Level 2 Instructor Guide – Onboarding a New Instructor Candidate

Step 1 – Verify the Candidate’s Provider Card

Start by asking the candidate if they have a current provider card in the discipline they want to teach, either Heartsaver or BLS. If they say yes, ask them to send you a copy or photo of the card. Then go to the American Heart Association’s card validation page using the link below. You will validate the card as an employer. This step ensures the candidate has a valid, unexpired provider card before moving forward.

➡️ AHA Card Validation Link (validate as employer): https://ecards.heart.org/student/myecards

Step 2 – Stop if Card is Invalid or Missing

If the card cannot be validated through the AHA website, or if the card is expired, or if the candidate does not have a card at all, you must stop immediately. Do not continue the instructor process. Instead, have the candidate come in for a provider training course. The provider training must be a separate session – it cannot happen on the same day as any part of the instructor course. After the candidate successfully completes the provider training, they may start the instructor process over from the beginning.

Step 3 – Instructor Application

Once the candidate has a valid provider card (either the one they originally showed you or one they earned by taking provider training), the next step is to fill out the instructor application. The candidate should download the AHA Instructor Candidate Application using the link below, complete it, and then email the filled application to Ella Med at the address listed below. Ella Med will review the application and validate it. After the application is approved, the candidate is cleared to proceed with the instructor course.

📄 AHA Instructor Candidate Application (PDF): https://cpr.heart.org/-/media/CPR2-Files/PAM/Resources-for-PAM/10_13_22/PAM_InstCanApp__221006_FINAL-2.pdf Download

📧 Email for completed applications: ellamed.org@yahoo.com – after the candidate fills out the PDF, they must email it to this address for processing.

Step 4 – Instructor Essentials (Online)

After the application is approved, the candidate must go online to the American Heart Association website and take the Instructor Essentials course in the discipline they want to teach (Heartsaver or BLS). They also need to obtain a copy of the Instructor Manual for that discipline. The candidate may choose either an e‑book or a physical copy. Below are the official links for both the online courses and the required manuals.

🔗 BLS Instructor Essentials Online (preferred): https://shopcpr.heart.org/bls-instructor-essentials-online-core – Complete this course if the candidate will teach BLS. After finishing, the candidate should obtain the BLS Instructor Manual: Physical copy or e‑book.

❤️ Heartsaver Instructor Essentials Online: https://shopcpr.heart.org/heartsaverr-instructor-essentials-online-core – For candidates teaching Heartsaver courses. The required Heartsaver Instructor Manual is available as e‑book or physical copy.

Only after completing the appropriate online course and securing the corresponding Instructor Manual is the candidate ready for the in‑person portion of the training.

Step 5 – In Person Training

Schedule a date for the candidate to attend in person training with you, the Level 2 Instructor. During this session, you will go over all the techniques the candidate needs to know in order to instruct a class according to AHA guidelines. This is a hands on session. When the candidate feels comfortable with the material and is ready to be evaluated, they may schedule their monitoring session. The AHA Instructor Monitor Tool is available as a reference.

📘 BLS Instructor Essentials Faculty Guide (official AHA): Download PDF – Faculty Guide

Step 6 – Monitoring Session

The candidate comes back for a monitoring session, during which you will observe them teaching a class. The detailed process for monitoring is explained in a video we have prepared. Use the link below to watch that video – it will tell you exactly what to look for and how to document the session. Watching the video ahead of time ensures both you and the candidate are fully prepared.

Step 7 – Paperwork Package & AHA Alignment

Assemble a complete package with all the required paperwork for the candidate. Send that package to Ella Med at the same email address you used for the application ( ellamed.org@yahoo.com). This is how we officially align the candidate as an instructor on the AHA website. While the candidate is in the classroom for monitoring, have them request their alignment to Ella Med at that same time. Doing it during the monitoring session is much easier because you are there to guide them. If they miss that window, it can be done later, but the process becomes more complicated with extra steps. So whenever possible, knock out the alignment request while the candidate is physically with you.

Step 8 – Equipment Verification & Final Setup

Before a new instructor can teach on their own, they must have all the necessary equipment. It is impossible to teach an AHA class without the proper gear. As the Level 2 Instructor, you must confirm that the candidate has purchased at least the bare minimum equipment. The list below shows what is required. The candidate must send you receipts or clear photos proving that their mannequins have feedback devices and that everything meets AHA guidelines. Once you have verified the equipment, the candidate will be fully aligned on the network and free to teach independently.

📋 Bare minimum equipment list: ellamed.shop/bls-instructor-equipment-list

Finally, the candidate will receive a login to Enrollware.com (or Enroller.com) where they will manage all their paperwork going forward. A separate video explains how to use the system – share that link with the candidate when they are ready.

🎥 Enrollware / Paperwork management tutorial: ellamed.shop/enrollware-paperwork-management-tutorial