# Group Class Formats: Classroom Training and Skills Sessions

> Compare group class formats: full classroom courses, BLS and ACLS renewals, and skills sessions after HeartCode online, plus what to collect from each person.

Source: https://qkchealth.com/resources/group-cpr-class-formats/

Last updated: 2026-10-17

Which class format fits your group? QKC Health lists full classroom courses, renewal courses for a current or recently expired BLS or ACLS card, and skills sessions for people who finished the AHA's HeartCode BLS or HeartCode ACLS online part. Sort participants by card status and online progress, then confirm each session with QKC Health.

Last updated: October 17, 2026 · Written by QKC Health, an AHA Authorized Training Center · Based on AHA course information, QKC Health class pages, and QKC Health's Terms of Service

**What this guide is:** an organizer's comparison of the full classroom courses, renewal courses, and skills sessions that QKC Health lists, with what to collect from each person and how to sort a group. It is based on American Heart Association course information, QKC Health's class pages, and QKC Health's Terms of Service.

**What it is not:** hands-on training, a certification, a booking, or a promise that a specific card will be accepted or that different pathways can share a session. Confirm the course and card your employer, school or program, licensing board, or state rules require before you register.

## The Class Pathways QKC Health Lists for Groups

Each AHA course QKC Health lists follows one of these pathways. The right one for each person depends on the card they need, the card they hold, and whether they finished the AHA online part.

### Full classroom courses

In a full classroom course, an instructor teaches the whole course in person and runs the hands-on skills practice and testing. It is the pathway for anyone getting a card for the first time, and for anyone whose card has been expired too long to renew. QKC Health lists these full courses:

- [Heartsaver CPR AED](https://qkchealth.com/classes/heartsaver-cpr-aed/), which QKC Health's class page describes as a hands-on, instructor-led class for people who are not healthcare providers, with no online prework
- [Heartsaver First Aid](https://qkchealth.com/classes/heartsaver-first-aid/), taught as an instructor-led class with hands-on practice
- [Heartsaver First Aid CPR AED](https://qkchealth.com/classes/first-aid/), which combines first aid, CPR, AED use, and choking relief in one course
- [BLS Provider](https://qkchealth.com/classes/bls-provider/), which needs no prior online coursework
- [ACLS Provider](https://qkchealth.com/classes/acls-provider/), which lists current AHA BLS Provider certification as a prerequisite

The AHA says its Heartsaver courses are for anyone with limited or no medical training who needs a course completion card. QKC Health's Heartsaver class pages describe in-person classes, and its website lists no Heartsaver skills session. To renew a Heartsaver card, ask us which course to book.

### Renewal courses

QKC Health's [BLS Renewal Course](https://qkchealth.com/classes/bls-renewal/) and [ACLS Renewal Course](https://qkchealth.com/classes/acls-renewal/) are for people who hold a current or recently expired AHA BLS Provider or ACLS Provider card. The class pages describe each as a streamlined, instructor-led review with hands-on practice and skills testing, and ask participants to bring their current or most recent card. If a card has been expired for an extended period, the class pages say to take the full Provider course instead.

We do not publish how long ago a card can have expired and still qualify for a renewal course, so ask us about anyone whose card has already expired. For BLS renewals, the AHA tells students to contact their Training Center. The AHA calls its ACLS renewal course the ACLS Update Course.

### Skills sessions after the AHA online part

In AHA blended learning, each participant completes an online part on their own, then attends a hands-on skills session with an AHA instructor. QKC Health lists a skills session for each of the AHA's HeartCode courses for BLS and ACLS: the [BLS Skills Session](https://qkchealth.com/classes/bls-skills/), for people who finished HeartCode BLS online, and the [ACLS Skills Session](https://qkchealth.com/classes/acls-skills/), for people who finished HeartCode ACLS online. The AHA's classroom and instructor-led blended options lead to the same provider card within each course: BLS Provider or ACLS Provider.

### What we do not list

We do not list online-only courses, blended or skills-only Heartsaver courses, or self-guided testing at a CPR Verification Station. The AHA says courses that include CPR skills need a hands-on skills session before a card is issued. If someone in your group has already bought or started an online course other than HeartCode BLS or HeartCode ACLS, ask us before you plan around it.

For one person choosing a format, see the formats section of the [CPR, BLS and ACLS Course Finder](https://qkchealth.com/resources/cpr-course-finder/). For clinical teams, see [Planning BLS and ACLS Group Training for Healthcare Teams](https://qkchealth.com/resources/healthcare-team-bls-acls-training/).

## Full Course, Renewal, or Skills Session: How the Pathways Compare

What each pathway asks of participants before class, what happens on the day, and what you collect as the organizer.

Full courses are Heartsaver CPR AED, Heartsaver First Aid, Heartsaver First Aid CPR AED, BLS Provider, and ACLS Provider. Renewal courses are BLS Renewal and ACLS Renewal. Skills sessions are the BLS Skills Session and the ACLS Skills Session.

**Class pathways at a glance**

| Detail | Full course | Renewal course | Skills session |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Who it fits | First card, or a card expired too long to renew | Current or recently expired AHA BLS or ACLS card | Finished HeartCode BLS or ACLS online |
| Before class | Nothing online, except ACLS precourse work | Find the card. ACLS: precourse work | Finish the online part; save the certificate |
| On the day | Full instruction, skills practice, and testing | Streamlined review, practice, and testing | Skills practice and testing only |
| What to collect | ACLS: current BLS card, precourse certificate | Most recent card. ACLS: precourse certificate | Online completion certificate (ACLS: or confirmation email) |
| Card issued | That course's AHA card | New BLS or ACLS Provider card | Same card as the classroom course |

This table summarizes AHA course information and QKC Health's class pages and Terms of Service, listed under Sources. Cards go to participants who meet the AHA performance requirements. Not a substitute for hands-on training.

For course length and price, see each class page or ask us. The price for your group is the one we confirm in writing. To budget for the online part as well as the session, see [Group CPR Training Costs: Budgeting and Comparing Quotes](https://qkchealth.com/resources/group-cpr-training-cost/).

## What a Skills Session Includes and What It Does Not

A skills session completes a blended course. It does not replace the online part, and it does not teach the course from the start.

### When a skills session can help a group

The AHA describes HeartCode blended learning as giving organizations more control of time and resources: participants complete the online part at their own pace, anytime and anywhere they have internet access, and then attend the hands-on session. It works only when each person actually finishes the online part before the session, so plan time for it and a way to check it.

### What a skills session includes

- Hands-on skills practice and testing with an instructor. The AHA describes the BLS hands-on session as skills practice, team scenarios, and skills testing, and the ACLS hands-on session as skills practice, debriefing, team dynamics training, megacode cases, discussion of local protocols, and skills testing.
- For BLS, our class page explains participants demonstrate CPR, AED use, and bag-mask ventilation to an instructor, and that there is no classroom lecture.
- For ACLS, our class page explains participants practice and are tested on megacode scenarios, rhythm recognition, airway management, and team dynamics.
- A course completion card for each participant who completes both the online part and the skills session and meets the AHA requirements. QKC Health's Terms of Service say quoted fees cover cards for participants who meet the AHA performance requirements.

### What a skills session does not include

- **The online part.** Each participant completes HeartCode BLS or HeartCode ACLS before the session. The AHA sells the online part, and its product pages say the hands-on session with an AHA Training Center is sold separately.
- **The course taught from the start.** A skills session is not a short classroom course. Someone who needs the content taught in person needs the full course.
- **Testing without proof.** The AHA says participants present the certificate of completion from the online part to enter the skills session. We require that proof before skills testing.
- **A place for someone who skipped the online part.** QKC Health's BLS Skills Session page says a person who has not completed the online course needs the full BLS Provider course instead. Its ACLS Skills Session page points anyone who needs the full course to the ACLS Provider or ACLS Renewal course.

### If a participant does not pass a skills check

QKC Health's skills session pages say the instructor gives feedback and practice time before a retest, and the ACLS page says the retest can happen during the same session. Ask us what happens if a participant still does not meet the requirements on the day, so you can plan for it.

## The AHA Online Part: Who Buys It and How to Collect Proof

Settle who buys the online part, and how you will check that everyone finished it, before you confirm a skills session.

### Who buys it

The AHA sells HeartCode BLS Online and HeartCode ACLS Online separately from the skills session, and the hands-on session is booked with an AHA Training Center such as QKC Health. The AHA's HeartCode FAQ says a participant is either issued a license or buys one, and that licenses can be bought by students or by instructors. You and your participants decide who pays. The usual choices are:

- Each participant buys their own. Whether your organization reimburses them is your own policy decision.
- You ask us whether we can provide the online part along with the skills session.

Agree on one approach and tell participants before anyone buys, so nobody pays twice or buys the wrong course.

### Where the AHA sells it

The AHA's purchase options page directs buyers of its eLearning courses to its ShopCPR store. The product pages are [HeartCode BLS Online](https://shopcpr.heart.org/heartcode-bls) and [HeartCode ACLS Online](https://shopcpr.heart.org/heartcode-acls). Both say that after the online part, a hands-on session with an AHA Training Center, sold separately, is needed to obtain a course completion card. The AHA's HeartCode FAQ says the participant activates the license and completes the online part on the AHA eLearning site.

- Match the product to the session: HeartCode BLS Online for the BLS Skills Session, and HeartCode ACLS Online for the ACLS Skills Session. QKC Health lists skills sessions only for these online courses.
- Confirm each person's pathway with QKC Health before anyone buys, because a person moved to the full course no longer needs the online part.

### Collecting proof of completion

When a participant finishes the online part, the AHA issues a certificate of completion, and the AHA says it must be presented to enter the skills session. For skills sessions, we ask BLS participants to bring the online course completion certificate, and ACLS participants to bring the certificate or the confirmation email.

- Set an internal deadline for finishing the online part, early enough that you can still change plans. QKC Health's Terms of Service allow a confirmed booking to be canceled or rescheduled at no charge seven or more days before the class; fewer than seven days before, a change may be charged up to the full course fee.
- Ask each person to confirm by that deadline that they have finished, not just started. A participant who has started but not finished has no certificate yet.
- Remind each person to save or print the certificate and bring it on the day.
- If you collect copies in advance, keep only what you need, and store them where only the right people can see them.

## How to Sort Your Group by Pathway

Check each person's card and online progress first, then count how many people fit each pathway.

### Find out where each person stands

1. **Start from the requirement.** Write down which card each person needs, as their employer, school or program, or licensing board states it. Do not decide it from a job title alone. For matching roles to courses, see [Which Course Does Your Team Need?](https://qkchealth.com/resources/team-cpr-course-selector/)
2. **Check card status.** Ask for each person's current or most recent AHA card or eCard, and note the course name and the Renew By month. AHA cards are valid for two years, through the end of the Renew By month shown on the card; the [CPR and BLS Renewal Planner](https://qkchealth.com/resources/cpr-renewal-planner/) shows where to find that month. Employers can check an eCard on the AHA's My Cards page with its eCard code or QR code; see [After the Class: Course Cards and Team Training Records](https://qkchealth.com/resources/cpr-course-cards-training-records/#verify-ecards).
3. **Check online progress.** For anyone who might use a skills session, ask whether they have finished HeartCode BLS or HeartCode ACLS, started it, or not begun. Only a finished online part, with its certificate, fits a skills session.
4. **Note anything unusual.** Look for a card from another organization, a card that has already expired, or an online course other than HeartCode BLS or HeartCode ACLS. QKC Health's renewal class pages describe them as being for AHA cards, so ask us which course fits these people.
5. **Match and count.** Match each person to a pathway using the list below, then count how many people need each class.
6. **Send the counts with your request.** Include them when you request group training through our [contact page](https://qkchealth.com/contact/). To keep card records for future renewals, see [How to Track Employee CPR, BLS and ACLS Renewals](https://qkchealth.com/resources/employee-cpr-certification-tracking/).

### Match each person to a pathway

- **No card for the course yet:** the full course.
- **A first Heartsaver card is needed:** the Heartsaver course itself. For someone renewing a Heartsaver card, ask us how to renew.
- **Current AHA BLS Provider or ACLS Provider card:** the BLS Renewal Course or the ACLS Renewal Course may fit.
- **BLS or ACLS card already expired:** ask us whether the renewal course or the full Provider course fits. If your card has been expired for an extended period, you need the full Provider course.
- **Finished HeartCode BLS or HeartCode ACLS, with the certificate:** the BLS Skills Session or the ACLS Skills Session.
- **Started the online part but not finished:** they need to finish it before the skills session, or take the full course instead.
- **ACLS Provider participants:** also check for a current AHA BLS Provider card, which QKC Health's ACLS Provider page lists as a prerequisite. The AHA says BLS is not included in its ACLS courses, so plan the BLS card separately for anyone who needs both.

Someone who prefers to learn online can also complete HeartCode BLS or HeartCode ACLS and then attend the matching skills session. Agree on that pathway with QKC Health before they buy the online part.

## Why a Mixed Group May Need Separate Sessions

Different pathways are different QKC Health classes. Confirm how they can be scheduled before you tell participants where to go.

A group often mixes first-time participants, renewals, and people who finished the online part. Each pathway is a separate QKC Health class with its own content: the full course teaches everything, the renewal course is a streamlined review, and the skills session is practice and testing only. Do not assume they can share a room, an instructor, or a time slot. Tell us how many people need each class, and ask us to confirm in writing whether they can be combined or need separate sessions.

### Small numbers in one pathway

QKC Health's Terms of Service say most courses require a minimum of three participants, and ACLS is available to individual participants. If only one or two people need a particular BLS or Heartsaver class, ask us how the minimum applies. One option to raise is whether people who qualify for a renewal course can join the full course with the rest of the group; we will confirm what works for your group.

A participant who has not finished the online part by class day cannot take the skills test; for what to do next, see [Scheduling Group Training Across Shifts and Locations](https://qkchealth.com/resources/scheduling-group-cpr-training/#missed-preparation).

## Preparing Each Pathway Before Class Day

Send each person the preparation that matches their pathway, not one message for everyone.

- **Heartsaver courses:** QKC Health lists no online part. Tell participants the class is hands-on.
- **BLS Provider:** no prior online coursework is needed. Participants can use the BLS Provider checklist on our pre-course checklists page.
- **ACLS Provider and ACLS Renewal:** the AHA requires every ACLS student to complete the ACLS precourse self-assessment with a score of at least 70% and to bring the printed results to class. Start this early.
- **BLS Renewal and ACLS Renewal:** each person finds and brings their current or most recent card.
- **Skills sessions:** each person finishes the online part and brings the certificate of completion, or for ACLS, the certificate or the confirmation email.

The training is hands-on in every pathway. QKC Health's Terms of Service say participants kneel on the floor and perform chest compressions on a manikin, so tell people in advance and send accommodation requests to QKC Health early.

The [BLS and ACLS Pre-Course Checklists](https://qkchealth.com/resources/bls-acls-precourse-prep/) page has a printable checklist for each BLS and ACLS course and format. For the room, participant messages, and handouts, see [Hosting a Group Class: Setup and Participant Preparation](https://qkchealth.com/resources/hosting-group-cpr-class/).

### Handouts for participants

These Word documents come with the hosting guide. Use the course preparation sheets and the participant message templates to send each pathway its own instructions.

[Download the course preparation sheets (Word document, 25 KB)](https://qkchealth.com/resources/group-training/files/qkc-course-preparation-sheets.docx)

[Download the participant message templates (Word document, 19 KB)](https://qkchealth.com/resources/group-training/files/qkc-participant-message-templates.docx)

## What to Confirm With QKC Health Before You Book

A request is not a booking. A booking is confirmed only when we confirm the course, date, time, and location in writing.

- Which pathway fits anyone whose card has already expired, or whose card is from another organization.
- Whether different pathways can share a date, a room, or an instructor, or need separate sessions.
- How the minimum of three participants applies to a pathway with only one or two people.
- Whether the current BLS Provider card that QKC Health lists as a prerequisite for ACLS Provider is also needed for the ACLS Renewal Course and the ACLS Skills Session.
- For ACLS Provider and ACLS Renewal participants, whether they also complete the AHA video prework.
- Whether we can provide the online part, or each participant should buy it from the AHA.
- What proof of the online part QKC Health accepts, and whether to send a list of skills session participants beforehand.
- What happens if a participant arrives without proof, or does not meet the requirements on the day.
- When cards will be issued. We offer same-day eCards, and the AHA allows a Training Center up to 20 business days to issue a card. Ask us to confirm the timing in writing.

QKC Health is an AHA Authorized Training Center serving Fairfield County CT, Westchester County NY, and New Jersey. On-site classes are available for groups of 3 or more. To start, request group training through our [contact page](https://qkchealth.com/contact/) or call [(212) 548-3284](tel:2125483284). The [Group CPR Training Planner](https://qkchealth.com/resources/group-cpr-training-planner/) turns your headcounts, sessions, and room details into a summary you can send with your request. Read the [Terms of Service](https://qkchealth.com/terms/) before you confirm a booking.

After the class, see [After the Class: Course Cards and Team Training Records](https://qkchealth.com/resources/cpr-course-cards-training-records/).

## Group Class Formats: Frequently Asked Questions

### What is a skills session, and who in a group can attend one?

A skills session is the in-person part of AHA blended learning. QKC Health lists a BLS Skills Session for people who finished HeartCode BLS online and an ACLS Skills Session for people who finished HeartCode ACLS online. Each participant brings proof of finishing the online part, then practices and tests skills with an instructor. Completing both parts and meeting the AHA requirements leads to the same provider card as the classroom course.

### Can renewal and first-time participants train in the same session?

Do not assume so. First-time participants take the full course, people with a current or recently expired BLS or ACLS card may take a renewal course, and people who finished the online part take a skills session. These are separate QKC Health classes, so tell us how many people need each one and confirm in writing whether they can share a date or need separate sessions.

### When should participants finish the online part before a skills session?

Before the session, with time to spare. Participants must bring proof of completion to take the skills test, so set your own deadline early enough to change plans if people fall behind. QKC Health's Terms of Service allow a confirmed booking to be canceled or rescheduled at no charge seven or more days before the class. Fewer than seven days before, a change may be charged up to the full course fee.

### Who buys the HeartCode online part for a skills session?

You and your participants decide. The AHA sells HeartCode BLS Online and HeartCode ACLS Online on its ShopCPR store, separately from the skills session, and its HeartCode FAQ says licenses can be bought by students or by instructors. Decide whether participants buy their own or whether to ask us about providing it, and settle this before anyone buys.

### Does finishing the HeartCode online part give someone a card?

No. The AHA says a participant must complete both the HeartCode online course and a hands-on skills session to receive an AHA course completion eCard, and its HeartCode product pages say the hands-on session is sold separately. OSHA has also stated that online training alone does not meet its first aid and CPR training requirements.

### Can Heartsaver CPR AED participants do part of the course online?

QKC Health's Heartsaver CPR AED page describes a hands-on, instructor-led class with no online prework, and its Heartsaver First Aid pages describe instructor-led classes. Its website lists no Heartsaver skills session, so ask us before anyone buys an AHA online course for a Heartsaver card.

### How is a renewal course different from a skills session?

A renewal course is a streamlined, in-person review with hands-on practice and testing for people whose AHA BLS or ACLS Provider card is current or recently expired, and they bring that card. A skills session is only the hands-on practice and testing that follows the AHA online part, and participants bring the online completion certificate. Both lead to a new provider card for those who meet the AHA requirements.

## Sources

This guide summarizes the following official AHA and OSHA sources and QKC Health's own class pages and Terms of Service. They were checked on October 17, 2026.

1. [Basic Life Support (BLS) Course Options](https://cpr.heart.org/en/courses/basic-life-support-course-options), American Heart Association
2. [Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) Course Options](https://cpr.heart.org/en/courses/advanced-cardiovascular-life-support-course-options), American Heart Association
3. [2025 ACLS Provider Course FAQ (PDF)](https://cpr.heart.org/en/-/media/CPR-Files/2025-documents-for-cpr-heart-edits-posting/Courses-Kits/ACLS-FAQ-2025-Final.pdf), American Heart Association
4. [AHA HeartCode](https://cpr.heart.org/en/cpr-courses-and-kits/healthcare-professional/aha-heartcode), American Heart Association
5. [2025 HeartCode Courses FAQ (PDF)](https://cpr.heart.org/en/-/media/CPR-Files/2025-documents-for-cpr-heart-edits-posting/Courses-Kits/2025-Guidelines-HeartCode-FAQs.pdf), American Heart Association
6. [HeartCode BLS Online](https://shopcpr.heart.org/heartcode-bls), American Heart Association
7. [HeartCode ACLS Online](https://shopcpr.heart.org/heartcode-acls), American Heart Association
8. [Purchase Options](https://cpr.heart.org/en/course-catalog-search/purchase-options), American Heart Association
9. [Course FAQs](https://cpr.heart.org/en/resources/faqs/course-faqs), American Heart Association
10. [Course Card Information](https://cpr.heart.org/en/resources/course-card-information), American Heart Association
11. [OSHA Standard Interpretation, August 2, 2012](https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/standardinterpretations/2012-08-02), Occupational Safety and Health Administration
12. [BLS Provider Course](https://qkchealth.com/classes/bls-provider/), QKC Health
13. [BLS Renewal Course](https://qkchealth.com/classes/bls-renewal/), QKC Health
14. [BLS Skills Session](https://qkchealth.com/classes/bls-skills/), QKC Health
15. [ACLS Provider Course](https://qkchealth.com/classes/acls-provider/), QKC Health
16. [ACLS Renewal Course](https://qkchealth.com/classes/acls-renewal/), QKC Health
17. [ACLS Skills Session](https://qkchealth.com/classes/acls-skills/), QKC Health
18. [Heartsaver CPR AED Certification in Connecticut](https://qkchealth.com/classes/heartsaver-cpr-aed/), QKC Health
19. [Heartsaver First Aid Course](https://qkchealth.com/classes/heartsaver-first-aid/), QKC Health
20. [First Aid Training & Certification in Connecticut](https://qkchealth.com/classes/first-aid/), QKC Health
21. [Terms of Service](https://qkchealth.com/terms/), QKC Health

Last updated: October 17, 2026

## Ready to Plan a Group Class?

Send us the number of people who need each pathway (full course, renewal course, or skills session), or call us to talk it through. A booking is confirmed only in writing.

- [Request Group Training](https://qkchealth.com/contact/)
- [Call (212) 548-3284](tel:2125483284)

## 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](https://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](tel:2125483284) or send us a message through our [contact page](https://qkchealth.com/contact/) 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](https://qkchealth.com/terms/), including its Limitation of Liability section and its notices for New Jersey and New York residents.

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Published by QKC Health LLC (https://qkchealth.com/), an American Heart Association Authorized Training Center serving Connecticut, Westchester County NY, and New Jersey. Phone: (212) 548-3284. Book training: https://qkchealth.com/contact/