ACLS instructors

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Is there anyone currently teaching ACLS as a business? If so, what type of problems have you encountered?

Also, I am curious if there has to be someone such as an instructor trainer to "oversee" this type of business or is this something I can do by myself without depending on or getting approval from someone else. Do you need the approval of the AHA to have this type of business?

Thanks,

Kevin

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Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.
Is there anyone currently teaching ACLS as a business? If so, what type of problems have you encountered?

Also, I am curious if there has to be someone such as an instructor trainer to "oversee" this type of business or is this something I can do by myself without depending on or getting approval from someone else. Do you need the approval of the AHA to have this type of business?

Thanks,

Kevin

Hello, Kevin,

If you are teaching per AHA, you will need to align yourself with a TC (Training Center). You can go to the AHA website to see how this is done.

Interested in becoming an American Heart Association Instructor?

Becoming an American Heart Association instructor is "as easy as 1-2-3" after consulting with an American Heart Association Training Center to find out whether the Training Center (TC) is accepting new instructors and the TC's preferred course delivery.

  1. Complete the Core Instructor Course.
  2. Complete a discipline-specific instructor course in Basic Life Support (BLS), Heartsaver, ACLS, PALS.
  3. Get monitored by an American Heart Association Training Center or Instructor.

Find a Training Center near you!

http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3027092

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Is there anyone currently teaching ACLS as a business? If so, what type of problems have you encountered?

Also, I am curious if there has to be someone such as an instructor trainer to "oversee" this type of business or is this something I can do by myself without depending on or getting approval from someone else. Do you need the approval of the AHA to have this type of business?

Thanks,

Kevin

Hi,

I currently teach acls as a business. I do not know if i can link my website here or not, so i'll err on the side of caution. Problems? Not any i can think of. Equipment/manikins purchase might be your only problem as far as start up cost. I purchased most of mine off of ebay for a significant savings.

You do not need any approval from the AHA. I have my own training site and im affiliated with a training center. They have monitored my courses and have allowed me to function on my own. I just report numbers to them as requested. I have no oversight and function independantly. I have many instructors afiliated with my training site/training center.

Im also a BLS IT which is now called Training Center Faculty. Im looking to soon become a regional faculty to do ACLS instructor.

They are a little more strict with ACLS compared to BLS and First Aid. I think this is why many go the ASHI route for ACLS and PALS. ASHI = American Safety and Health Institute.

Let me know if you have any questions.

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Hi Bob, Thanks for the info. I have a few more questions.

You stated that you are affiliated with a training center.

Does this mean that you work for a training facililty and also have your own business teaching ACLS?

Does the training center find your clients?

What are the benefits of being associated with a training center opposed to having your own site?

What are your thoughts about marketing the BLS/ACLS classes yourself and teaching the classes at your own site?

What are the requirements for BLS IT. Does this mean that you can train people to be AHA instructors?

As an ACLS instructor from AHA are you allowed to teach this class in different areas( counties, cities, states?) Does this require approval from AHA?

Bob, how often do you teach the ACLS classes? Do you do this full time?

Do you teach other things besides BLS/ACLS, such as EKG interpretation?

How long have you been teaching ACLS?

Do you enjoy what you do?

How profitable is this type of business or what is the potential profit for this type of business?

Thanks again Bob. I appreciate all your help and suggestions.

Kevin

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hi bob, thanks for the info. i have a few more questions.

you stated that you are affiliated with a training center.

does this mean that you work for a training facililty and also have your own business teaching acls? i am afiliated with a training center. i have my own training site which functions independantly with oversight from the training center. i report my numbers to them who in turn report them to the aha. i do not work for the hospital that is the training center. i have developed a good relationship with them though.

does the training center find your clients? no. well occassionally they will refer outside people to me that are looking for a class, but overall, they have very little to do with me.

what are the benefits of being associated with a training center opposed to having your own site? i have my own training site. the aha would not allow me to become a training center at the time because of the proximety of my business to this hospital. i have not persued becoming a training center because my site functions pretty similiar to a training center.

what are your thoughts about marketing the bls/acls classes yourself and teaching the classes at your own site? i dont do much bls because the profit is not there. i do mostly acls. marketing has done some good, but i have found word of mouth a much better marketing campaign. if you put on a quality class, the word will get around.

what are the requirements for bls it. does this mean that you can train people to be aha instructors? i can train bls instructors and have 10 that i oversee. i also do bls instructor courses for the public, in which they have to align themselves with a training site/center.

as an acls instructor from aha are you allowed to teach this class in different areas( counties, cities, states?) does this require approval from aha? i teach all around the state. it does not require approval. from my understanding, you are only allowed to teach in the state your training center is located. you can align with a training site/center in another state, but will be teaching under them in that state.

bob, how often do you teach the acls classes? do you do this full time?

business varies, but in jan-may i was doing a class a week. june i only did 2 and july 1. it slows down a bit during the summer, but picks up in the fall. i have a full time job, so i dont teach full time. i guess i could if i really wanted to, and its a future plan of mine. i dont do much cpr and have had many offers to do so.

do you teach other things besides bls/acls, such as ekg interpretation?

i teach basic, advanced and 12 lead ekg interpretation. i also teach basic and advanced airway management. occasionally i'll do a iv course, picc line course and so forth. i ocassionally do first aid and aed courses as well. i look to doing phtls, amls, pals, and others in the near future.

how long have you been teaching acls? since 1999

do you enjoy what you do? very much so.

how profitable is this type of business or what is the potential profit for this type of business?

it can be very profitable. probably will depend on your location and population. with the hospitals cutting back on education, there is a demand. i also sell study guides, crash cart cards and so forth. i sell other educational products, like train the trainer and so forth. my goal is for this to be a full time job by the end of 2009.

thanks again bob. i appreciate all your help and suggestions.

let me know if you have any other questions.

kevin

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Bob, how do you get approved for CEU's for the ACLS classes you teach. Are you automatically approved to offer CEU's once you become an ACLS instructor?

Thanks,

Kevin

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Hi,

One way is to submit through your board of nursing for CEU's. The AHA does not provide CEU's.

Also if you have a good relationship with a ANCC CEU Provider, they can award your classes CEU's. There is some paperwork involved, but not to difficult. You can get this info from the ANCC. Most of your larger hospitals are able to do this.

If you have any other questions, let me know.

Bobnurse

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Specializes in CCU/ICU/ER.

Hey Kevin.. i came across this post today and was just wondering how things had progressed for you? was thinking of doing a similar thing myself..

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Guys does this work like an MLM, that is, the TC keeps half of what you make?

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