The American Heart Association is dedicated to reducing the number of deaths caused by cardiovascular disease and stroke. They do this by training people on how to use CPR to save the life of someone under cardiac arrest. The American Heart Association offers a variety of CPR classes for everyone, not just for medical professionals.
As many as 400,000 people in the US will suffer from cardiac arrest this year. The majority of these individuals will die before even reaching the hospital.
It is a fact that if more people were trained in CPR, the number of survivors could double or triple. Statistics show that among the American population, 70% may not even respond to a cardiac arrest emergency because they are uneducated and do not know how to apply the lifesaving techniques of CPR. This is a sad statistic, and the American Heart Association’s mission is to improve these numbers.
By getting CPR certified, we embrace the American Heart Association’s motto: “Learn and Live.”
Why Take American Heart Association CPR Classes?
- Knowledge of CPR will give you the ability to save a life.
- Your workplace or school may ask that you have your CPR certification.
- You may work in a field that requires CPR as a skill, such as a fireman or an EMT.
The classes teach students to save the lives of infants, children, and adults. Without knowing how to perform CPR, individuals cannot take action, and lives are lost.
Each year, the American Heart Association trains over 12 million people, making them one of the largest and most reputable organizations for CPR certification.
CPR Certification Courses for Healthcare Providers
- Basic Life Support (BLS): This course is designed for people in the healthcare profession that may need CPR and other emergency response skills for their jobs. Their BLS certification classes, including exams, take about 4.5 hours to complete.
- Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS): This course is a more advanced version of the Basic Life Support certification. To take the ACLS certification class, you will need to have a valid BLS certification first. This course upgrades your knowledge by teaching about team dynamics and communication and airway management, and even pharmacology.
CPR Certification Courses for non-Healthcare Providers
- Heartsaver CPR AED: This classroom-based course will train you to be proficient in the use of CPR as well as an AED. If you need to get certified as a workplace or school requirement, this is most likely the course you need to take.
- Heartsaver First Aid CPR AED: This is the same as the Heartsaver CPR AED course but includes extra modules to learn the basics of responding to and managing a first aid emergency.
CPR Courses without Certification
- Family & Friends® CPR: This CPR course teaches students the techniques to save a life through applying CPR to an infant or child, CPR with rescue breaths, adult Hands-Only® CPR, how to use an AED, and choking relief in an infant, child, or adult. AHA’s practice-while-watching technique helps enhance students learning and retention.
- Family & Friends® CPR Anytime®: This course offers individuals the ability to learn CPR from the comfort of their home in 20 short minutes. The kit includes everything necessary to learn basic CPR, AED skills, and choking relief. It even includes an inflatable manikin and a demonstration DVD. You will not receive CPR certification, but you will learn the core skills to save a life.
- Infant CPR Anytime: The Infant CPR Anytime educates individuals on how to apply CPR to infants and relieve choking infants. Choking is the #1 cause of accidental death in infants. This course comes in kit form and can be learned in the comfort of your own home in about 20 minutes. The course includes a baby-sized manikin. A smart choice for parents of newborn children.
To review the different American Heart Association courses, please refer to our AHA Course Matrix.
Get Started
Where can I find CPR classes near me? The American Heart Association offers classes in every state. To find a course offered in your area, you can search by zip code using the AHA ‘Find a Course’ tool.
Does the American Heart Association have classes online? Yes, but a portion of the training and evaluation will still have to be done in person. Through the American Heart Association eLearning portal, the AHA offers several courses online. However, before you are granted your CPR card, you will be required to attend an in-person skills session and evaluation.
What about a 100% online CPR certification? If you need your certification right away, without in-person training or evaluation, you can get certified with a nationally recognized online CPR certification provider. Online training and certification are gaining popularity because people prefer the ability to learn at their own pace in the comfort of their own homes. Make sure you choose a reputable provider that follows the American Heart Association guidelines, such as the highly recommended ProCPR.org.
Click here to visit ProCPR.org to get your CPR certification online.
For online ACLS certification, click here to visit ProACLS.com.
How long is my certification valid? The certifications granted by the AHA are valid for two years. Make sure to be responsible and renew your CPR certification before it expires.
The AHA is making a difference, but it is still up to the general public to enroll in American Heart Association CPR Classes to save lives.