BLS/ACLS/PALS/ASLS Instructor Courses

Stop the Bleed Instructor Course

Target Audience:

  • Healthcare professionals

  • Emergency responders

  • Educators and trainers

  • Community leaders and organizations

  • Laypersons with training capacity

Prerequisites:

To enroll in the ACLS Instructor Course, candidates must have:

  • Be 18 years or older.

  • Successfully complete a DoD-approved STOP THE BLEED® course, either the new Coalition-developed Essentials course or the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Stop the Bleed course. 

  • Register and complete a profile in the Training Management System to receive approval.

  • Enter into a sublicense agreement with the Stop the Bleed Coalition, allowing them to teach in-person classes at minimal or no cost to students.

Course Content:

The Stop the Bleed Instructor course is designed to empower individuals to teach the Essentials of STOP THE BLEED, a U.S. Department of Defense-approved program that equips the public to control severe bleeding until first responders arrive. Instructors learn to guide students through three critical techniques: applying direct pressure to a wound, packing a wound to control bleeding, and correctly applying a tourniquet. The course emphasizes practical skills, clinical knowledge, and community engagement strategies.

Learning Objectives:

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

  • Recognize life-threatening bleeding.

  • Teach the three core bleeding control techniques.

  • Use interactive scenarios to illustrate real-world applications.

  • Address potential student concerns, including apprehension about blood or injuries.

  • Teach diverse audiences, including students, teachers, community groups, and first responders.

Course Structure:

The course uses a blended learning format:

  • The course is offered in live classroom settings and may include online interactive modules for supplemental learning.

BLS/Heartsaver Instructor Course

Target Audience:

  • This course is intended for healthcare providers such as nurses, nursing students, CNAs, physical therapists, dentists, and pharmacists, as well as those entering the healthcare field. Participants should already have a current BLS Provider certification.

Prerequisites:

To enroll in the BLS Instructor Course, candidates must have:

  • Current AHA BLS Provider Certification: You must hold a valid AHA BLS Provider certification card. Certifications from non-AHA programs will not be accepted.

  • Completion of the Online Instructor Essentials Course: Before attending the instructor course, you need to complete the AHA BLS Instructor Essentials Online training. This course covers essential teaching principles and skills necessary for instructing others.

  • Skills Proficiency: Candidates must demonstrate proficiency in the skills required for BLS, including CPR and AED use. You will have the opportunity to practice and refine these skills during the Instructor Essentials course.

  • Alignment with an AHA Training Center: You must be aligned with an AHA Training Center to complete your instructor training. This involves speaking with a Training Center Coordinator to get your alignment approved before attending the instructor course.

Course Content:

The BLS/Heartsaver Instructor course prepares healthcare professionals and educators to teach American Heart Association (AHA) BLS and Heartsaver courses. Participants learn instructional strategies, skills demonstration techniques, and course management to confidently train others in high-quality CPR, AED use, and lifesaving emergency response. The course combines hands-on practice, teaching simulations, and AHA guidelines to ensure instructors are effective, knowledgeable, and ready to certify students.

Learning Objectives:

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

  • Skills Mastery: Demonstrate proficiency in all course skills, including CPR, rescue breathing, AED use, and bag-mask ventilation

  • Course Delivery: Teach AHA materials accurately using Instructor Manuals and Lesson Plans.

  • Testing: Evaluate students’ cognitive and psychomotor skills effectively.

  • Professionalism: Maintain high ethical and professional standards while teaching.

  • Program Administration: Manage class logistics, materials, and documentation in compliance with AHA guidelines 

Course Structure:

The course uses a blended learning format:

  • Online Instructor Essentials Module: A self-directed module covering the instructor cycle—Prepare, Teach, Test & Remediate, Close, and Keep Current. This module includes core information applicable to all AHA Instructor courses and discipline-specific content for ACLS.

  • Hands-On Faculty Session: An intensive in-person session (approximately 7 hours) where candidates practice teaching skills, manage simulated mega-code scenarios, and receive coaching from experienced AHA faculty 

  • Instructor Manual eBook: A comprehensive digital reference guide to support teaching and course management 

ACLS/Heartsaver Instructor Course

Prerequisites:

To enroll in the ACLS Instructor Course, candidates must have:

  1. A current AHA ACLS Provider Card.

  2. A current AHA BLS Instructor Card.

  3. Acceptance by an AHA Training Center as an Instructor Candidate, including submission of an Instructor Candidate Application

Target Audience:

  • Registered Nurses (RNs) and Nurse Practitioners (NPs) – experienced in critical care and emergency settings.

  • Paramedics and EMS Professionals – with advanced cardiac life support experience in prehospital or emergency medical services.

  • Physicians and Physician Assistants (PAs) – who teach or supervise ACLS in clinical or academic settings.

  • Healthcare Educators – in hospitals, EMS agencies, or training programs seeking to expand their credentials.

Course Content:

The ACLS Instructor course prepares healthcare professionals to teach American Heart Association (AHA) Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) courses. Participants learn effective teaching strategies, skills demonstration, debriefing techniques, and course management. The course ensures instructors can train others in advanced resuscitation, cardiac rhythm recognition, emergency pharmacology, airway management, and team-based patient care, all following current AHA evidence-based guidelines.

Learning Objectives:

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

  • Candidates must be monitored while teaching their first ACLS course, typically within six months of completing the instructor course.

  • Upon successful completion and monitoring, candidates receive an AHA ACLS Instructor eCard, valid for two years.

  • Instructors gain the ability to issue ACLS Provider cards and teach both classroom and blended learning courses

Course Structure:

The course uses a blended learning format:

  • Online Instructor Essentials Module: A self-directed module covering the instructor cycle—Prepare, Teach, Test & Remediate, Close, and Keep Current. This module includes core information applicable to all AHA Instructor courses and discipline-specific content for ACLS.

  • Hands-On Faculty Session: An intensive in-person session (approximately 7 hours) where candidates practice teaching skills, manage simulated mega-code scenarios, and receive coaching from experienced AHA faculty 

  • Instructor Manual eBook: A comprehensive digital reference guide to support teaching and course management.

PALS/Heartsaver Instructor Course

Prerequisites:

To enroll in the ACLS Instructor Course, candidates must have:

  1. Hold a current AHA PALS Provider certification (valid eCard)

  2. Be at least 18 years old

  3. Be proficient in BLS skills (Adult, Child, and Infant CPR with AED) and PALS content

  4. Complete the PALS Instructor Essentials Online course 

Target Audience:

  • Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) and Advanced Emergency Medical Technicians (AEMTs) Paramedics

  • Registered Nurses (RNs) and Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVNs)

  • Physicians (MDs, DOs)

  • Other healthcare providers with pediatric advanced life support experience

Course Content:

The American Heart Association PALS Instructor Course prepares qualified healthcare professionals to teach Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) classes according to AHA standards. It is a blended learning program combining an online Instructor Essentials course with a live, in-person instructor class and hands-on monitoring.

Learning Objectives:

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

  • Teach AHA PALS Provider courses effectively

  • Use AHA teaching materials and strategies

  • Coach students, evaluate skills performance, and ensure learning objectives are met

  • Follow AHA Instructor and course policies 

Course Structure:

The course uses a blended learning format:

  • Online Precourse – Complete the AHA PALS Instructor Essentials Online course, which covers:

    • Steps to becoming an AHA Instructor.

    • The instruction cycle: Prepare, Teach, Test & Remediate, Close, and Keep Current.

    • Using AHA teaching materials, coaching students, evaluating skills performance, and following AHA policies.

  • In-Person Instructor Class – A live, 6–7 hour session with an AHA-certified Instructor Trainer, covering:

    • AHA PALS materials and HeartCode® PALS/Blended Learning.

    • Required equipment and decontamination.

    • Class organization and materials that improve student retention.

    • AHA Instructor Network website.

    • Exams and skills testing procedures.

    • Completing and renewing instructor certification

ASLS/Heartsaver Instructor Course

Prerequisites:

To enroll in the ACLS Instructor Course, candidates must have:

  1. Hold a current AHA ASLS Provider eCard

  2. Complete the ASLS Instructor Essentials Online course

  3. Review the ASLS Instructor Manual and ASLS Provider Manual

  4. Be aligned with an AHA-Authorized Training Center 

Target Audience:

  • Current AHA ASLS Provider with a valid (not expired) ASLS Provider eCard

  • Proficient in ASLS course content and able to deliver the curriculum effectively

  • At least 18 years old

  • Healthcare professionals working in stroke care, whether in prehospital or in-hospital settings, who want to train others in ASLS principles and skills 

Course Content:

The ASLS Instructor Course is designed for healthcare professionals who are already ASLS Providers and want to become certified instructors to teach stroke management in both prehospital and in-hospital settings. The course emphasizes identifying, evaluating, and managing patients with acute stroke and aligns with the Joint Commission’s Advanced Certification requirements for stroke systems of care.

Learning Objectives:

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

  • Teach ASLS content effectively to healthcare professionals.

  • Conduct neurologic exams and stroke assessments.

  • Guide students in diagnosing and managing acute stroke scenarios.

  • Apply psychomotor skills and clinical decision-making in simulated environments

Course Structure:

The course uses a blended learning format:

  • Online ASLS Instructor Essentials: A self-directed, adaptive learning module that personalizes content based on performance and confidence levels.

  • In-Person Instructor Class: A 6–7 hour live session where candidates practice teaching, perform skills testing, and apply knowledge in simulated stroke scenarios.

  • Mentored Teaching and Monitoring: After the in-person session, candidates are observed teaching by a Training Faculty member and receive feedback before certification.

Interested in becoming an instructor? Contact us!