Become Certified as an AHA Instructor
Welcome!
So, you are looking to become an instructor–You are in the right place! We look forward to working with you on your journey!
I have been an American Heart Association (AHA) Instructor for almost 20 years. Without question, becoming certified as an instructor is one of the best decisions of my life.
My name is Adam. I am a firefighter and paramedic and the Training Center Coordinator of Advanced Professional Healthcare Education (APHE) AHA Training Center. My team and I will be helping you become certified as an instructor and begin teaching lifesaving skills to others.
Whether you are becoming an instructor to teach for your employer, school or another organization or looking to start your own training business, we have the complete program so you can become certified quickly and begin training students. As an authorized AHA Training Center, our comprehensive instructor training and certification program provides you with AHA Instructor certification and enables you to certify others in AHA’s Heartsaver® First Aid CPR AED and BLS. You will learn to train individuals on when, why and how to correctly use the critical skills that save lives.
We may not have the easiest or fastest instructor training. Although we are very easy to work with and can get you certified quickly, what you will be teaching is important. We have an obligation to our students and the victims who they encounter in the future to ensure that what we are delivering is engaging, remembered and correctly implemented when it is needed. I don’t want you just to be a certified instructor–I want you to be THE BEST instructor! I remind every instructor class–one of your students may need to do CPR on me or someone in my family someday. One of your students may need to use these lifesaving skills on someone in your family someday. It is in all of our best interests for our students to skip the quick, cheap online course and take a hands-on course that focuses on high-quality resuscitation skills with an exceptional instructor.
Thank you for taking the time to learn about becoming an instructor. I look forward to meeting you soon!
- Adam
How to Become an AHA Instructor
Current Provider Certification
Current Provider Certification
Current Provider Certification
You must have a current certification as a provider for the discipline that you intend to teach (ex: a BLS Provider can take the BLS Instructor class). Sign up for a Provider Class
Online Precourse Assignment
Current Provider Certification
Current Provider Certification
AHA requires all Instructor Candidates to complete the approximately 2-hour online Instructor Essentials prior to attending the instructor class.
Live or Virtual Classroom
Current Provider Certification
Live or Virtual Classroom
Join Adam in a live, virtual or in-person Instructor Class. This 6-7-hour program provides an overview of everything you need to know to teach an AHA class.
Mentoring with Instructor
Mentoring with Instructor
Live or Virtual Classroom
After your Instructor Class, you will observe a certified AHA instructor teach an AHA class. Your mentor will provide suggestions and insight.
Evaluation by Faculty
Mentoring with Instructor
Evaluation by Faculty
When you are ready, a Training Faculty member of our team observes you teaching and certifies you as an AHA Instructor!
Teach Your Students
Mentoring with Instructor
Evaluation by Faculty
As a certified instructor, you teach your own classes. In order to certify students, you must be aligned with a Training Center. Click here to learn more.
Which Instructor Class is Right for Me?
AHA BLS Instructor Class
Teach American Heart Association BLS Provider and Heartsaver® First Aid CPR AED classes and skills sessions.
BLS (Basic Life Support) classes are for students who are healthcare providers; Heartsaver® classes are for students who are not in healthcare or any student who needs First Aid certification.
AHA Heartsaver® Instructor Class
Teach American Heart Association Heartsaver® First Aid CPR AED classes and skills sessions. Heartsaver® classes are for students who are not in healthcare or any student who needs First Aid certification.
AHA Instructor Courses
Basic Life Support
Taking an AHA Instructor Course requires completion of an online AHA precourse assignment. The classroom portion of the course can be completed in person or virtually. You also must complete a check off with an Instructor Trainer. Please contact us about preparation, to order your precourse assignment, or to schedule your check off.
1-2 hour online precourse; 6-7 hour virtual or in-person instructor class; monitored teaching
For any person who wants to learn how and be certified to teach American Heart Association BLS, BLS Renewal and Heartsaver First Aid CPR AED classes and BLS and Heartsaver Skills Sessions.
Prerequisites: Current BLS Provider card & complete "BLS Instructor Essentials" online (available when registering for class) $38.
Textbook: Print or eBook $52.
1-2 hour online precourse; 6-7 hour virtual or in-person instructor class; monitored teaching
For any person who wants to learn how and be certified to teach American Heart Association Heartsaver First Aid CPR AED classes and Skills Sessions.
Prerequisites: Current BLS or Heartsaver Provider card & complete "Heartsaver Instructor Essentials" online (available when registering for class) $38.
Textbook: Print or eBook $70.
1-2 hour online precourse; 6-7 hour virtual or in-person instructor class; monitored teaching
For any person who wants to learn how and be certified to teach American Heart Association PEARS classes.
Prerequisites: Current PALS or PEARS Provider card & complete "PEARS Instructor Essentials" online (available when registering for class) $38.
Textbook: Print only, $60.
Advanced Life Support
Taking an AHA Instructor Course requires completion of an online AHA precourse assignment. The classroom portion of the course can be completed in person or virtually. You also must complete a check off with an Instructor Trainer. Please contact us about preparation, to order your precourse assignment, or to schedule your check off.
1-2 hour online precourse; 6-7 hour virtual or in-person instructor class; monitored teaching
For any person who wants to learn how and be certified to teach American Heart Association ACLS and ACLS Update classes and ACLS Skills Sessions.
Prerequisites: Current ACLS Provider card & complete "ACLS Instructor Essentials" online (available when registering for class) $38.
Textbook: Print or eBook $65.
1-2 hour online precourse; 6-7 hour virtual or in-person instructor class; monitored teaching
For any person who wants to learn how and be certified to teach American Heart Association PALS, PALS Update and PEARS classes and PALS Skills Sessions.
Prerequisites: Current PALS Provider card & complete "PALS Instructor Essentials" online (available when registering for class) $38.
Textbook: Print or eBook $65.
1-2 hour online precourse; 6-7 hour virtual or in-person instructor class; monitored teaching
For any person who wants to learn how and be certified to teach American Heart Association ACLS for Experienced Providers classes.
Prerequisites: Current ACLS EP Provider card & complete "ACLS EP Instructor Essentials" online (available when registering for class) $38.
Textbook: Print only, $88.
AHA Disclaimer: The American Heart Association strongly promotes knowledge and proficiency in BLS, ACLS, and PALS and has developed instructional materials for this purpose. Use of these materials in an educational course does not represent course sponsorship by the American Heart Association. Any fees charged for such a course, except for a portion of fees needed for AHA course materials, do not represent income to the Association.
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