The EMSLRC is an American Heart Association Training Center for Basic Life Support (BLS), Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS), and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) courses. 

Classes are held in the EMSLRC for UIHC staff and members of the community. The EMSLRC oversees the activities of over 1000 instructors across Iowa and into the bordering states as well as processing their rosters and issuing AHA course completion cards.

Notice for UI Health Care staff: 

  • All BLS course registration for UIHC staff is located on ERMA.
  • Department of Nursing staff who are required to have ACLS or PALS certification as a compliance must register using ERMA.
  • ERMA registrations are reviewed by staff to confirm eligibility.
  • All registrations on the EMSLRC’s Enrollware site will result in a course fee being charged.
  • HeartCode is not an option for Department of Nursing personnel who have their course fee waived.

  • Please DO NOT register for multiple sessions of the same course. This takes away seats from others.

  • If you cannot attend your session, please let the EMSLRC know as soon as possible.

If you are attending a BLS class at the EMSLRC:

The EMSLRC is located near Elevator C on the 6th floor of General Hospital. Please plan to arrive at least 10 minutes before your scheduled class time. Due to the pace of the material, the door is closed approximately seven minutes after the class starts. By this time, too much material has been missed and cannot be made up. Late comers will not be admitted and must reschedule.

If you are attending ACLS or PALS at the EMSLRC:

Please plan to arrive 10 minutes before your scheduled class time. You must be able to show completion of the pre-course test either through a printed copy of your completion certificate or a screen shot on your phone. Persons who have not completed the pre-course test will not be admitted to the class and will be required to reschedule.

AHA Course Delivery Options

BLS, ACLS, and PALS courses are delivered either in a face-to-face traditional classroom format or as a hybrid course using the HeartCode family of courses. HeartCode classes present the classroom material in an interactive online format. Once the online course is completed, a skills verification session with an AHA instructor is required. The EMSLRC conducts HeartCode skills testing monthly.

American Heart Association Courses

Basic Life Support (BLS or CPR)

Basic Life Support (BLS aka CPR)

The American Heart Association (AHA) BLS Provider (CPR) course is designed to provide a wide range of health care and public safety professionals the ability to recognize several life-threatening emergencies, provide CPR, use an AED, and relieve choking in a safe, timely, and effective manner. When registering, you will have the option to complete either a full provider course or renewal course; the full provider course will last approximately 2 to 2.5 hours depending on participation, remediation, or additional questions and is dedicated to first time course completers or individuals that may need additional remediation. The BLS renewal course is designed for providers that are currently certified and proficient in CPR and this course will last approximately 1.5 to 2 hours depending on participation, remediation, or additional questions.

Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support

Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS)

The goal of Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) is to improve the quality of care provided to adult victims of cardiac arrest or other cardiopulmonary emergencies. The 2020 American Heart Association ACLS course is designed for health care providers who either direct or participate in the resuscitation of a patient, whether in or out of hospital. In this course you will enhance your skills in the treatment of arrest and peri-arrest patients through active participation in a series of simulated cardiopulmonary cases. You must attend all sessions to meet the educational requirements established by the American Heart Association including successful completion of a skills and written test. All participants in an ACLS course must complete a pre-course test with a minimum score of 70% in order to attend the course. The ACLS Provider course is 12 hours in length over two days and is designed for those who do not have a current ACLS certification. The ACLS Renewal course is a four-hour course for those who have current ACLS certification and are approaching the end of their certification period. Recertification in ACLS is recommended every two years.

Pediatric Advanced Life Support

Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS)

The American Heart Association Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) Provider Course is designed for health care providers who either direct or participate in the resuscitation of pediatric patients, whether in or out of hospital. In this course you will enhance your skills in the treatment of arrest and peri-arrest pediatric patients through active participation in a series of simulated cases. You must attend all sessions to meet the educational requirements established by the American Heart Association including successful completion of a skills and written test. All participants in a PALS course must complete a pre-course test with a minimum score of 70% in order to attend the course. The PALS Provider course is 12 hours in length over two days and is designed for those who do not have a current PALS certification. The PALS Renewal course is a four-hour course for those who have current PALS certification and are approaching the end of their certification period. Recertification in PALS is recommended every two years.

American Heart Association Instructor Courses

Instructor Renewal Process

Current AHA instructors who are aligned with the EMSLRC will renew their instructor status every two years. To renew instructor status, the instructor must:

  • Have a current AHA instructor card and be aligned with the EMSLRC.
  • Teach four classes in the discipline in two years.
  • Be monitored teaching by an EMSLRC-aligned Training Center Faculty.
  • Pass the written examination for the discipline with a minimum score of 84%.
  • Complete any required AHA science updates.

New AHA Instructors

To become an AHA instructor in any of the disciplines, you must:

  • Be a currently certified provider in the discipline you wish to instruct.
  • Register for an instructor course through the EMSLRC Enrollware site.
  • Complete the online Instructor Essentials course for the discipline.
  • Attend the face-to-face instructor session.
  • Be monitored teaching in a class by an EMSLRC training center faculty.

The EMSLRC will send the online Instructor Essentials key and course materials upon payment of the course fees.

AHA Instructor Resources

Enrollware Instructor Roster Submissions: https://enrollware.com

AHA Instructor Network: https://atlas.heart.org/home