New grad w/question about CPR cert.

[Rags2Riches RN]

So I have my CPR certification from the American Red Cross, and it does not expire until summer of next year. I went on a job interview and the nurse recruiter said that when I go back for recertification that it should be BLS from the AHA (I asked her why and she didn't really give a reason). I've also noticed that some job listing state that they want BLS from the AHA. So my question is should I go ahead now and get the BLS from AHA or wait until next year when it's time to renew?

[kenyacka]

Um.... no. I took an actual class. (and someone said that AHA is only an hour or two? Mine was 4 hours, just fyi.) Go to www.heart.org and you can search for a location of a place to take the course. I took mine at a local hospital. Also, I don't know about where you will take the class, but for me we didn't even open the book. We had the option to buy the book or just check it out for the class. I'm so happy that I just checked it out. We did everything through video. You watch a video, then practice with the video, then do it on your own.

It sounds like the two classes are pretty much exactly the same. I guess it just depends on what your facility prefers. Most of what I've seen is BLS.

[Guest717236]

Thank you all for your input. I wanted to clear up some misconceptions, when I originally got my CPR certification it was for good 2 years (this was back in the summer of 2010). Secondly, the CPR course that I took was indeed CPR for healthcare providers and not just CPR for the general population. Anyhow, I'm going to go ahead and get the BLS from the AHA, but their process seems so...different. Apparently they don't offer in-class instructions, instead they come to you/one-on-one like at your house:confused: Did anyone else do this?

No there are classes available,check with your local hospital or AHA office.

For a small fee, AHA does have an online class. It has a great video and tutorial along with review tests.

At the end you can print your certification (written only) after you pass the course exam and go to an AHA class for the hands on segment.

The online written test certification is good for a month, you need to get the hands on segment in class that you need to pass, then you will

be given the AHA CPR BLS card.

[hiddencatRN, BSN, RN]

I think it is more custom in many places AND though the ARC does CPR classes to various levels they DO NOT do any type of ACLS and PALS. It is fairly standard among every hospital that I have encountered in the past decade or so that AHA classes are the standard.

Many years ago the CPR requirement could be met with the ARC class. I have not known of this to be the case in more than a decade or so.

AHA also teaches several "levels" of CPR from very basic classes for families to classes from the Healthcare Provider.

Don't make it a big deal, just go ahead and take the CPR class from the AHA. You will need the HEALTHCARE PROVIDER course. Take the full course and there will be no questions about your ability to renew your CPR.

Also, you absolutely have to have a current course completion card in HEALTHCARE PROVIDER AHA BLS course to be allowed to take the ACLS and PALS courses.

Good Luck

:angel:

ARC does teach CPR on different levels (and when i took it the cert was good for 2 years), for the general public and one for healthcare professionals. My nursing school accepted ARC certification but my employer required AHA prior to my interview. There was no difference in the ARC and AHA classes I took.

I'd go ahead and get the AHA cert if you can. It'll just make things easier to already have it when applying to places that require it.

[NurseGreta]

The biggest difference is AHA and ILCOR (International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation) are close. Every 5 years when ILCOR meets AHA represents the US and participates in a lot of the research that goes into the changes in practice. Like with the last change when we went to at least 100 compressions/min and at least a depth of 2 inches in compressions. It is just what most hospitals require.