BLS Instructor Renewal Criteria

Thank you for your interest in American Heart Association BLS Instructor Renewal Training with CPR Tacoma. CPR Tacoma offers renewal classes to those instructors who are aligned with our Training Center. We welcome new instructors! Feel free to call our staff 8:30am - 5:00pm Monday - Friday with any questions you might have. Or for more information on how to align with us you can visit our American Heart Association Training Center Information page.

To enroll in a class, or view our current BLS Instructor Renewal schedule click here. The following information outlines instructor eligibility to enroll in a renewal course, required skill proficiencies, required course materials (which are not included in the cost of the class), and how to prepare. Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions via phone (206-504-3280) or email (cpr@cprseattle.com).

 

Eligibility for Renewal

1. Instructor must be aligned with CPR Tacoma / CPR Classes USA. For information on aligning with us, please visit our American Heart Association Training Center Information page.

2. Instructor must hold a current provider card from CPR Tacoma in the discipline they teach most frequently (BLS or Heartsaver First Aid & CPR). Please call our office for a discount code for taking the class.

3. Instructor must have taught four BLS or Heartsaver classes (BLS, Heartsaver CPR, Heartsaver first aid, or skills checks) in the two years prior to their certification card expiration. These course records must be submitted to CPR Tacoma before the instructor renewal course (instructors aligned with CPR Tacoma do not need to submit course paperwork as we have access to those electronic records).

4. Instructor must hold a current BLS Instructor card, and submit a copy to CPR Tacoma (front and back) prior to the BLS Instructor Renewal Course (CPR Tacoma has instructor cards on file for those instructors aligned with us).

5. Instructor must have completed any AHA updates required within the previous two years. A completion certificate must be submitted to CPR Tacoma before the instructor renewal course if any updates were required by the AHA. Updates are usually required every 5 years as the CPR & first aid standards change.

6. Instructor must be able to demonstrate exemplary BLS/healthcare provider CPR, lay rescuer CPR and first aid skills (listed below), and pass both the BLS Student Exam and the Heartsaver Student Exam.

Instructors who do not meet the renewal eligibility criteria listed above can attend the initial BLS Instructor Training course. CPR Tacoma will need a copy of your AHA Core Instructor Course (in the event that the Core Course certificate cannot be produced the course must be repeated).

 

Required Skill Proficiencies

• 1 rescuer adult CPR (BLS Course)
• 2 rescuer adult CPR with AED (BLS Course)
• 1 rescuer infant CPR (BLS Course)
• 2 rescuer infant CPR (BLS Course)
• Lay rescuer adult CPR (Heartsaver CPR)
• Lay rescuer infant CPR (Heartsaver CPR)
• Relief of FBAO (Heartsaver CPR)
• Finding the Problem (Heartsaver First Aid)
• Epi-Pen administration (Heartsaver First Aid)
• Control of severe bleeding (Heartsaver First Aid)

 

How to Prepare for the AHA BLS Instructor Renewal Course

If you do not teach frequently you will need to practice your skills in order to pass the instructor renewal class. Please go through both your BLS and Heartsaver course materials and course DVD for review.

 

Required Teaching Materials

To order materials call CPR Tacoma (206-504-3280, cpr@cprseattle.com).

• AHA BLS for Healthcare Providers Instructor Manual
• AHA BLS for Healthcare Providers Student Manual
• Timing Device (AHA Stopwatch or similar device which can be stopped and started without looking at the device) 
• AHA BLS for Healthcare Providers Course and Renewal Course DVD (required for teaching but not required to bring to the instructor training)

Please note that the AHA BLS for Healthcare Providers Instructor Package includes all the items listed above at a substantial discount. If instructors wish to conduct Heartsaver programs the following materials are required for teaching: Heartsaver First Aid CPR/AED Instructor Manual, Heartsaver First Aid CPR/AED DVD set, Heartsaver First Aid CPR/AED Student Manual (the Heartsaver Student Manual is highly recommended to prepare for the BLS Instructor Training).