FAQ

HeartCode online learning
Claiming and retrieving your E-Card
Card expiration
Required Equipment for Courses
2019 Required Manikins
Continuing Education Credits

 

Heartcode Online and skills training

All Heartcode training course requires two parts: 1. Complete the online course 2. Attend an instructor-led skills session.

HeartCode® BLS Online Portion: Tips For Students (download)
2019 HeartCode BLS Technical Tips (download)

Heartcode BLS includes the following downloadable resources:
– BLS Reference Card
– Algorithms
– Team Diagram
– Summary of High-Quality CPR Components
– Skills Testing Checklists
– AHA Chain of Survival

Claim and retrieving your E-card

Step by step guide for claiming e cards (download)

You will receive an email from the American Heart Association to initially claim your E-card. To view your E-card for further use you can visit www.heart.org/cpr/mycard

Course Completion Card Validity Period

All AHA course completion cards are valid for 2 years through the end of the month in which the course completion card was issued.
The only exception is the Heartsaver Bloodborne Pathogens Course participation card. Per the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, this course participation card is valid for only 1 year.

AHA ECC Classroom-Based Course Criteria

An AHA ECC classroom-based course must meet the following criteria before a course completion card may be issued and the course is referred to as an AHA course. The intent of this policy is to ensure consistent quality in AHA courses wherever they are taught.

  • The course instructor(s) must be a current AHA-recognized instructor. Specialty Faculty with expertise in a particular content area may assist AHA Instructors in advanced life support courses. Specialty Faculty do not count in the required student-to-instructor ratio as outlined in the appropriate Instructor Manual.
  • The course must be taught according to the guidelines and core curriculum set forth in the current editions of the AHA course textbook(s) and/or Instructor Manual(s). An instructor can add topics before or after the AHA core curriculum, so long as the addition of these topics does not interrupt the flow of the course or impact the instructional design of the course.
  • Each student must have the current appropriate course textbook readily available for use before, during, and after the course. Textbooks are designed for individual use and are an integral part of the student’s education before, during, and after the course. Students may reuse their textbooks during renewals until new science guidelines are published. See Course Fees, Materials, and Equipment for more information.
  • The current edition of AHA course materials, DVDs, and exams must be used. Using the course DVDs is mandatory in-classroom courses.
  • A course evaluation form must be used in each ECC course to obtain feedback from students on course content and instructors. Note: For facilities or TCs using eCards, the AHA no longer requires that course evaluations be on paper. Students can complete their online course evaluations when claiming their eCards. For facilities or TCs currently issuing paper course completion cards, the AHA still requires paper course evaluations.
  • After successful course completion, the appropriate AHA course completion card must be issued. The course completion card must meet all AHA card issuance requirements.

Course Equipment

Equipment required for each course is listed in the course-specific Instructor Manual. All equipment used must be in proper working order and good repair.

Effective January 31, 2019, the AHA requires the use of an instrumented directive feedback device or manikin in all AHA courses that teach the skills of adult cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Specifically, an instrumented directive feedback device or manikin is one that, at a minimum, provides audio or visual (or both) feedback on the rate and depth of compressions during CPR training. This requirement will impact BLS, ACLS, ACLS EP, and Heartsaver® courses. In the future, as more devices become available for child and infant CPR, we will also require the use of feedback devices in courses that teach the skills of child and infant CPR.

With the increase in popularity and functionality of electronic tablets in the past few years, there has been a surge in the development and use of tablet-based monitor/defibrillator applications.

Some of these tablet applications have the functionality of a monitor in which students can demonstrate that they know how to defibrillate, pace, or cardiovert by pushing the correct buttons.

For the tablet-based monitor simulator to be used as a monitor/defibrillator in advanced AHA courses, the student must be able to do the following with the tablet-based monitor:

  • See the rhythm running on the monitor on the tablet screen
  • Connect the tablet to the simulated patient with electrodes and defibrillator/pacing pads
  • Physically push a button to charge and shock and sync if applicable
  • Physically push buttons to set the rate and output while pacing

For the tablet-based monitor to be used as an automated external defibrillator (AED) trainer in AHA courses, it must meet the following requirements:

  • The student must be able to connect the tablet to the simulated patient with defibrillator pads.
  • The student must be able to physically push a button to charge and shock.
  • The device must give the student step-by-step instructions consistent with standard AEDs and AED trainers.

Continuing Medical Education/ Continuing Education Units

Some AHA classroom courses provide continuing education (CE) credit. TCs are encouraged to offer CE credit whenever possible for ECC courses.

Some online AHA courses do qualify for CE, CE (CEUs), or continuing medical education (CME) credit for doctors, nurses, and EMS professionals. Access eLearning.heart.org (opens new window)for continuing education opportunities and Learn.Heart.org (opens new window)for additional professional education opportunities.

The AHA is contracted to offer EMS students Continuing Education Hours (CEHs) through the Commission on Accreditation for Pre-Hospital Continuing Education (CAPCE)* for several disciplines:

  • ACLS
  • ACLS Experienced Providers (ACLS EP)
  • BLS
  • Heartsaver
  • PALS
  • PEARS

*CAPCE accreditation does not represent that the content conforms to any national, state, or local standard or best practice of any nature.

Note: EMS CE through CAPCE is available only for the US market. Due to contractual obligations for claiming CAPCE credit available to all EMS professionals, the TC is required to collect and submit the information requested on the AHA Instructor Network for every EMS professional who completes the activity.

The AHA does not require the student to accept the CE offering. The AHA recognizes that not all students will need the credit, and not all of their licensing agencies will accept the credit. However, when a provider completes one of these courses, the TC will report the credits to make them available to that provider, whether the provider needs them or not.

When a provider completes one of these courses, the TC will make these credits available to that provider.

 

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