Basic Life Support BLS/CPR/ACLS/PALS Courses
Reading Area Community College (RACC) is proud to be an authorized American Heart Association (AHA) aligned training center. We provide CPR, first aid, and advanced emergency cardiovascular care courses for healthcare professionals, first responders, employees, and the general public. Our network of authorized AHA instructors are prepared to deliver high quality programs designed to assist you in meeting your educational life-saving needs. Courses are offered in both English and Spanish.
CPR Training at RACC
Earn your American Heart Association (AHA) CPR certification with flexible training options at Reading Area Community College (RACC). Whether you prefer a traditional classroom experience or the convenience of online learning, both options teach the same lifesaving skills and lead to the same AHA certification card.
Training Options
In-Person Classroom Training
Our classroom training option is a fully in-person course led by an AHA-certified instructor. You will learn, practice, and be tested on CPR skills all in one session.
Best for:
- Students who prefer face-to-face instruction
- Learners who want to complete the entire course in one day
Blended Learning (Online Course + In-Person Skills Session)
Blended learning combines the convenience of online learning with the essential hands-on practice required for certification. This flexible option allows students to complete the course in two parts:
Step 1: Complete the Online Course
- Visit www.elearning.heart.org
- Purchase and complete the appropriate AHA online course
- Save or print your Certificate of Completion
Step 2: Schedule Your Hands-On Skills Session at RACC
- Call the American Heart Training Center at RACC at 610-607-6220 or follow this link to enroll in a class
- Schedule and attend your in-person skills practice and evaluation
Note: Purchasing the online course does not enroll you in the hands-on session—you must register for it separately.
You must present your Certificate of Completion at the time of your skills session.
Step 3: Receive Your Certification Card
- After completing both the online course and hands-on skills testing, you’ll receive your official AHA CPR certification card.
Best for:
- Students with busy schedules
- Self-paced learners
Register for a Course
- To register, go to "Course Enrollment" and then click the button to “Enroll Now”.
- Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers
This American Heart Association course is designed to prepare a wide variety of healthcare professionals to recognize several life-threatening emergencies and to provide CPR, use an AED and relieve choking in a safe, timely and effective manner. The course includes adult, child and infant rescue skills in both the out-of-hospital and in-hospital settings.
- Basic Life Support Recertification for Healthcare Providers
This recertification course is for individuals who have a current card about to expire or that has expired in less than 30 days from date of course. A copy of your current card is required.
- Heartsaver First Aid with CPR & AED
This course provides students with training in first aid, CPR, and use of an AED. This course empowers students to act with confidence in the event of an emergency at work, home, or in the community.
- Basic Life Support (BLS) Instructor Course
Steps to becoming an AHA Aligned Instructor:
- Have a current American Heart Association BLS Healthcare Provider Card
- Complete the online AHA Instructor Essentials Course at www.elearning.heart.org
- Contact RACC's American Heart Aligned Training Center at 610-607-6220 or email at shouck@racc.edu to schedule an instructor's class
- Bring the online certificate to class
- Instructor manuals and supplies will be supplied by RACC
- Within six months of completing the instructor's course, be monitored and evaluated while teaching a course
At the conclusion of this course, instructor candidates can teach the following courses:
- Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers
- Heartsaver First Aid CPR AED
- Heartsaver Pediatric First Aid CPR AED
- Bloodborne Pathogens
- HeartSaver First Aid
- HeartSaver CPR/AED
- HeartSaver CPR/AED with First Aid
- Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) or Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) Skills Testing
This course requires you to purchase and complete the ACLS or PALS online class and receive a certificate before scheduling the skills session. A student must pass the online and hands-on segments to receive an ACLS or PALS course card.
Step 1: Complete the online class and receive a certificate. To register go to www.elearning.heart.org
Step 2: Schedule a hands-on skills session with an ACLS or PALS instructor.
To schedule a hands-on skills session, contact RACC at 610-607-6220 or email at shouck@racc.edu
- Need Group Training?
Besides providing individuals with skills and information, we also provide CPR and AED training at your business or office. Courses are offered at RACC or at a location of your choice. Flexible scheduling allows you to train your team at a time that is convenient for you.