Frequently Asked Questions

What topics are covered in the BLS for Healthcare Provider course?

Adult rescue breathing
Adult CPR & AED (1 & 2 rescuer)
Adult choking management
Child/infant rescue breathing
Child/infant choking management
Child CPR

What if my employer does not accept "online" courses?

Keep in mind that what most employers mean by "online" courses is 100% online based BLS courses, which you can find on the internet. For good reason most employers will not accept those type of courses since they do not verify that you have actually learned the skills through in-person skills evaluation. Our online BLS certification courses are a form of "blended training", which has both online and in-person training components. This is very different from an "online" course. Also, the certification card that you receive from your local training center after completing your skills test will be the exact same card you would receive in a 100% classroom based course. So, unless you tell them, your employer will not even know that you took a portion of the course online. :-)

Who can take these BLS courses? Are they just for retraining?

Anyone can take the American Heart Association BLS for Healthcare Provider course. In the past the AHA called this a renewal only course and required previous classroom based training. However, as of the beginning of 2008 the AHA specifies that the online BLS for Healthcare Provider course is intended for training of either first-time or renewing providers. As before, an in-person skills test is also required in order to receive a certification card.

What is the process for the AHA BLS for Healthcare course?

The online portion of the course contains mandatory checkpoints that must be successfully completed before a student is allowed to access the final written test. There are also exercises available for review, plus additional optional video clips that can be accessed for skills demonstrations. The confident student may opt to bypass the reviews and go immediately to the required checkpoint scenario. The student who answers a question incorrectly is redirected to the beginning of that checkpoint and given the option for review. Afterward he reattempts the checkpoint. Each checkpoint must be completed with 100% accuracy.

If a student is unsure of an answer to a question in the checkpoint, he can select the "Brief Review" option. When he has completed the review, he returns to the checkpoint. After completing all the checkpoints, the student is directed to the online written posttest. Following successful completion of the online portion, the student prints a certificate that he takes to the skills session.

Should a student not be able to successfully complete either version of the posttest, they will be instructed to print the course homepage. This page will document which parts of the program have been completed. The student should take this page to their scheduled skills session. The instructor providing the skills check will provide for additional remediation as needed, in accordance with the current Program Administration Manual.

Is a skills test required?

Absolutely. The skills test is what makes blended BLS training superior to 100% online courses offered by other online companies. Validation of your hands-on skills is required for certification.

How is a skills session scheduled?

A local AHA Training Center must be contacted to arrange a skills check. To locate a local skills testing center we ask that you first go to http://www.americanheart.org/cpr. If you are not able to locate a skills testing center after checking online, please feel free to contact My CPR Pros at 704.302.1055 to get the phone numbers of current skill testing centers in your area. Please keep in mind that each skill testing center may charge an additional fee for the skills test and that that fee varies from center to center. Typical rates run from $25-50 for skills testing.

What makes up the skills check?

The skills check, which must be completed by an instructor, includes those skills required in a standard BLS for Healthcare Providers course:

Adult Skills

Integrated relief of foreign-body airway obstruction (FBAO) in the responsive and unresponsive adult victim and rescue breathing and use of a bag-mask device
Integrated adult 1- and 2-rescuer CPR and AED use and use of a mouth-to-mask device

Child Skills

Integrated relief of FBAO in the responsive and unresponsive child, 1- and 2-rescuer CPR, and rescue breathing and use of a bag-mask device

Infant Skills

Integrated relief of FBAO in the responsive and unresponsive infant, 1- and 2-rescuer CPR, and rescue breathing and use of a bag-mask device

Can course material be accessed after the online portion is completed?

You will have access to the online course material for 12 months from the day of enrollment to refer to the course material for review and knowledge updates.

How long to I have to complete the skills testing portion of the course?

Students are allowed up to 60 days after the completion of online part of the course to complete the skills check.

How long does it take to complete?

Students generally require 1-2 hours to complete the online portion of the course.

Does the program require special computer or support software?

Browser: MS Internet Explorer 5+ or Netscape 6
Java and JavaScript-enabled (Pre-installed in most browsers)
QuickTime Plugin 4.0+ (Pre-installed in most browsers)

Who should I contact if there are problems with the online course?

If you don't receive your login instructions within 1 business day, please contact us at 704.302.1055. However, if you are having issues with the online course itself you will need to contact the course provider directly. We have provided their contact information below.

American Heart Association (course developed by Scitent, Inc.)
888-AHA-8883
9:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m. EST, Monday - Friday.