American Heart Association (AHA) Basic Life Support (BLS) Instructor Candidate Training

The American Heart Association’s BLS Instructor Candidate Training is designed for certified BLS Provider professionals who are passionate about saving lives and eager to inspire others through dynamic, group-based instruction. This course equips candidates with the skills to effectively facilitate learning, helping students grasp the essential—and often complex—concepts of Basic Life Support.

To qualify as an instructor, candidates must complete all required training and affiliate with a primary AHA Training Center (TC) authorized to operate within their territory. Only instructors aligned with an official TC are permitted to lead courses and issue AHA course completion cards. 

Once the monitored initial course is successfully completed, instructors are authorized to teach AHA Basic Life Support programs, including:

  • Heartsaver CPR/AED
  • Family & Friends CPR
  • K–12 Heartsaver CPR/AED
  • Heartsaver First Aid

Interested candidates should email BLSClasses@nursing.utexas.edu to request an Instructor Candidate Application.

About the UT Austin School of Nursing AHA Training Center 

As an AHA Training Center, the UT Austin School of Nursing provides high-quality cardiovascular health education to students, healthcare professionals, and the wider community. Our goal is to promote life-saving skills through professional instruction, innovative outreach, and accessible training programs that empower individuals to respond confidently in critical moments.

Please read below to learn about the training components, criteria for becoming an instructor, course materials, and and core competencies. 

Training Components

Instructor training includes:

  • Instructor Essentials Online Module: Introduction to foundational teaching strategies.
  • In-Person Training: Hands-on instruction in course delivery and facilitation.
  • Monitored Teaching Session: Candidates demonstrate their teaching skills under observation to ensure readiness.
Criteria for Becoming an AHA BLS Instructor:
  • Be at least 18 years of age
  • Have current AHA provider status in the discipline for that Instructor Course and be proficient in all the skills of that discipline. Discipline: BLS Provider.
  • Email BLSClasses@nursing.utexas.edu and request a candidate application.
  • After being accepted by The UT Austin School of Nursing AHA Training Site, an Instructor Candidate Application will be sent via email to be completed.
  • Register, submit payment, and attend the instructor Candidate Training Class lecture.
  • Successfully complete the Instructor Essentials Course, skills review, and instructor exam.
  • Successfully be monitored teaching within 6 months of completing the hands-on session of their Instructor Essentials Course (TC Coordinators may require additional monitoring, if needed). 
Course Fee Includes:
  • BLS provider and Instructor certification ecard
  • BLS provider certification course (optional for new instructors)
  • BLS Instructor manual, provider manual, and instructor candidate workbook
  • BLS Instructor Essentials online module
  • Alignment, review of Instructor Network and Program Administration Manual (PAM), retention folders, and policy instructions
  • Monitoring and practice of course curriculum
  • Monthly course paperwork retention, forms assistance, AHA updates
  • Free BLS instructor renewal every 2yrs – per AHA guidelines

Note: Instructors will need to purchase all required materials to teach BLS and Heartsaver classes such as course videos, manikins, one-way valves, face masks, BVMs, feedback devices, etc. These supplies are not included in the cost of the instructor course.

AHA Core Competencies for Instructor Candidates

Instructor candidates must demonstrate mastery in five areas:

  • Skills: Cognitive and psychomotor mastery of course skills
  • Course Delivery: Teaching AHA materials accurately per instructor manuals and lesson plans
  • Testing: Ability to test students effectively
  • Professionalism: Maintain high ethical and professional standards
  • Program Administration: Manage time, space, materials, and paperwork per AHA guidelines

Once certified, instructors gain access to the latest ECC science, course updates, training resources, and tools via the online AHA Instructor Network.

Course Registration Process

STEP 1 – SIGN UP: Participants must first check the upcoming class schedule and secure your spot.

Enroll in an AHA BLS Instructor Candidate Training Class

STEP 2 – PAYMENT: After enrolling, submit payment using the link below.

AHA BLS Instructor Candidate Training – $450 (Submit Payment)

IMPORTANT NOTES:

Upon entering the UT School of Nursing building, please present your UT ID to the attending security guard for verification. If you don’t have a UT ID, please explain why you are here and sign in at the desk before proceeding to your destination.

You are not guaranteed a spot in class until payment for registration has been submitted (step 2). If payment is not submitted upon registration, you will be dropped from the class. (Invoiced participants are exempt.) A cancellation fee of $10 will be charged to those who fail to attend a class unless prior notification has been given.

*UT School of Nursing reserves the right to cancel a class with less than 5 participants registered. An email will be sent to those on the roster 24 hours before the class is cancelled.

Contact: For questions, please email BLSClasses@nursing.utexas.edu, and we will respond within 24 hours.