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How Long Is a CPR Class
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How Long Is a CPR Class
Nowadays taking an online CPR class is easier than ever with the vast variety of online First Aid/CPR/AED classes available on the internet! Wondering how long is a CPR class? Perhaps you have a busy schedule or an unconventional line of work with strange hours - do you really have the time to take a course? American Aquatics and Safety Training courses offer expert training compliant with OSHA standards and follow American Heart Association (AHA) ECC guidelines.
These skills are vital whether you need to satisfy job requirements or simply want to know how to keep your loved ones safe. The American Aquatics and Safety Training provides CPR training courses from world-class instructors who will teach you via award-winning online courses!
But just how long is CPR class, and how much time will it take up with traveling? Choose from online or in-person courses, or take a blended Simulation Learning class that combines online learning with in-person instruction with hands-on elements. Some of these courses may seem long, and some in the industry might claim significantly shorter hours required for CPR certification, but it is important to remember that if you are getting training for a job or as a healthcare provider, a full-length certification is worth every second.
CPR Certification Time Commitments and How long does it take to become CPR certified?
When taking part in CPR and First Aid training for first responders, medical emergencies, and First Aid/CPR/AED courses, students must complete hands-on skills sessions in person to obtain a course completion card. AAST issues its own certification and our courses follow American Heart Association (AHA) ECC guidelines. Apart from this, however, you will find that for most CPR classes blended learning and online learning is completely common. But just how long are CPR and First Aid courses?
The AAST CPR/AED course runs 275 minutes, which is 4 hours 35 minutes, in the classroom format, and 170 minutes in person on the blended route. The AAST First Aid course runs 240 minutes, which is 4 hours, in the classroom format, and 120 minutes in person on the blended route.
A combined First Aid and CPR/AED course covers two separate certifications, so the time is the sum of the two: 8 hours 35 minutes in the classroom format, and 4 hours 50 minutes of in-person time on the blended route. Of course, this will be shorter if comprised of those renewing CPR certification and longer for those who have never before engaged with training and have no certificate.
It is important to remember that no two CPR/AED courses have the same instructor, so the time may change depending on how much time is given to questions, how large the class is, and how many participants are taking the course for the first time.
How long will my CPR certification last?
CPR certification is valid for two years from the date it was issued, and this is the longest period that the knowledge and skills of CPR stay at the acceptable level for an average person. It is important that the everyday person protecting their pals and the professional healthcare provider prevent CPR skill retention decline by refreshing their memory! More than half of certified CPR students would not be able to pass the test after a year removed from initial CPR training. So it is extremely important to refresh your memory with study material obtained during training or via free American Aquatics and Safety Training mobile apps.
How long will it take to become re-certified?
Although it is common for a CPR course to last around three hours, renewal courses can be as short as two hours! Yet, even CPR classes comprised of those who are just renewing their certificate and simply need a refreshment on their CPR training will still take a fair amount of time. The videos shown in these CPR courses contain such important CPR skills that even the most knowledgeable group will still be required to cover key topics and practice essential CPR techniques.
It's important to remember the date when your CPR certificate expires, as you will need to update your certificate on time. You do not want to put yourself in a situation where someone is in need of your CPR skills and your license is not valid as you could find yourself in serious legal trouble.
Course length versus the time you should actually budget
A CPR class is short, and the published length is honest, but it describes contact time rather than the whole commitment. Add travel, add arriving early enough to start on time, and add the reading if your course includes online material beforehand. Candidates who treat the class length as the whole obligation are the ones who arrive rushed, and compression quality is one of the first things to suffer when someone is flustered.
The skills assessment is not the part to hurry. Chest compressions are judged on depth, rate and full recoil, and that is checked on a manikin rather than assumed from a written answer. Most candidates need a few attempts before the rhythm settles, which is exactly what the practical time is for. A course that promises certification in a fraction of the usual time has generally removed that assessment, and an employer who checks will notice.
Certification runs for two years from the date of issue. That is worth diarising immediately, because renewal while your card is still valid is consistently simpler than restarting after it lapses. Skills also decay faster than the certificate suggests, most people are noticeably rustier at eighteen months than they expect to be, and a short refresher between renewals is time well spent.
Reviewed by Jackie Stern, Lifeguard Instructor, Firefighter and EMT. Jackie Stern has taught lifeguarding for more than 20 years and works as a firefighter, EMT and swim instructor. She reviews course content, prerequisites and rescue standards against current certification requirements.
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