Do you want to take a course online? It’s easy, convenient to schedule, and affordable!
However there is a lot of confusion over online CPR and First Aid courses. Valid CPR AED and First Aid courses require that you attend a skills session with an authorized instructor. Online-only courses with no-hands on skills component do not lead to valid certification and are just scams.
All American Heart Association and American Safety and Health Institute courses have a practical skills component to them. The online course alone will not lead to certification or issuance of an AHA or ASHI Certification Card. This is in bold because it is important. In fact since this is confusing I’ll even repeat it, the online course alone will not lead to certification or issuance of an AHA or ASHI Certification Card, you must complete a hands-on skills session to earn a certification card.
For ASHI Blended (online & skills session) Courses: The American Safety & Health Institute has a blended course option. You purchase the course through the instructor and will receive an email with a personal link to the online portion of the course. Once you complete the online portion you have 60 days to meet with an ASHI instructor to complete the skills portion. The card is then issued by the instructor or their ASHI Training Center.
Courses offered include:
All courses have a hands-on practical skills classroom session. Certification cards cannot be earned until the participant successfully completes the online and classroom portions of the course.
For AHA Online Courses: The American Heart Association offers several courses online. You can purchase the online course through an instructor or at www.onlineaha.org. Once you complete the online portion you must print off your course completion certificate and then have 60 days to meet with an AHA instructor to complete the skills portion. The card is then issued and arrives in the mail approximately 2-3 weeks. later.
Courses offered include:
All courses have a hands-on practical skills classroom session. Certification cards cannot be earned until the participant successfully completes the online and classroom portions of the course.
Each course has either 2 or 3 parts.
Part 1
Part 1 is the e-course. This covers all the materials in the textbook and/or the video portion of a classroom course, and includes an electronic exam. Once you successfully complete the online course you must print off your course completion certificate (for AHA courses) and bring that with you to take Part 2 and Part 3. You have 60 days after completing Part 1 to take Parts 2 & 3.
For AHA courses if you do not bring a copy of your course completion certificate you cannot participate in Part 2 and cannot take Part 3. This is important. You must have your certificate as I have to turn it in with the roster to have the cards issued by the hospital.
Please note: If you are planning on taking an online course and purchasing it yourself, you should contact an Instructor or Coastal CPR & First Aid, LLC prior to taking Part 1 to make sure there is an instructor available to provide Parts 2 & 3 for you.
Part 2 and Part 3
Part 2 is a skills session, part 3 is a skills test. This is when you will practice on a mannequin and review all the skills that were discussed in Part 1 or go over First Aid skills. The format of this session may vary from instructor to instructor. Some instructors may schedule each student individually or cover the skills review as a group. The material may be redemonstrated or portions of the DVD course may be played to demonstrate the skills. Either way each student must have sufficient hands on time to become comfortable with the skills.
Skills covered should include, but are not limited to:
| CPR AED | First Aid | BLS |
| 1 person Adult CPR AED | Patient assessment | 1 & 2 person Adult, Child & Infant CPR AED |
| 1 person Child CPR AED | Safe glove removal | Relief of choking |
| 1 person Infant CPR AED | Epi Pens | Rescue breathing/BVM |
| Relief of choking | Bandaging | Team Dynamics |
| Splinting (optional) | High Performance Team CPR |
If you purchase the course package (online class and skills session) you will pay 1 course charge to the instructor. If you purchase them separately you will have 1 charge for the online course and skills session charge payable to the instructor or training center.
If you have any questions on online courses and programs please contact me at info@coastalcpr.com. It is recommended you contact either Coastal CPR & First Aid or an instructor prior to taking the online course Part 1 to make sure that there is an instructor available to provide your skills session.
Having problems exiting your online Heartsaver course? Check out the AHA Blended Course Troubleshooting page.