Which Course Does Your Team Need? CPR/AED, First Aid, BLS or ACLS
Which course does your team need? It depends on each group's written requirement, not job title alone. The AHA designs Heartsaver CPR AED and Heartsaver First Aid CPR AED for people with little or no medical training, BLS for healthcare professionals, and ACLS for staff who manage cardiac arrest. Confirm with your employer or licensing board first.
What this guide is: a team-level guide and course selector that compares the courses QKC Health lists and helps you sort a team into course groups, based on AHA course information and QKC Health's class pages.
What it is not: hands-on training, a certification, an eligibility decision, 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.
How to Choose CPR Courses for a Whole Team
Start with each group's written requirement. A job title tells you where to look, not which course to book.
Choosing courses for a team means sorting people into groups, finding the requirement that applies to each group, and requesting the courses that match. This guide covers that team-level work. To choose a course for one person, use the CPR course finder. For a side-by-side look at the two most common courses, read BLS vs CPR.
Why role alone does not decide
Two people with the same job title can need different courses, because the course comes from the written requirement that applies to them, not from the title. One practice may require BLS Provider for every staff member, while another asks for Heartsaver CPR AED at the front desk. Designated first aid responders may need first aid as well as CPR and AED, and some clinical staff also need ACLS. On its BLS and ACLS course pages, the AHA asks learners to contact their employer to make sure they select the correct course.
Who sets the requirement
- Your employer: job descriptions, safety policies, and emergency plans. For workplace first aid, OSHA's general industry standard says that in the absence of an infirmary, clinic, or hospital in near proximity to the workplace, "a person or persons shall be adequately trained to render first aid" (29 CFR 1910.151(b)).
- A licensing board or credentialing body for licensed or certified staff.
- A school or training program for students and trainees.
- State or local rules for some settings, such as child care. For one example, see the Connecticut child care CPR and first aid requirements.
- Contracts and insurers: a client, a facility agreement, or an insurer may name a course.
The guide Workplace CPR and First Aid Requirements: What to Verify explains how to find and read these sources. Keep a copy of each written requirement with your training records.
What to collect before you choose
- A list of role groups and how many people are in each.
- Each group's written requirement, where it is written, and who set it.
- Each person's current card or eCard. AHA course completion cards are valid for two years, through the end of the Renew By month shown on the card.
- Who has already finished the AHA online part, HeartCode BLS or HeartCode ACLS, and can show proof.
To keep track of cards across the team, see How to Track Employee CPR, BLS and ACLS Renewals. Once you know the courses, the group CPR training planner helps with headcount, timing, the training room, and your request to QKC Health.
Build a Course Shortlist for Your Team
Describe the groups on your team to see which QKC Health courses to ask about and what to confirm first. Your answers stay on this page. Nothing is sent or saved.
The selector applies these rules to each group on your team. You can apply them yourself with the course comparison table and the role-to-course worksheet.
- Find each group's written requirement. If it names a course QKC Health lists, request that course.
- If it names a course we do not list, or you are not sure what it says, confirm with your employer, licensing board, or QKC Health before you register.
- If no written requirement names a course, your organization decides. Usually, the AHA designs BLS for healthcare professionals, ACLS for staff who manage cardiac arrest, and Heartsaver courses for people with little or no medical training.
- Then choose the option within BLS or ACLS: the full Provider course for a first card, a renewal class for a current or recently expired card, or a skills session after the AHA online part.
Your team's course shortlist
Your answers have changed. Select Show my shortlist to update this shortlist.
Role-to-Course Worksheet
Record each group's requirement, course, and confirmation in one Excel workbook.
What the worksheet records
The worksheet works on its own, without this page, and prints on landscape pages.
- Role groups: one row per course group, with the number of people, whether a written requirement exists, where it is written and who set it, the course it names, the course to request, card status, questions to confirm, and who confirmed and when. Formulas fill in the pathway (full course, renewal, or skills session) and a status such as Confirm the requirement first or Confirmed, ready to request.
- Course reference: each course QKC Health lists, the AHA's usual audience for it, what it covers, and what participants need before class.
- Questions: common questions for your employer, licensing board, or program and for QKC Health, with space for the answers.
Keep personal information to what you need, such as group names and head counts, and store the file where only the right people can see it.
Download the role-to-course worksheet (Excel workbook, 23 KB)
Compare CPR, First Aid, BLS, and ACLS Courses
Heartsaver CPR AED, Heartsaver First Aid, Heartsaver First Aid CPR AED, and the BLS and ACLS Provider, Renewal, and Skills Session classes: who the AHA designs each for and what participants need first.
On narrow screens, scroll the table sideways. After tabbing to it, use the arrow keys.
| Course | Usually for | What it covers | Before class |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heartsaver CPR AED | People with little or no medical training | CPR and AED | No prior training needed |
| Heartsaver First Aid | People with little or no medical training | First aid | No prior training needed |
| Heartsaver First Aid CPR AED | People with little or no medical training | First aid, CPR, and AED | No prior training needed |
| BLS Provider | Healthcare professionals and first responders | Provider-level CPR and AED; no first aid | No card or online part needed |
| BLS Renewal | Same as BLS Provider | Review, practice, skills testing, and a written exam | Current or recently expired BLS card |
| BLS Skills Session | Same as BLS Provider | Hands-on practice and testing only | HeartCode BLS online, completed |
| ACLS Provider | Healthcare professionals who manage cardiac arrest | Advanced cardiovascular care; BLS not included | Current BLS Provider card; AHA precourse self-assessment, 70% or higher |
| ACLS Renewal | Same as ACLS Provider | Review, practice, skills testing, and a written exam | Current or recently expired ACLS card; AHA precourse self-assessment, 70% or higher; confirm BLS card requirements |
| ACLS Skills Session | Same as ACLS Provider | Hands-on practice and testing only | HeartCode ACLS online, completed |
Audience wording follows the AHA's course pages, and the Before class column follows QKC Health's class pages. The ACLS precourse self-assessment comes from the AHA's 2025 ACLS Course FAQ, which says students must score at least 70% before the ACLS course and bring the printed results to class. All are listed in the Sources section; see each class page for current details.
For a team, start with the course each group's requirement names, then use the table to match that name to a class. Each class page has the current details:
Initial, Renewal, or Skills Session: Choosing the Option for Each Person
Within BLS and ACLS, each person's card and online coursework decide the option.
Choose the BLS or ACLS pathway that fits each participant: the full Provider course for a first card or one expired for an extended period, the renewal course for a current or recently expired card (we do not publish a cutoff, so ask us), and the skills session only for people who finished HeartCode BLS or HeartCode ACLS online and can show proof. Group Class Formats: Classroom Training and Skills Sessions explains how each option works for a group, and the BLS and ACLS pre-course checklists cover what each participant prepares.
How to Split a Mixed Team Into Course Groups
Sort by written requirement first, then by card status and preparation.
- Group people by requirement. Put everyone whose requirement names the same course together. People with no written requirement go in the group for the course your organization chooses for them.
- Split each BLS or ACLS group by option. First cards and long-expired cards go to the full Provider course, current or recently expired cards to the renewal course, and people who finished HeartCode online to the skills session. QKC Health lists each as a separate class.
- Add first aid where a requirement includes it. First aid is not part of the AHA's BLS or ACLS course topics.
- Check ACLS staff for BLS. Anyone without a current BLS Provider card may need a BLS course first.
- Record each course group in the role-to-course worksheet, with who confirmed it and when.
- Check the group minimum. Most QKC Health courses require a minimum of three participants, and ACLS is available to individual participants. Ask us how the minimum applies when your team splits into several courses.
Initial, renewal, and skills session participants
Within BLS or ACLS, people with different cards or preparation need different classes, even when they share a job. Ask each person for their current card or eCard, and compare its Renew By month with the class date, because a card that is current today may have expired by then. Ask people who finished HeartCode online to bring their proof of completion to the skills session.
People who need CPR, AED, and first aid
For people with little or no medical training, Heartsaver First Aid CPR AED covers first aid, CPR, and AED in one course. The AHA designs its full version, Heartsaver Total, to meet OSHA and regulatory requirements, says its Basic version does not generally meet them, and notes that OSHA does not review or approve any courses. Ask us which version we teach. For clinical staff, the AHA's BLS courses do not include first aid, so a group whose requirement includes first aid usually needs BLS plus a first aid course such as Heartsaver First Aid. Confirm the combination with whoever set the requirement.
ACLS roles that also need BLS
BLS is not included in the AHA's ACLS courses. The AHA does not require a current BLS Provider card for ACLS, but it expects students to be proficient in BLS skills, and Training Centers may require the card. QKC Health's ACLS Provider page lists a current AHA BLS Provider card as a prerequisite; its ACLS Renewal and ACLS Skills Session pages do not say, so ask. Plan anyone without a current BLS card into a BLS group, and check whether their employer also requires one. For healthcare teams in more depth, see Planning BLS and ACLS Group Training for Healthcare Teams.
People you cannot place yet
Do not register anyone until their requirement is confirmed. Ask their manager or whoever set the requirement, or use the CPR course finder for one person at a time.
A generic example
Take a hypothetical practice with six clinical staff, two front desk staff, and one designated first aid responder. If the clinical staff's policy names BLS, two have no card, and four hold current cards, the course groups might be BLS Provider for two and BLS Renewal for four. If no written requirement names a course for the front desk, Heartsaver CPR AED is usually the fit: the AHA says it is probably best for people who are not healthcare professionals and need CPR and AED training for work. The first aid responder's requirement decides between Heartsaver First Aid CPR AED and another course. Several of these groups have fewer than three people, so ask us how our minimum applies before you request dates.
Questions to Confirm With Your Employer and With QKC Health
Ask these before anyone registers, and record each answer in the worksheet.
With your employer, licensing board, or program
- Which course does the written requirement name for each group, and where is it written?
- Does the course have to be an AHA course?
- Does the requirement include first aid, and for which groups?
- Do staff who need ACLS also need a current BLS Provider card?
- By when must each person hold the new card, and what proof do you need, such as the eCard?
- When no written requirement names a course, who approves the choice?
With QKC Health
- Is each course your groups need one that QKC Health offers? Its website lists the courses compared on this page.
- What counts as "recently expired" for BLS Renewal and ACLS Renewal? We do not publish a cutoff.
- Does ACLS Renewal or the ACLS Skills Session also require a current BLS Provider card?
- Which version of Heartsaver First Aid CPR AED does QKC Health teach?
- To renew a Heartsaver card, ask us which course to book.
- Most courses require a minimum of three participants. How does the minimum apply when your team splits into several courses?
When you have the answers, request group training through our contact page or call (212) 548-3284. A form submission or call is a request, not a booking: a booking is confirmed only when we confirm the course, date, time, and location in writing. The group CPR training planner summarizes the other policies in QKC Health's Terms of Service, and Group CPR Training Costs: Budgeting and Comparing Quotes covers quotes.
Choosing Courses for a Team: Frequently Asked Questions
Not necessarily. Each group needs the course its written requirement names, and requirements often differ by role. The AHA designs BLS Provider for healthcare professionals and its Heartsaver courses for people with little or no medical training. Sort people by requirement first, then by card status and online coursework.
Plan for it. BLS is not included in the AHA's ACLS courses. The AHA does not require a current BLS Provider card for ACLS, but it expects BLS proficiency, and Training Centers may require the card. QKC Health's ACLS Provider page lists a current BLS Provider card as a prerequisite, so plan BLS for anyone without one.
Usually, yes. The AHA's BLS courses do not include first aid. If a clinical group's requirement includes first aid, plan BLS plus a first aid course such as Heartsaver First Aid, and confirm the combination with whoever set the requirement.
Sometimes. QKC Health's BLS Renewal and ACLS Renewal classes are for a current or recently expired card, and a card expired for an extended period needs the full Provider course. We do not publish a cutoff, so ask before you place anyone with an expired card in a renewal group.
For BLS and ACLS, yes. People who finish HeartCode BLS or HeartCode ACLS online attend a skills session and bring proof of completion, and everyone else takes the classroom course. QKC Health lists the skills sessions as separate classes, so plan those people as their own group.
Ask us before you plan. Its website lists Heartsaver CPR AED, Heartsaver First Aid, Heartsaver First Aid CPR AED, and the BLS and ACLS Provider, Renewal, and Skills Session classes. Also ask whoever set the requirement whether a listed course would be accepted, and keep the answer in writing.
Whoever set the requirement: the employer, a licensing board, a school or program, or a state rule. On its BLS and ACLS course pages, the AHA asks learners to contact their employer to make sure they select the correct course. This guide and its selector help you prepare questions; they do not decide eligibility.
Sources
This guide summarizes the following official sources, together with QKC Health's own class pages and Terms of Service. They were checked on October 17, 2026.
- Heartsaver Courses, American Heart Association
- Heartsaver CPR AED Training, American Heart Association
- Heartsaver First Aid Training, American Heart Association
- Heartsaver First Aid CPR AED Training, American Heart Association
- Basic Life Support (BLS) Training, American Heart Association
- Basic Life Support (BLS) Course Options, American Heart Association
- HeartCode BLS Online, American Heart Association
- Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS), American Heart Association
- Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) Course Options, American Heart Association
- 2025 ACLS Course FAQ (PDF), American Heart Association
- HeartCode ACLS Online, American Heart Association
- Course FAQs, American Heart Association
- Course Card Information, American Heart Association
- 29 CFR 1910.151, Medical Services and First Aid, Occupational Safety and Health Administration
- Heartsaver CPR AED Certification in Connecticut, QKC Health
- Heartsaver First Aid Course, QKC Health
- First Aid Training & Certification in Connecticut, QKC Health
- BLS Provider Course, QKC Health
- BLS Renewal Course, QKC Health
- BLS Skills Session, QKC Health
- ACLS Provider Course, QKC Health
- ACLS Renewal Course, QKC Health
- ACLS Skills Session, QKC Health
- Terms of Service, QKC Health
Last updated:
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/team-cpr-course-selector/. 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.