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Instructor Course
This is an INSTRUCTOR COURSE, for those that wish to teach student level First Aid/CPR/AED courses to the public or to their employees. After completion of this course, you will have the ability to hold classes and certify students in Red Cross First Aid/CPR/AED courses. Instructor certifications are valid for 2 years.
Course Preparation
This course will train instructor candidates to teach student-level American Red Cross First Aid/CPR/AED courses. There are several components to the process:
Students must obtain and hold an unexpired Adult CPR/AED certification by the date of your in-person Instructor Course. Students may hold an equivalent or higher certification from the Red Cross or a similar agency. Click here for a full listing of acceptable certifications. If the certification is expired, from an agency not listed, or was an online-only course - it will not be accepted.
An online, self-paced pre-work session that lasts approximately 2-3 hours must be completed ahead of the in-person course. This is an overview about teaching Red Cross courses and sets the foundation for your in-person class. Once enrolled in the Instructor Course, you will receive an access link to this online pre-work.
Candidates must also obtain a current copy (r.2025 version) of the Red Cross Instructor Manual. Your organization may already have one, or you can buy one through us at checkout, or free digital PDF versions are also available after registration.
An in-person Instructor Development course, which lasts approximately 8 hours, is the final component. This portion has a CPR practice & polish session, demonstrations by the trainer, training material review, and then practice teach back sessions for the instructor candidates. This portion will help ensure that candidates are ready to go out and teach on their own! Students will also leave class with a student level Adult & Pediatric First Aid/CPR/AED certificate, in addition to their Instructor certificate.
Instructor Supplies & Equipment
AFTER becoming an instructor, you will need to have many supplies and pieces of equipment on hand in order to properly hold a course. Here is a resource from the Red Cross that outlines many of the supplies and equipment pieces you will need. Keep in mind that in addition to the Red Cross Store, there are many other vendors available where supplies can be purchased from. Also, instructor manuals, videos, and handouts are all provided in free digital formats so hard copies are not required. Reach out to us if you have any equipment questions or would like vendor recommendations.
Course Length
Students will spend on average, 2 hours working through the online pre-work portion of the course. Your in-person part of the training lasts approximately 6.5 hours.
Instructor Affiliation
There are three ways to become “affiliated” after you complete your instructor training. Affiliation is required in order to teach any courses.
Affiliated-AP/LTP: While still an independent business, organization or individual, you can affiliate with Ohio CPR Certs where we provide local customer support, mentoring, discounted pricing on your certification cards, and handle the administrative aspect of issuing cards to your students. This is for those that want to just focus on teaching courses while also saving $4-6 per student on your certification cards.
Authorized Provider (AP): The AP affiliation is for businesses, schools and organizations that need to train people internally (like your employees or volunteers) and wish to affiliate directly with the Red Cross with an agreement. You will pay fees directly to the Red Cross at full retail price.
Licensed Training Provider (LTP): For those that want to setup a business to train groups of people externally (you sell your services as an Instructor). You will generally need to setup an LLC and carry insurance. There are many other considerations to operate a business (like facility rent, insurance, taxes, bank accounts, website building, business licenses, marketing, etc.). You will pay fees directly to the Red Cross at full retail price.
Course Location
The location of your training course is the Ohio CPR Certs Training Center located at 110 Polaris Parkway, Suite 303, Westerville, OH 43082. The facility is an office building located in front of the Meijer store on Polaris Parkway. Park on either side of the building and enter the main lobby, take the elevator to the third floor, and turn right toward Suite 303.
BLS Instructor Credential
If you have a medical license (such as EMT, RN, Medic, etc.), you will have the opportunity to complete a free online bridge courses in order to obtain your BLS Instructor certification. You must still complete this basic level Instructor Development course first in order to take the free bridge. After completing the basic level Instructor Course, we can assist you with obtaining your BLS Instructor certification.
Cancellation Policy
Be sure to review the Cancellation/Reschedule Policies on our website.
Questions?
If you have questions about becoming a CPR Instructor after reading through this information, don’t hesitate to reach out to us and we will assist!