formats through ShopCPR, including:
- BLS Instructor Manual
- BLS Instructor Manual eBook
- Instructor packages that include current course videos and instructor resources
Choose the format that works best for you.
PURCHASE THE BLS INSTRUCTOR MANUAL & DIGITAL VIDEO or
PURCHASE THE BLS INSTRUCTOR MANUAL & USB VIDEO or
PURCHASE THE BLS INSTRUCTOR MANUAL & DVD VIDEO
4. Complete BLS Instructor Essentials Online
The BLS Instructor Essentials course begins with a required online prerequisite.
You must successfully complete the online portion before attending the classroom/hands-on Instructor Essentials session.
The online course introduces important information about:
- AHA instructor requirements
- Using AHA teaching materials
- Coaching students
- Evaluating skills performance
- Instructor responsibilities
- AHA policies and procedures
The Instructor Essentials Online course is purchased separately through the American Heart Association.
PURCHASE BLS INSTRUCTOR ESSENTIALS ONLINE
Bring proof that you completed the online portion when you attend your classroom Instructor Essentials session.
5. Attend the BLS Instructor Essentials Classroom Session
After completing the online prerequisite, attend the classroom/hands-on portion of BLS Instructor Essentials with First Coast CPR.
First Coast CPR Instructor classes are generally offered quarterly in March, June, September, and December.
During the classroom session, instructor candidates learn how to:
- Prepare and organize AHA courses
- Use current AHA course materials
- Teach BLS and Heartsaver content
- Facilitate hands-on skills practice
- Coach students
- Conduct skills testing
- Evaluate student performance
- Use AHA lesson plans and testing materials
- Manage common classroom situations
- Complete required course documentation
- Work within AHA and Training Center policies
Candidates must successfully complete the required Instructor Essentials examination with a score of 84% or higher.
VIEW UPCOMING INSTRUCTOR CLASSES
6. Complete Instructor Monitoring & Training Center Alignment
Completing the classroom Instructor Essentials course does not immediately make you an AHA Instructor.
After the classroom session, you must successfully be monitored while teaching an AHA course.
AHA requires instructor monitoring to be successfully completed within six months of completing the hands-on Instructor Essentials session.
During monitoring, Training Faculty evaluates your ability to:
- Prepare and conduct an AHA course
- Teach course content effectively
- Facilitate hands-on practice
- Evaluate student skills
- Follow AHA course requirements
- Complete required course administration
Additional monitoring may be required if more practice is needed.
Monitoring options and the process for completing your instructor credential will be discussed during your classroom Instructor Essentials course.
After completing the required process, you will complete your Training Center alignment through AHA Atlas.
What Can an AHA BLS Instructor Teach?
BLS Instructors may teach AHA BLS and Heartsaver-level courses when they meet AHA requirements and have the appropriate current instructor materials.
Courses may include:
- BLS Provider
- Heartsaver CPR AED
- Heartsaver First Aid
- Heartsaver First Aid CPR AED
- Heartsaver Pediatric First Aid CPR AED
- Other authorized Heartsaver-level courses
Becoming a BLS Instructor does not automatically qualify you to teach ACLS, PALS, or other advanced AHA disciplines. Those disciplines have separate instructor requirements.
Your Instructor Materials Matter
Becoming an instructor means working directly from current AHA course materials rather than teaching from memory or creating your own version of the course.
Instructor materials provide the lesson plans, course structure, skills-testing information, and other resources needed to deliver AHA courses consistently.
Because AHA periodically updates its science and course materials, always make sure you are purchasing the current version of the BLS Instructor materials.
PURCHASE THE BLS INSTRUCTOR MANUAL & DIGITAL VIDEO or
PURCHASE THE BLS INSTRUCTOR MANUAL & USB VIDEO or
PURCHASE THE BLS INSTRUCTOR MANUAL & DVD VIDEO
When Are BLS Instructor Classes Offered?
First Coast CPR generally offers BLS Instructor training four times each year:
- March
- June
- September
- December
Exact dates vary each quarter.
Because candidates must complete several prerequisites before attending the classroom session, we recommend beginning the process well before the scheduled instructor class.
