HeartSaver

2020 Guideline AHA Heartsaver® First Aid CPR AED

HeartSaver® First Aid CPR/AED Course Information:

The AHA’s HeartSaver courses are designed for anyone with little or no medical training who needs first aid and/or CPR training and a course completion card for job, regulatory (e.g., OSHA), or other regulatory or licensing requirements. HeartSaver courses can also be taken by anyone who wants to be prepared to act in an emergency. 

After successfully completing this course, students should be able to:
CPR AED
  • Describe how high-quality CPR improves survival
  • Explain the concept of the Chain of Survival
  • Recognize when someone needs CPR
  • Describe how to perform CPR with help from others
  • Demonstrate giving effective breaths by using mouth to mouth or a mask for all ages
  • Demonstrate performing high-quality CPR for an adult, a child, and an infant
  • Demonstrate using an AED on an adult and on a child
  • Describe when and how to help a choking adult or child
  • Demonstrate how to help a choking infant

First Aid
  • List the priorities, roles, and responsibilities of first aid rescuers
  • Describe the key steps in first aid
  • Demonstrate removing protective gloves
  • Demonstrate finding the problem
  • Describe the assessment and first aid actions for these life-threatening conditions: heart attack, difficulty breathing, choking, severe bleeding, shock, and stroke
  • Describe when and how to help a choking adult, child, or infant
  • Demonstrate how to help a choking infant
  • Demonstrate how to use an epinephrine pen
  • Demonstrate how to control bleeding and apply bandaging
  • Recognize elements of common illnesses and injuries
  • Describe the benefits of living a healthy lifestyle and the risks of smoking and vaping
  • Describe how to find information on preventing illness and injury
  • Recognize the legal questions that apply to first aid rescuers


HeartSaver® First Aid CPR/AED Course Structure:

Course Structure: HeartSaver First Aid CPR AED now offers the flexibility of optional course paths, which allows Instructors to customize the content to meet the needs of students while ensuring consistency among all HeartSaver courses. For students who must take both CPR AED and first aid, the AHA has designed course paths to address their specific needs. Students should check with their respective agencies to ensure these course paths fulfill their requirements. 

HeartSaver Total: This comprehensive curriculum is designed to meet licensing requirements for OSHA and other regulatory agencies. Approximate time to complete a Heartsaver Total course is 4 hours.

To successfully complete a HeartSaver course and earn a HeartSaver course completion card, students must successfully complete the course curriculum and pass the following skills tests for the HeartSaver Total Course Path : 
  •  Adult CPR and AED Skills Test
  • Child CPR Skills Test (if teaching Child CPR)
  • Infant CPR Skills Test (if teaching Infant CPR)
  • First Aid Skills Test