How to Choose a Group CPR Training Provider
How do you choose a group CPR training provider? Start with the exact course and card your employer, licensing board, or program accepts. Then ask each provider which organization and Training Center will issue the cards, how hands-on skills practice and testing work, and how cards and records are delivered, and get the terms in writing.
What this guide is: a neutral set of questions for comparing any CPR, first aid, BLS, or ACLS training provider, QKC Health included, based on AHA course and card information and OSHA guidance.
What it is not: a ranking or review of providers, hands-on training, a certification, or a promise that a specific card will be accepted. Confirm the course and card your employer, school or program, licensing board, or state rules require before you register.
Start With the Course and Card Your Requirement Names
Compare providers against the same written requirement. Keep it handy when you request quotes.
Before you contact providers, find the written requirement for each group of participants. It may come from an employer policy, a licensing board, a school or program, a contract, or an insurer, and it is the yardstick for every provider you compare. For each group, write down:
- The exact course name. AHA courses are named for their audience. The AHA designs BLS Provider for healthcare professionals, trained first responders, and people enrolled in healthcare training programs, and its Heartsaver courses for people with little or no medical training. A course with a similar name is not the same course.
- The version or modules, if the requirement names them. The AHA designs the full version of Heartsaver First Aid CPR AED, Heartsaver Total, to meet OSHA and regulatory requirements, and says the Basic version does not generally meet them, so ask the provider which version its class is. The AHA also notes that OSHA does not review or approve any courses. Heartsaver eCards list the optional modules each participant completed, such as Heartsaver Total, Child CPR AED, or Infant CPR AED, so also ask which modules the class will cover.
- A first card or a renewal. The AHA tells BLS students to contact their Training Center about renewals, so what a renewal involves, and who qualifies for one, can differ between providers. Check each participant's current card before you compare.
- The organization whose card is accepted. The AHA notes that other organizations may offer similar cards, and that non-AHA cards differ from valid AHA course completion cards. If your requirement names the AHA, compare only offers that include an AHA course completion card.
- Anything else the requirement names, such as a hands-on component, a renewal interval, or approved providers. Keep a copy of the requirement with its source and date.
To find out which rules apply and who sets them, use Workplace CPR and First Aid Requirements: What to Verify. To split a mixed team into course groups, use Which Course Does Your Team Need?, or check one person at a time with the CPR course finder. Then ask every provider about the same course, the same card, and the same participants, so the answers can be compared.
CPR Training Provider Checklist
The questions to ask every provider you are considering, QKC Health included. Print the list or copy it into an email.
Questions to ask each provider
Each group is explained in the sections that follow. Ask for the answers in writing.
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Red Flags When Choosing a CPR Training Provider
Any of these is a reason to stop and check before you book.
- A card without hands-on skills testing. For AHA courses that include psychomotor skills such as CPR, the AHA says students must complete a hands-on skills session to obtain a course completion card.
- A fully online certification offered for a workplace requirement. OSHA has stated that online training alone does not meet the first aid and CPR training requirements of its standards.
- A course name that does not match your requirement, or a provider that will not name the exact course and version before you book.
- No clear answer about who issues the cards. A provider offering AHA courses should be able to name the AHA Training Center that will issue your cards, and its Training Center ID.
- A claim of approval or certification by OSHA. OSHA says it does not certify first aid training programs, instructors, or trainees, and the AHA notes that OSHA does not review or approve any courses.
- Cards that cannot be checked. AHA eCards carry an eCard code and a QR code for verification, and the AHA says to check a card's validity with the Training Center that issued it.
- Nothing in writing. If the course, the card, the price, and the terms are not in writing, you cannot compare offers or plan around them.
A red flag is a reason to ask more questions, not proof of a problem. Ask the provider directly, and check with whoever sets your requirement before you decide.
How to Verify an AHA Training Center
For an AHA course, find out which authorized Training Center will issue the cards, then check it yourself.
The AHA says its course cards are available only to authorized Training Centers, and that the Training Center conducting a course is responsible for issuing the cards through its instructors and Training Sites. It describes its Training Centers as independent businesses that have an agreement with the AHA to provide its courses. So the provider you speak with may be a Training Center itself, a Training Site that works with one, or an instructor aligned with one. In every case a specific Training Center issues the cards, and you should know which one before you book.
What an AHA card shows
The AHA's Course Card Reference Guide shows that each AHA eCard includes:
- the course name, the participant's name, the issue date, and the Renew By month and year;
- the Training Center's name, Training Center ID, city and state, and phone number, and the Training Site name;
- the instructor's name and Instructor ID;
- an eCard code and a QR code that students and employers can use to view or verify the card.
The AHA says the Instructor ID lets each card be traced back to a specific instructor, Training Center, and course roster, and that eCard information can be changed only by the Training Center. Printed AHA cards carry the Training Center's name, ID, and contact information and the Instructor ID on the back.
Questions to ask the provider
- Which AHA Training Center will issue our cards? Ask for its name and Training Center ID exactly as they will appear on the card.
- How are you connected to that Training Center? Ask whether the provider is the Training Center, one of its Training Sites, or an instructor aligned with it.
- Who will teach? Ask for each instructor's name and AHA Instructor discipline. The AHA's card guide says an eCard proves issuance by a valid Training Center and an instructor aligned with that Training Center, so the instructor should be aligned with the Training Center that issues your cards.
- What will the card look like? Ask for a sample or a description of the eCard, including the Training Center and Training Site names.
How to check the answers
- Look up the Training Center. The AHA's course card page points to its Atlas Training Center search for finding Training Centers. It can search by location or by organization name or ID.
- Ask the AHA if you are unsure. The AHA's Course Card Reference Guide says to contact the AHA Customer Support Center at 1-877-242-4277 to verify the status of the Training Center that issued a card.
- Check the cards after class. The AHA says to check a card's validity with the Training Center that issued it, whose information is on the card. Employers can also verify claimed AHA eCards on the AHA eCards site with the eCard code or the QR code.
Checking the Training Center tells you who issues the cards. It does not tell you whether the course meets your requirement; only the employer, board, or program that sets the requirement can confirm that. If a Training Center does not respond to a question about a card, the AHA's course card page explains how to contact AHA support.
Instructors, Hands-On Practice, and Skills Testing
A course completion card depends on skills shown in person, so ask how the hands-on part of the class will run.
Hands-on skills are part of the course
The AHA says that for its courses that include psychomotor skills such as CPR, students must complete a hands-on skills session to obtain a course completion card, and that a card shows the person was able to perform the skills satisfactorily at the time of training. In an AHA classroom course, an AHA Instructor teaches the course and runs the hands-on practice and testing. In blended learning, participants complete the AHA online part first and then attend a hands-on skills session booked separately with a Training Center. Group Class Formats: Classroom Training and Skills Sessions explains these formats for organizers.
OSHA has said something similar about workplace training. In an August 2, 2012 interpretation, OSHA stated that online training alone would not meet the first aid and CPR training requirements of its standards, because those standards require training in physical skills such as bandaging and CPR, and the only way to learn physical skills is to practice them.
Who teaches
- Instructor discipline. AHA Instructor cards are issued by discipline, such as Heartsaver Instructor, BLS Instructor, and ACLS Instructor, and they show the Training Center the instructor is aligned with. The AHA says BLS Instructors can teach BLS and all Heartsaver courses.
- Training Center alignment. The AHA says that after receiving an Instructor eCard, an instructor aligns with a Training Center or Training Site. Ask which Training Center each instructor for your class is aligned with.
- ACLS instructors. The AHA requires ACLS Instructors to be at least 18 years old and licensed or certified in a healthcare occupation in which the skills are within their scope of practice.
- Instructor cards can be checked. AHA Instructor eCards carry an eCard code that instructors and employers can verify on the AHA eCards site.
Practice and testing for your group
- Instructors and equipment. Ask how many instructors and manikins there will be for your group size. The course times on the AHA's BLS course options page are based on one instructor, six students, and two manikins, and the AHA notes that Heartsaver class times vary with class size, equipment, and discussion or remediation.
- Practice for every participant. Ask how each participant will practice on a manikin and get feedback before testing.
- Skills tests and exams. Ask which tests the course includes. For the BLS Provider Course, for example, the AHA lists passing an Adult CPR and AED Skills Test and an Infant CPR Skills Test, and scoring at least 84% on the exam.
- If someone does not pass. The AHA says a card is issued to each student who successfully completes the course, so attending alone is not enough. Ask what happens if a participant does not meet the requirements on the day, including whether and when they can retest, and at what cost.
Participant Preparation and Course Materials
Get a written list of what participants must do before class, and find out who supplies the materials.
What participants must complete first
Ask each provider for a written list of what each participant must complete or bring before class. Examples from the AHA:
- Skills sessions. After the AHA online part of a HeartCode course, participants receive a certificate of completion, which the AHA says they must present to enter the instructor-led skills session.
- Prework. Some classroom courses include AHA prework. The AHA's ACLS course options, for example, describe video prework that students complete before attending class.
- Prerequisites. Some are set by the Training Center. The AHA does not require ACLS students to hold a current BLS Provider card, for example, but it says Training Centers may require one.
For QKC Health's BLS and ACLS courses, the BLS and ACLS pre-course checklists list what participants need by course and format. Hosting a Group Class: Setup and Participant Preparation covers telling participants what to expect.
Course materials
The AHA says each student must have their own current and appropriate manual or workbook readily available before, during, and after the course, and that copied manuals or workbooks may not be used. Its course pages list the student materials for each format, such as the BLS Provider Manual in print or as an eBook, or the Heartsaver First Aid CPR AED Student Workbook.
Who supplies the materials varies. The AHA tells students to ask their Training Center first, because the Training Center may include the materials as part of the course or direct students to buy them from the AHA. For blended learning, the AHA online part is a separate license that the AHA says students or instructors can purchase. Ask each provider to state in writing which materials and online parts its price includes.
How Cards and Training Records Are Delivered
Ask how cards reach participants and how you will know who completed the course.
The AHA says Training Centers must issue course completion cards within 20 business days of successful course completion. For an eCard, the AHA emails each participant a link to claim it, using the email address the participant gave for the course, and it says claiming the eCard is the only way a participant can show proof of course completion to an employer. An employer can view a participant's eCard only after it has been claimed.
Questions to ask about cards and records
- Timing: when the cards will be issued, and whether they will be eCards or printed cards. Get the expected timing in writing.
- Participant details: which name and email address each participant should give, so the eCard reaches them and matches your records.
- Your records: how and when you will receive a list of who completed the course and who did not, and in what format.
- Corrections: the AHA says changes to the information on a card are made by the Training Center, and participants can submit an edit request for their eCard details through the AHA eCards site. Ask who to contact for a correction and how it is handled.
- Replacements: the AHA says requests for duplicate or replacement cards go to the Training Center that issued the original card, which may charge a fee.
- Later checks: who to contact if an employer, auditor, or licensing board later asks you to confirm a card.
After the Class: Course Cards and Team Training Records explains how to verify eCards and keep team records once the class is over, and How to Track Employee CPR, BLS and ACLS Renewals covers tracking Renew By dates across a team.
Booking Terms to Get in Writing
Terms differ between providers. Get them in writing before you confirm, so you can compare offers on the same basis.
The AHA notes that its Training Centers set their own fees and schedules, so policies vary from provider to provider. Before you confirm with any provider, get written answers on:
- Request or booking: when your request becomes a confirmed booking, and how the course, date, time, and location are confirmed.
- Minimums: the minimum number of participants, and what is charged if fewer people attend.
- Cancellation and rescheduling: the deadlines and charges on your side, and what happens if the provider has to cancel or reschedule.
- Absences: whether a participant who misses the class changes the price, and how they can complete the course later.
- What the price includes: instruction, cards, materials, any online part, retesting, and replacement cards.
- Invoicing and payment: when you will be invoiced and when payment is due.
- Your site: for on-site training, the room, floor space for skills practice, power, and building access the provider needs from you.
To put quotes side by side, see Group CPR Training Costs: Budgeting and Comparing Quotes.
For QKC Health, these policies are set out in the Terms of Service. In short, a form submission or call is a request, and a booking is confirmed only when QKC confirms the course, date, time, and location in writing. The group CPR training planner summarizes the rest. To request group training from QKC Health, use the contact page.
Accessibility, Accommodations, and Language
Ask how each provider handles accommodation requests and language needs before you book.
The AHA's course pages tell students to contact their Training Center about its accommodations, and its Course FAQs say to ask a local Training Center about courses in other languages. Ask each provider:
- How should participants request an accommodation, by when, and who will handle the request?
- How can the instructor adapt skills practice, such as kneeling on the floor for CPR, for a participant with a physical limitation, and what would that mean for skills testing and the card?
- Are course materials available in accessible formats? The AHA says it does not produce materials in Braille, but it can provide a student manual or workbook in digital format through a Training Center.
- Which languages can the class, the videos, the materials, and the exam be delivered in? The AHA lists Spanish BLS Provider course materials, for example, and its Find a Class tool on Atlas has a language filter.
- Who will see any health or accommodation details a participant shares, and how will they be kept?
- For a class at the provider's location, is the training room accessible, including the entrance, restrooms, and parking?
For QKC Health, the Terms of Service ask you to tell QKC in advance about any accommodation a participant needs. When the class is at your site, Hosting a Group Class: Setup and Participant Preparation covers accessibility and accommodation requests for the class day.
Choosing a CPR Training Provider: Frequently Asked Questions
Start by asking which organization will issue the cards and, for an AHA course, which authorized AHA Training Center. The AHA says its course cards are available only to authorized Training Centers, and each AHA eCard names the Training Center and the instructor. Then check that the course includes hands-on skills practice and testing, get the course name and terms in writing, and confirm with your employer or licensing board that the course meets your requirement.
Ask the provider for the Training Center name and its AHA Training Center ID, then look it up in the AHA Atlas Training Center search, which can search by location or by organization name or ID. The AHA Course Card Reference Guide also says to contact the AHA Customer Support Center at 1-877-242-4277 to verify the status of the Training Center that issued a card.
The employer, licensing board, or program that sets your requirement decides, so ask them. For AHA courses that include CPR skills, the AHA says students must complete a hands-on skills session to obtain a course completion card. OSHA has stated that online training alone does not meet the first aid and CPR training requirements of its standards, because the physical skills have to be practiced.
Ask which course and card they will provide, which organization and Training Center will issue the cards, who will teach, how hands-on practice and skills testing will work, what participants must complete before class, which materials are included, when cards will be issued, how you will receive the list of who completed, and what their written terms say about minimums, cancellation, and invoicing.
Ask the provider. The AHA describes its Training Centers as independent businesses and says they can tell you whether they can send an instructor to you for on-site training. If they can, ask in writing what they need from your site, such as a room with floor space for skills practice and access to power.
Watch for a card offered without hands-on skills testing for a course that includes CPR skills, a fully online certification offered for a workplace requirement, a course name that does not match your requirement, no clear answer about which Training Center issues the cards, a claim of approval or certification by OSHA, and terms that are not in writing.
Sources
This guide summarizes the following official sources and QKC Health's own Terms of Service. They were checked on October 17, 2026.
- Course Card Information, American Heart Association
- Course Card Reference Guide, September 2026 (PDF), American Heart Association
- How to Claim and View Your AHA eCard, American Heart Association
- Atlas Training Center Search, American Heart Association
- Course FAQs, American Heart Association
- How to Become an AHA Instructor, American Heart Association
- Basic Life Support (BLS) Course Options, American Heart Association
- 2025 BLS Provider Course (Instructor-Led Training) FAQ (PDF), American Heart Association
- 2025 Guidelines HeartCode FAQs (PDF), American Heart Association
- Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) Course Options, American Heart Association
- Heartsaver Courses, American Heart Association
- Heartsaver CPR AED Training, American Heart Association
- Heartsaver First Aid CPR AED Training, American Heart Association
- OSHA Standard Interpretation, August 2, 2012, Occupational Safety and Health Administration
- OSHA Standard Interpretation, June 19, 2019, Occupational Safety and Health Administration
- Terms of Service, QKC Health
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Disclaimer
General information only. This guide is general educational information about American Heart Association (AHA) courses. It is not medical, legal, or OSHA compliance advice. It does not replace hands-on CPR, BLS, or first aid training, and reading it does not certify you in any course. In an emergency, call 911.
Accuracy. We strive to keep this guide accurate and current, but AHA guidelines, course content, card rules, and certification requirements can change, and we cannot promise that every detail is complete, current, or free of errors.
Check the official source. Before you rely on anything here, confirm course, card, and guideline details with the AHA at cpr.heart.org, and confirm what you are required to hold with your employer, school or program, licensing board, or state agency. If this guide differs from an official source, follow the official source. You are responsible for confirming which course and card you need before you register.
Spot an error? If anything on this page, or anywhere on our site, looks incorrect or out of date, please call us at (212) 548-3284 or send us a message through our contact page so we can review it and update it.
About the AHA. QKC Health LLC is an AHA Authorized Training Center. This guide is written and published by QKC Health, not by the AHA, and the AHA has not reviewed or endorsed it.
The American Heart Association strongly promotes knowledge and proficiency in all AHA courses and has developed instructional materials for this purpose. Use of these materials in an educational course does not represent course sponsorship by the AHA. Any fees charged for such a course, except for a portion of fees needed for AHA course materials, do not represent income to the AHA.
Outside links and terms. Links to the AHA, OSHA, and other outside websites are provided for convenience. We do not control those sites and are not responsible for their content. Your use of this guide is subject to our Terms of Service, including its Limitation of Liability section and its notices for New Jersey and New York residents.
Printed from qkchealth.com/resources/choosing-cpr-training-provider/. General information only, not medical, legal, or compliance advice. Always confirm requirements with the AHA (cpr.heart.org) and with your employer, school or program, licensing board, or state agency. Full terms: qkchealth.com/terms. More free tools and guides: qkchealth.com/resources/group-training.