How do I renew BLS Provider certification?

The American Heart Association Basic Life Support (BLS) Provider course trains healthcare professionals to provide CPR and use an Automated External Defibrillator (AED).  Hospitals and healthcare agencies usually require personnel with patient care responsibilities to maintain a current BLS Provider certification from the American Heart Association.

American Heart Association BLS Provider certification is valid for two years.

To renew the BLS Provider certification, healthcare professionals can either complete an instructor-led BLS Provider course or an online Heartcode BLS course followed by an instructor-led skills test. 

The instructor-led BLS Provider course takes about three hours and includes hands-on training, a skills test, and written examination.

The Heartcode BLS course takes about two hours to complete online and the in-person skills component takes about one hour.  The online component includes simulations and the written exam while the in-person component includes skills practice and testing. 

Successful completion of the instructor-led BLS Provider course and the online Heartcode BLS with skills testing results in an American Heart Association BLS Provider certification which is valid for two years.