As a travel nurse or traveling allied health professional, certifications are essential for securing assignments and providing top-quality patient care. One of the most critical certification providers is the American Heart Association (AHA), which offers life-saving training programs most healthcare facilities require.
In this guide, we’ll break down everything you need to know about AHA certifications and how they impact your travel nurse career.
What is an AHA Certification?
AHA stands for American Heart Association. It is a renowned certification provider for travel RNs and allied health professionals.
What Kind of Certification can I receive?
The American Heart Association (AHA) offers many different certifications
- Basic Life Support (BLS): a certification that teaches how to perform CPR and AED.
- Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS): a certification for more advanced cardiac life support.
- Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS): a certification for providing advanced life support to children.
- Advanced Stroke Life Support (ASLS): a certification for advanced stroke life support.
- Pediatric Emergency Assessment, Recognition, and Stabilization (PEARS): a certification for assessing, recognizing, and stabilizing pediatric patients in an emergency.
- Heartsaver: a certification for basic CPR, AED, and first aid.
Which Certification Do I Need?
The types of certifications you will be required to have will depend on the specialty you’re working in. If you’re unsure about which certifications are required for your next assignment, reach out to your recruiter – they will be happy to help!
How Long Does It Take to get an AHA certification?
The American Heart Association provides the following completion estimates. Each time listed is an estimate and will vary from person to person.
- BLS takes approximately 4.5 hours to complete.
- ACLS takes approximately 15 hours and 20 minutes to complete.
- PALS takes approximately 7-12 hours to complete.
- ASLS takes approximately 3-9 hours to complete.
- PEARS takes approximately 9 hours to complete.
- Heartsaver takes approximately 4 hours to complete.
How Long Is Each AHA Certification Good For?
- Basic Life Support (BLS) is valid for two years.
- Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) is valid for two years.
- Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) is valid for two years.
- Advanced Stroke Life Support (ASLS) is valid for two years.
- Pediatric Emergency Assessment, Recognition, and Stabilization (PEARS) is valid for two years.
- Heart saver is valid for two years.
Renewing AHA Certifications
To ensure you’re refreshed on the latest information and providing the best care you can, you will need to renew your AHA certifications every two years. Renewals can be done in person or online.
- Find an AHA Training Center near you
- Register for a renewal course
- Complete the online training modules
- Attend an in-person session to continue practicing skills and then take the needed exam
- Pass the exam
- Receive your renewed AHA certification card
What if My AHA Certification Expires?
If your certification expires you will no longer be able to perform the associated procedures and will need to re-take the appropriate classes and training.