If your American Heart Association BLS certification is approaching its expiration date, planning your renewal early can help you avoid last-minute problems with an employer, school, clinical program, or credentialing department. Citywide CPR offers AHA BLS certification and renewal through a flexible pathway that combines HeartCode BLS online learning with a required hands-on Self-Guided Skills Session at participating CPR Verification Station™ locations.
Whether you are a nurse, nursing student, physician, EMT, paramedic, medical student, or another healthcare professional, the first step is to confirm exactly what BLS credential your organization requires. Then you can choose the appropriate Citywide CPR training option and schedule your hands-on skills session.
When Does Your AHA BLS Certification Expire?
American Heart Association BLS Provider eCards generally have a two-year validity period. Your individual eCard includes the applicable expiration or “renew by” information, so check your current card rather than relying on an estimated date. www.heart.org
It is worth checking your expiration date well before it arrives, particularly if your BLS certification is tied to employment, hospital credentialing, a clinical rotation, school requirements, or another professional deadline. Waiting until the last minute can leave less time to complete the online coursework, schedule the required hands-on portion, or address documentation requirements.
Citywide CPR’s BLS certification and renewal options can help you identify the available pathway for your situation.
How Early Can You Renew Your BLS Certification?
There is not one universal renewal window that applies to every healthcare professional, employer, school, and credentialing situation. Your organization may have its own requirements concerning when a renewal must be completed and how far in advance new certification documentation can be submitted.
The safest approach is to check your current AHA BLS eCard, review your employer or school’s requirements, and give yourself enough time to complete every required course component. If your expiration date is approaching, starting the process before the final days of your current certification can make the renewal process much easier.
Citywide CPR recommends reviewing the current BLS training options and choosing the pathway that matches the components you still need to complete.
What Are the Requirements for AHA BLS Renewal?
An AHA BLS renewal pathway can involve both knowledge-based learning and hands-on skills. For Citywide CPR’s applicable blended-learning pathway, completing the online course alone is not enough. You must also successfully complete the required hands-on skills session.
This distinction is important when searching for “BLS renewal online.” Online learning can be part of the process, but the applicable blended-learning pathway still includes an in-person hands-on skills component.
Complete the AHA HeartCode BLS Online Course
If you need both components of the training pathway, BLS Online + Skills combines the applicable AHA HeartCode BLS online coursework with the required hands-on skills session.
The online portion allows you to complete the educational component before attending your appointment. This can be particularly convenient for healthcare professionals balancing work, school, clinical responsibilities, or changing schedules.
If you have already completed the applicable current HeartCode BLS online course, you may instead be eligible for BLS Skills Only. Skills Only is intended for participants who have already completed the appropriate online coursework and can provide the required completion documentation. A previous BLS card by itself is not the same as proof of completion of the applicable current HeartCode course.
Complete Your Required Hands-On BLS Skills Session
The hands-on portion is completed during an in-person Self-Guided Skills Session at a participating Citywide CPR CPR Verification Station. You physically practice and perform the applicable BLS skills using training equipment while the system provides instructions and real-time performance feedback.
Self-Guided does not mean online-only. The hands-on component remains an important part of the applicable AHA training pathway.
Citywide CPR’s Self-Guided CPR Training information explains how the technology-guided skills experience works. Participants use a Voice-Assisted Manikin and other applicable equipment while receiving feedback during the skills session.
Can You Renew Your BLS Certification Online?
You can complete the applicable AHA HeartCode BLS learning online, but an applicable blended-learning pathway is not an online-only certification. The required hands-on skills session must also be successfully completed.
This is an important distinction for healthcare professionals searching for BLS renewal online. The online portion handles the knowledge-based learning, while the in-person appointment provides the required hands-on skills experience.
Citywide CPR’s model allows you to complete your online coursework on your own schedule and then attend the hands-on portion at a participating CPR Verification Station. Current Citywide CPR information describes Self-Guided Learning as a combination of applicable online learning and hands-on skills practice and testing with real-time feedback.
What Happens If Your BLS Certification Has Already Expired?
If your BLS certification has expired, do not assume that every expired credential qualifies for the same renewal pathway or that there is an automatic grace period.
Your employer, school, clinical program, or credentialing organization may have specific requirements for an expired certification. You should determine what credential they require and which current AHA course pathway you need before registering.
If you need both the applicable HeartCode BLS online course and hands-on skills component, BLS Online + Skills may be the appropriate pathway. If you have already completed the applicable current HeartCode BLS online course, BLS Skills Only may be appropriate.
When in doubt, verify the requirement with the organization requesting your certification before purchasing a course.
How Long Does BLS Certification Renewal Take?
The total time required depends on the training pathway and how quickly you complete the online coursework.
For applicable Online + Skills registrations, you complete the AHA HeartCode BLS online learning first and then attend the hands-on skills appointment. Citywide CPR states that Self-Guided skills sessions typically take approximately 15–30 minutes, although individual completion times can vary. That timeframe refers to the hands-on session, not the entire BLS certification or renewal process.
If you already have the required HeartCode completion certificate and are eligible for Skills Only, you may be able to proceed directly to the hands-on portion instead of repeating online coursework. Make sure your documentation meets the requirements of the specific course and organization requesting your certification.
How Citywide CPR Makes BLS Renewal Convenient
Citywide CPR is an American Heart Association Training Center offering BLS certification and renewal through locations nationwide. Participants can choose applicable Self-Guided Learning options and schedule hands-on skills sessions around work, school, and clinical responsibilities.
The key is choosing the correct pathway before registering. If you need both the online learning and hands-on portion, choose Online + Skills. If you have already completed the applicable current HeartCode BLS course, review Skills Only requirements.
Flexible Self-Guided Skills Appointments
Instead of requiring every participant to attend a traditional instructor-led classroom session, Citywide CPR’s applicable Self-Guided pathway uses CPR Verification Station technology for the hands-on portion.
You arrive for your scheduled appointment, use the training equipment, and follow the system’s guidance through the required skills. Citywide CPR’s location network provides participating training sites across the country, allowing healthcare professionals and students to look for a convenient location when planning their renewal.
Real-Time Feedback Using a Voice-Assisted Manikin
During the applicable skills session, the Voice-Assisted Manikin and related technology provide guidance and real-time feedback as you practice and perform the required skills.
Depending on the applicable skill, the technology can provide feedback related to aspects of CPR performance such as compression rate, depth, recoil, and ventilation performance. This allows participants to understand their performance while completing the hands-on experience.
Same-Day AHA eCard Processing
After you successfully complete all applicable course requirements and the required hands-on skills session, Citywide CPR processes the official American Heart Association eCard.
“The official American Heart Association eCard is processed the same day after successful completion of course requirements and the skills session.”
The eCard can then be provided to your employer, school, clinical program, or credentialing department according to their documentation requirements.
How to Schedule Your AHA BLS Renewal with Citywide CPR
Start by checking the expiration date on your current AHA BLS Provider eCard and confirming the certification requirements of the organization requesting your credential.
Next, determine whether you need the complete BLS Online + Skills pathway or whether you have already completed the applicable HeartCode BLS online course and need Skills Only. If you need both components, review BLS Online + Skills. If your applicable HeartCode course is already complete, review BLS Skills Only.
Once you know which pathway you need, use the Citywide CPR location finder to find a participating location and review the available registration options. Citywide CPR offers AHA training locations nationwide, giving healthcare professionals and students options for completing their required hands-on skills around their existing schedules.
If your BLS expiration date is approaching, there is no reason to wait until the last possible day to begin planning. Confirm your requirements, select the appropriate course, complete the required AHA learning, and schedule your hands-on skills session so you can move through your renewal with confidence.