AHA Basic Life Support (BLS) and CPR Certification

CPR, AED, and BLS skills you will practice

This course follows the American Heart Association BLS curriculum: high-quality single-rescuer and team CPR, use of an automated external defibrillator, relief of choking, and effective communication during a resuscitation team response. Skills are practiced on manikins under direct instructor supervision until you can demonstrate them independently.

Who this is for

BLS is built for healthcare workers, CNAs, home health aides, nursing students, and anyone whose job or volunteer role requires a current BLS Provider card. You do not need to be enrolled in another program at Nura Care Institute to take BLS on its own. A current BLS card is also a prerequisite for our Home Health Aide and Restorative Nursing Assistant courses.

What you'll walk away with

On successful completion, you will receive an AHA BLS Provider course completion card, generally valid for two years from your course date. Bring your current card if you are renewing, so we can confirm your renewal timeline.

AHA Basic Life Support (BLS) course overview

Our Basic Life Support course is an American Heart Association (AHA) BLS Provider course taught in person at our Orangevale campus, near Citrus Heights, Fair Oaks, and Folsom. It is the certification most hospitals, clinics, care homes, and nursing programs expect before you start clinical work, and it is the foundation every other resuscitation course builds on. When you finish, you earn an official AHA BLS Provider card.

The class is built around practice, not lecture. You work with manikins and a trainer AED so that the skills feel automatic when they matter. Because our lead instructor is a Registered Nurse who has used these skills at the bedside, the training stays grounded in what really happens in a hospital room, a care facility, or a first-response situation, rather than in theory alone.

What you learn in BLS

An AHA BLS course covers the core skills that keep a person alive in the first minutes of a cardiac or breathing emergency, before advanced help arrives. You will practice each one until you can perform it confidently.

• High-quality CPR for adults, children, and infants, including compression depth, rate, and full recoil
• Use of an automated external defibrillator (AED), including safe pad placement and delivering a shock
• Rescue breathing and effective use of a bag-mask device
• Recognizing when someone needs CPR and activating the emergency response system
• Relief of choking (foreign-body airway obstruction) in adults, children, and infants
• Team-based resuscitation and clear, closed-loop communication

These skills are standardized by the American Heart Association, so the card you earn here means the same thing to an employer as one earned anywhere else. What sets a class apart is the quality of the hands-on coaching, which is where small groups and an RN instructor make the difference.

Who needs BLS certification

BLS has no prerequisites, which makes it the natural starting point for almost everyone in healthcare and many people outside it. You likely need a current BLS card if you are:

• A nurse, nursing student, or new graduate heading into clinical rotations
• A Certified Nursing Assistant, home health aide, or caregiver
• A medical assistant, EMT, phlebotomist, or dental team member
• A respiratory therapist, physical or occupational therapist, or other allied health professional
• A lifeguard, coach, personal trainer, or safety officer whose employer requires the healthcare provider level

If you are not sure whether you need BLS or a general CPR class, call us at (916) 544-1256 and we will help you match the course to your employer or school requirement.

CPR versus BLS, and BLS versus ACLS

People use these terms loosely, so here is the plain version. General CPR and first aid courses teach the public how to respond in an emergency. BLS is the healthcare provider level of CPR: it covers the same lifesaving basics but adds two-rescuer skills, the bag-mask device, and team dynamics that clinical settings require. When a job posting says CPR for healthcare providers or AHA BLS, this is the course they mean.

BLS is the foundation. Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) is the next step for licensed clinicians who manage cardiac emergencies, adding heart-rhythm recognition, medications, and advanced airway skills. ACLS assumes you already have solid BLS, which is why most providers keep both cards current. If you want a deeper comparison, read our guide on BLS versus ACLS and which certification you need.

How the class works and what to bring

Our BLS course is taught in person so you get real hands-on practice and a skills check, which online-only courses cannot provide. Most students complete it in a single session. Wear comfortable clothing you can move and kneel in, since CPR practice happens on the floor with manikins. Bring a photo ID and, if you are renewing, your current or most recent BLS card.

Your AHA BLS Provider card and the 2-year renewal

When you pass, you receive an American Heart Association BLS Provider card, which is valid for two years. Employers and schools verify AHA eCards online, so keep your card details handy for your human resources file. Plan to renew before the expiration date rather than after, since letting a card lapse can mean you are not cleared to work clinical shifts until you recertify. We offer renewal in the same friendly, hands-on format, so keeping your card current is quick.

Onsite and group BLS training across Northern California

If your team needs certification, we bring the class to your workplace. We travel to clinics, care homes, dental and medical offices, fitness centers, and community groups across the greater Sacramento region and beyond, including Sacramento, Roseville, Auburn, Grass Valley, Yuba City, Napa, and Redding. Everyone trains together on your schedule, so no one loses a shift driving to a class. It is a simple way to keep a whole department current before a survey, an accreditation deadline, or a new-hire start date.

Why an in-person, RN-led BLS class matters

A quick online quiz can feel convenient, but many hospitals and schools do not accept an online-only card, because BLS is a physical skill that has to be seen and corrected in person. Compression depth and rate, hand placement, a proper mask seal, and the timing of a two-rescuer switch are things an instructor has to watch you do. Our class includes a real hands-on skills check, so the card you leave with is one employers trust.

Learning from a Registered Nurse adds another layer. You are not just memorizing a sequence; you are hearing how these skills play out in a real code, what tends to go wrong, and how a calm, well-communicating team makes the difference. Small groups mean you get coached directly instead of watching from the back of a large room. That is the difference between passing a class and actually being ready.

Who should enroll

Enroll in BLS if you need a healthcare provider CPR card for a job, a clinical placement, or a nursing or allied health program, or if you simply want the skill and confidence to respond in an emergency. New caregivers, students, and returning professionals all fit this class. If you also need advanced training, ask us about pairing BLS with ACLS.

Course fee and what is included

The AHA Basic Life Support course is $79. That covers your in-person instruction, hands-on skills practice with manikins and a trainer AED, your skills check, and your AHA BLS Provider card on successful completion. There are no surprise add-ons. If you want to lock in a group rate for onsite team training, call us and we will put together a plan for your headcount.

How to enroll and what to expect next

Getting certified is straightforward. Use our enrollment form or call (916) 544-1256 and tell us whether you need an initial card or a renewal, and whether it is for yourself or a team. We confirm a date, you come in for the hands-on session, and you walk out ready to verify your card with your employer or school. If your timeline is tight, mention your deadline and we will do our best to fit you in.

Sources and official references

• American Heart Association CPR & First AidPublishes the official BLS Provider curriculum and issues course completion cards

Certification requirements are set by the State of California through the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and the relevant certifying bodies, and can change. Prices and prerequisites are current as of 2026; please confirm current details with the California Department of Public Health and the American Heart Association before enrolling.