Compliance

Acceptance of our CPR training program can be tricky to understand. It would be much simpler if the American Heart Association and the Red Cross could just “approve” third-party training programs, giving them a big sticker to show they are up to par on everything a CPR training program should entail. However, it’s not that simple. The American Heart Association and the Red Cross have never approved independent training programs. In fact, the AHA and Red Cross are our competitors. For example, if you owned a gym and there was a gym opening right across the street with lower prices, would you publicize that they are just as good of a gym as yours and no matter where you go you’ll get just as good of a workout? Of course not! You’ll lose customers. You may explain that a good gym should include a variety of equipment including treadmills, bikes, dumbbells, squats racks, machines, fitness classes, etc. You say this to help promote your own gym and maintain credibility. The situation is no different when it comes to CPR training programs. The American Heart Association and the Red Cross have guidelines in what they believe make for a great CPR program (1). Smart Certification follows those guidelines but we are not “approved” by  the American Heart Association and the Red Cross because we are, technically, competitors. The regulations governing what must be included in a CPR training program are determined by OSHA, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (2). Our training program adheres to these regulations. Some occupational boards have additional rules that vary by industry and region. In terms of approval by these boards, it depends on what state you’re from and what occupation you have. Some state boards require the CPR program to be certified by the state. Other times, the state leaves approval to the employer and only publishes guidelines for CPR providers (3). 

Smart Certification is a blended program and will be approved anywhere blended programs are accepted. The American Heart Association has a blended program as well, to put things into perspective (4). 

If you’re not sure if this program will be accepted, the best thing to do is check with your employer.

Sources

1) 2015 AHA Guidelines Update for CPR and ECC. www.cercp.org/images/stories/recursos/Guias%202015/Guidelines-RCP-AHA-2015-Full.pdf.

2) “OSHA Compliance for First Aid and CPR in the Workplace.” CPR Training Professionals, 26 Jan. 2016, www.cprtrainingpro.com/osha-compliance-for-first-aid-in-the-workplace/.

3) “American Red Cross vs American Heart Association BLS Certification.” Key CPR, 14 Oct. 2019, www.keycpr.com/american-red-cross-vs-american-heart-association-bls-certification-what-is-the-difference/.

4) AHA Blended Learning, cpr.heart.org/AHAECC/CPRAndECC/Training/UCM_500224_AHA-Blended-Learning.jsp.