Instructor Courses FAQs

Visit the Certify page to learn about becoming an Instructor and for Instructor resources. 

The AHA requires that an Instructor Candidate (new instructor prior to being certified) must be at least 18 years of age to teach Heartsaver® and BLS courses. ACLS, PALS, ACLS EP, ASLS® and PEARS® Instructors must be at least 18 years of age and licensed or certified in a healthcare occupation where the skills are within the provider’s scope of practice.

The Instructor Essentials Online courses are online, self-directed, discipline-specific courses developed by the American Heart Association that teach information needed to instruct classroom courses and conduct skills practice and testing sessions for blended learning (eLearning) courses associated with each discipline. Completion of the AHA Instructor Essentials Online course is required prior to participating in an AHA Instructor Essentials class.

An Instructor Candidate must complete the disciple-specific AHA Instructor Essentials Online Course for each discipline that he or she wants to teach (BLS, ACLS or PALS).

 The features of the Instructor Essentials Online course include:

• Self-paced, Internet-based class,
• Two parts: Core and discipline specific,
• Interactive exercises and videos,
• When the online portion is successfully completed, a certificate of completion is available to print or send (certificate must be presented for access to the in-person Instructor class),
• Students have access to the online portion for two years after activation to be able to return to what they have learned, &
• Includes audio and subtitles.

Typically, the online portion takes approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour to complete, depending on the student's experience.

No. Completing the Instructor Essentials Online course and submitting the certificate of completion is a prerequisite for the In-Person Instructor Essentials Class.

There are no CE credits available for the AHA's Instructor Essentials Courses.

Before taking the Instructor Essentials course, an Instructor Candidate must be aligned with an AHA Training Center offering the discipline that he or she wishes to teach and that is accepting new Instructors. He or she must have a completed Instructor Application on file with the accepting Training Center. The Candidate must also have a current provider course completion card in the discipline he or she wishes to teach.

The Instructor Essentials Courses are blended learning. An Instructor Candidate must complete the online portion, followed by the in-person, classroom session conducted by AHA Training Faculty.

Yes. An AHA BLS Instructor is authorized to teach all Heartsaver® courses, including Heartsaver® CPR AED, Heartsaver® First Aid, Heartsaver® First Aid CPR AED, Heartsaver® Pediatric First Aid CPR AED, Heartsaver® Bloodborne Pathogens and Family & Friends CPR.. The Instructor must have the appropriate Instructor manual for the course that he or she is teaching. The BLS Instructor should also review the student workbook for the course prior to teaching the course.