How to Become an AHA Instructor
AHA instructor training: how does it work?
Do you want to experience incredibly challenging and rewarding professional growth? Become an AHA instructor! If you are a physician, nurse, or EMT with a proven track record in the EMS field and want to become an American Heart Association instructor, you've come to the right place.
AHA is the largest organization in the world that deals with cardiovascular issues and is one of the 7 Associations that are part of ILCOR (International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation) and promoter of the guidelines that are updated and disseminated every 5 years.
This course prepares instructor candidates to teach AHA instructor-led and blended learning course formats. This means becoming a professional who can teach the highest quality courses based on publications and scientific evidence.
Specifically, this Instructor Essentials course instructs participants on how to appropriately use instructor-led course materials, ensure students meet learning objectives, offer coaching skills to students, provide objective assessment of skill performance, and follow instructor and AHA course policies. The course covers the core and discipline-specific content required to teach AHA courses.
What prerequisites do you need to have?
The AHA requires you to complete an essential online instructor program by discipline in order to qualify for the AHA instructor training course.
They are listed below.
Educational design: blended learning
The Instructor Essentials course is taught in a blended learning format. To become an AHA instructor, candidates must complete the online portion, followed by the hands-on session, which is based on what is taught in the classroom.
Specifically:
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The online portion of the course contains both core content and discipline-specific modules to prepare instructor candidates for the practical session.
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In the classroom, faculty will continue to prepare instructor candidates to become AHA instructors, focusing on in-depth material on the disciplines candidates will be expected to teach. The practical session includes instruction, practice, and an exam, allowing instructor candidates to successfully use their materials and skills as instructors
How to become an AHA Instructor: 4 steps
To successfully complete the course, instructor candidates must:
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Be accepted by an AHA Training Center (TC) prior to enrolling in an Instructor Essentials course and have a completed Instructor Candidate Application on file with that TC
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Have current AHA Provider status in the discipline for that Instructor Essentials course and be proficient in all skills of that discipline
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Successfully complete the Instructor Essentials course, including the online and practicum sessions
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Be successfully monitored in teaching within 6 months of completing the practical session of the Instructor Essentials course.
Being part of the AHA instructor community
Have you become an AHA instructor? The journey doesn't end there. Once you become an AHA instructor, you'll have immediate access to our instructor community, a networking site where you can connect with your fellow AHA instructors to exchange knowledge, information and expertise. The goal of the community is to encourage the sharing of ideas and discussion of the latest trends in CPR training as well as to give us feedback so that we can work with you to provide quality, continuously improving training.
What can you do in the AHA Instructor Community?
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Participate in or start discussion forums
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Post and comment on blogs
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Chat with colleagues, share stories and photos, ask and answer questions
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List local events and view AHA national events
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Access resources to promote your CPR and ECC training
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Earn “badges” based on your activity in the community
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Connect with friends
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Join groups based on your Instructor discipline(s)
Not only that: we’ll continually adjust the site to add new features based on your input.
While the Instructor Community is your space, we will be listening to your opinions so that we can learn more about your needs and wants as a provider of lifesaving training.