
ACLS Instructor Essentials
NOTE: This course is not eligible for return or refund.
Before beginning the Instructor training process, candidates must have a current provider course card for their chosen discipline, and must align with an American Heart Association Training Center that is accepting new Instructors in their chosen discipline. IF YOU ARE PLANNING TO ALIGN WITH CRITICAL ACTIONS SAFETY CENTER YOU MUST CONTACT US TO GET APPROVAL FOR ALIGNING WITH CRITICAL ACTIONS SAFETY CENTER PRIOR TO REGISTERING FOR THIS COURSE.
American Heart Association Instructor training consists of two stages:
- The Instructor candidate takes the self-directed online Instructor Essentials portion in his or her chosen discipline.
- The Instructor candidate takes the hands-on session conducted by training center faculty.
Upon successful completion of both steps, candidates receive an Instructor card, valid for two years.
Per the American Heart Association, all students attending an American Heart Association course must have a current copy of the appropriate course student manual for the course in which a student is attending before, during and after the course. If you have a current copy of the appropriate course student manual, you do not need to purchase one here; however you must bring your student manual with you on the day of your course. Student manuals purchased with a course registration are sold at a discounted rate.
A required part of the training process for new Instructors, the online Instructor Essentials courses include information that Instructors need in order to teach American Heart Association courses. Each Instructor Essentials course includes core information about teaching American Heart Association courses, with the remainder of the presentation focused on discipline-specific information.
Instructor Essentials courses offer self-directed learning that is available 24 hours a day, and provide eligibility for continuing education credit.
Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) Instructor Essentials Online
ACLS Instructor Essentials Online is the self-directed, online portion of the ACLS Instructor Essentials course.
The ACLS Instructor Essentials course is designed to prepare Instructor candidates to teach AHA Instructor-led and blended-learning courses. Candidates who successfully complete the course receive access to a printable certificate granting them entrance to the hands-on, faculty-led session. They must pass this session to qualify for a ACLS Instructor card, which qualifies them to teach the ACLS classroom-based course and conduct HeartCode® ACLS hands-on sessions. PC and Mac® OSX compatible (not compatible with iOS). Please include an e-mail address when ordering. The access key and instructions on how to log in and register for the course will be e-mailed to you, usually within 1 business day. NOTE: You must purchase one online access key for each candidate trained. This product is not eligible for the standard 30-day return policy.
The ACLS Instructor Essentials course educates Instructor candidates on how to adequately use AHA Instructor teaching materials, ensure that students meet learning objectives, offer student coaching skills, provide an objective skills performance evaluation, and follow AHA Instructor and course policies. The course covers core content and discipline-specific content required to teach AHA courses.
The ACLS Instructor Essentials course is taught in a blended-learning format. AHA ACLS Instructor candidates must complete the online portion, followed by the hands-on session conducted by ACLS Training Center faculty.
Prior to taking this course, candidates must have a current ACLS Provider Course Completion Card. Candidates who successfully complete the ACLS Instructor Essentials course, followed by course monitoring, will receive an ACLS Instructor card, valid for two years. ACLS Instructors are then able to teach ACLS classroom-based courses and conduct HeartCode ACLS hands-on sessions.
This course must be completed by candidates who wish to become AHA ACLS Instructors. Also, all AHA ACLS faculty (Regional and Training Center) who conduct ACLS Instructor courses must complete ACLS Instructor Essentials Online prior to conducting ACLS Instructor training.
- Self-paced; accessible wherever Internet access is available
- Presented in two parts: Core and ACLS; both must be completed unless Core has been completed as part of previous AHA Instructor training
- Includes interactive exercises and videos
- Includes Resource Center with access to AHA’s Program Administration Manual, the ACLS Instructor Candidate Workbook, the ACLS Instructor Essentials Classroom Checklist, and quick links to the AHA Instructor Network and cpr.heart.org
- Certificate of completion available to print when the online portion has been completed successfully; certificate must be presented for access to the hands-on, faculty-led session
- Students have access to all information in the online portion for 24 months after activation of their key to help reinforce what they have learned
- Includes audio and subtitles for any students who may have a visual or an auditory disability
- Continuing education credits available
- Self-paced, accessible wherever Internet access is available
- Presented in two parts: Core and BLS; both must be completed
- Includes interactive exercises and videos
- Includes Resource Center with access to AHA’s Program Administration Manual, the BLS Instructor Candidate Workbook, the BLS Instructor Essentials Classroom Checklist, and quick links to the AHA Instructor Network and cpr.heart.org
- Certificate of completion available to print when the online portion has been completed successfully; certificate must be presented for access to the hands-on, Faculty-led session
- Students have access to all information in the online portion for 24 months after activation of the online access key to help reinforce what they have learned
Includes audio and subtitles for any students who may have a visual or auditory disability. Continuing education credits available.
EEligibility for continuing education credit:Physicians -- The American Heart Association designates this enduring material for a maximum of 1.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.Physician assistants -- AAPA accepts certificates of participation for educational activities certified for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ from organizations accredited by ACCME or a recognized state medical society. Physician assistants may receive a maximum of 1.25 hour of Category I credit for completing this program.Nurse practitioners -- American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) accepts AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ from organizations accredited by ACCME. AMA credit must be claimed within 6 months of participation. CME/CE credit will no longer be available to claim after the 6-month claiming period.Nurses -- The maximum number of hours awarded for this CE activity is 1.25 contact hours. ANCC credit must be claimed within 6 months of participation. CME/CE credit will no longer be available to claim after the 6-month claiming period.Pharmacists -- ACPE credit: 1.25 Contact Hours. Universal Program Number: 0256-0000-17-004-H04-P. ACPE credit must be claimed within 30 days of participation. ACPE credit will no longer be available to claim after the 30-day period has elapsed.Emergency medical services -- This continuing education activity is approved by the American Heart Association, an organization accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Pre-Hospital Continuing Education (CAPCE), for 1.25 Educator CEH, activity number 17- AMHA-F3-0007. CAPCE credit must be claimed within 6 months of attendance. CME/CE credit will no longer be available to claim for this activity after the 6-month claiming period.
PC and Mac® OSX compatible. Content available 24 months following activation of Key Code.
In the event you do not arrive with in 15 minutes after your scheduled time, cancel or re-schedule your course or skills practice and testing session within the allotted time, and you would like to reschedule the course or skills practice and testing session, you will have to re-register for the course and pay all course fees.
Computer with Internet access
Minimum computer requirements:
- Connection: Broadband/T1/Cable/DSL/Fiber/etc.
- Operating system: Windows XP or later, or Mac OSX 10.6 or later
- Processor speed: 1+ GHz Pentium or equivalent
- RAM: 1+ GB RAM
- Web browser: Internet Explorer 9 or above, Chrome (recommended), or Firefox
- Speakers/headphones: Recommended
- Soundcard: Recommended
Plug-ins:
- Macromedia Flash (latest version)
- QuickTime Plugin (4.0 or above)
- Adobe Acrobat Reader (latest version)
If you are not completely satisfied, customers may return products in original condition within 30 days of receipt for a full credit or exchange, unless otherwise noted. No refund will be given for any opened or used product or course materials. All Blended Learning, Heartcode, Online and E-Learning Course registrations are final and they are not eligible for any refunds.

