Which Course Were You Told to Take? 

Confirm Before Enrolling

Ask your employer, department, school, or clinical program which certification it requires. Acceptance may vary between facilities and departments—even within the same organization.

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Important for Hospital Employees and Clinical Students

We have assisted several students who completed Red Cross BLS and later learned that their hospital department, employer, school, or clinical program specifically required American Heart Association BLS.

Before selecting Red Cross BLS, confirm that your specific department or program accepts Red Cross certification. Requirements may differ between departments within the same hospital system.

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My Employer or School Requires BLS

Choose BLS only if your employer, school, or clinical program specifically told you that you need Basic Life Support (BLS).

BLS is commonly required for:

• Nurses and nursing students

• Physicians and medical students

• EMTs and paramedics

• Respiratory therapists

• Dentists and dental professionals

• Hospital clinical staff

• Other professionals whose employer specifically requires BLS

 

American Heart Association HeartCode BLS

A Leading Standard in BLS Training

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$88 — Complete Blended-Learning Course 

• Online HeartCode course included

• Instructor-guided practice and evaluation

• Approximately  One-hour in-person session

• Frequently required by hospitals and clinical programs

• Accepted by many employers and programs​

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[ENROLL IN AHA HEARTCODE BLS AHA BLS HeartCode (Online+Skills Option) - BeginCPR.net

[READ MORE ABOUT AHA BLS HeartCode AHA BLS HeartCode (Online+Skills Option) | BeginCPR.net

 

American Red Cross BLS - Basic Life Support - BL, Red Cross - BeginCPR.net

$75 — Complete Blended-Learning Course

• Online course included

• Instructor-guided practice and evaluation

• Approximately two-hour in-person session

• May not be accepted by hospitals and clinical programs (Please check with your employers and clinical program administrators)[

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My Employer Requires CPR, AED, with First Aid or No First Aid, or First Aid Only

Choose CPR/First Aid if your employer did not specifically require BLS.

CPR/First Aid is commonly required for:

• Behavioral therapists

• Employees who support autistic children or adults

• Direct-support professionals

• Home healthcare aides and caregivers

• Childcare providers and teachers

• Fitness professionals

• Construction and general-industry workers

• Other nonclinical employees

Which CPR certification do they require?

[ENROLL IN AHA CPR/FIRST AID] - $98.00 - about one hour

CPR/First Aid Blended Learning Red Cross - BeginCPR.net - $85.00 about two hours

 

Not Sure?

Ask your employer, department, school, clinical program, or licensing agency these two questions:

1. Do I need BLS, or do I need CPR/First Aid?

2. Do I need American Heart Association certification, or is American Red Cross certification accepted?

Job titles alone do not determine the correct course. Requirements may differ by employer, facility, department, position, school, or clinical program.

Student Responsibility

Begin CPR cannot determine which certification your organization will accept. You are responsible for confirming the exact requirement before registering.

Choosing the wrong course or certification organization may require you to register and pay for another course.