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BLS Certification in Philadelphia

BLS certification in Philadelphia at CPR Philadelphia is the American Heart Association BLS Provider course in its blended form. You finish HeartCode BLS online first, a course sold separately by the AHA, then come to 1819 John F Kennedy Blvd, Suite 307, in Center City, for a 60 minute hands-on skills session and test. Your AHA BLS Provider card is valid for 2 years. The eCard is issued the same day you pass.

The course

What is AHA BLS Provider?

BLS (Basic Life Support) is the American Heart Association course for healthcare providers and students. It teaches high-quality CPR for adults, children and infants, early use of an AED, rescue breaths with a pocket mask and a bag-mask device, relief of choking, and how a team works a cardiac arrest together.

HeartCode BLS is the AHA name for the blended version. The knowledge part is online and adaptive, and the hands-on part is a skills practice and testing session with an instructor. Both parts lead to the same AHA BLS Provider card as the classroom course.

In class

What the BLS class covers

The skills in the official American Heart Association course, practiced hands-on with an instructor.

  1. High-quality CPR

    Compression rate, depth and full recoil for adults, children and infants, with as few pauses as possible.

  2. AED use

    Turning on the AED, placing pads for adults and children, and resuming compressions right after a shock.

  3. Breaths and bag-mask

    Rescue breaths with a pocket mask, and one and two rescuer bag-mask ventilation.

  4. Choking relief

    Responsive and unresponsive choking for adults, children and infants.

  5. Team resuscitation

    Clear roles, closed-loop communication and switching compressors during a code.

  6. Recognition and the Chain of Survival

    Checking the scene, recognizing when someone needs CPR, calling for help and applying the AHA Chain of Survival.

Who needs it

Who needs AHA BLS Provider?

Always check the exact course name your employer, school or licensing office asks for.

Hospital and clinic staff

Nurses, physicians, techs and other clinical staff at hospitals and clinics usually need a current AHA BLS card to work with patients. Check the exact course name your employer lists.

Nursing, medical and allied health students

Most clinical programs ask for BLS for healthcare providers before your first clinical placement, and many name the American Heart Association.

Philadelphia-area nursing programs

Drexel's College of Nursing and Health Professions accepts only American Heart Association BLS, Rutgers School of Nursing asks for AHA BLS certification before clinical courses, and the Community College of Philadelphia nursing program asks for healthcare provider CPR.

EMT, dental and pharmacy teams

Clinical roles outside the hospital usually mean healthcare provider BLS when they say CPR. Ask your program or employer for the exact course name in writing before you book.

Format

How the blended course works

  1. Book your skills session

    Pick a date on the booking page. It opens right here on the site.

  2. Do HeartCode BLS online

    Buy HeartCode BLS from the American Heart Association, work through it at your own pace and save the certificate of completion.

  3. Come to 1819 John F Kennedy Blvd

    Bring your completion certificate. The in-person session is about 60 minutes of hands-on practice and the skills test.

  4. Get your AHA card

    Pass the skills test and the AHA BLS Provider card is issued to you as an eCard the same day. It is valid for 2 years.

Before class

Before your BLS class: checklist

About 60 min in person, after the online part. The card is valid for 2 years.

  • Book your skills session date first, so you know your deadline for the online part
  • Buy HeartCode BLS from the American Heart Association and finish it before class (the AHA says about 1 to 2 hours)
  • Save or print the HeartCode BLS certificate of completion and bring it
  • Check that your employer or program asks for AHA BLS Provider (BLS for healthcare providers)
  • Wear clothes you can kneel in, since compressions are practiced on the floor
  • Bring glasses if you need them to read a screen or a manikin feedback light

About the online part (sold separately by the AHA)

The online part is HeartCode BLS, sold separately by the American Heart Association, not by CPR Philadelphia. You buy it from the AHA, complete it before your session, and bring the certificate of completion.

The AHA says the online part takes about 1 to 2 hours, depending on what you already know. Finish it before your skills session date: the session is the hands-on practice and test only.

Local requirements

Who asks for BLS near the classroom

Local programs and employers that put a BLS requirement in writing, and the hospitals near our students.

Hospitals near our students

  • Thomas Jefferson University Hospital111 S 11th St, a Level I trauma center
  • Pennsylvania Hospital800 Spruce St, Penn Medicine
  • Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP)University City
  • Penn Presbyterian Medical CenterUniversity City
  • Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP)University City
  • Philadelphia VA Medical CenterUniversity City
  • Jefferson Methodist Hospital2301 S Broad St
  • Temple University Hospital, Episcopal Campus100 E Lehigh Ave, Kensington, with a full emergency department
  • Temple University HospitalHealth Sciences Center, 3401 N Broad St
  • Roxborough Memorial Hospital5800 Ridge Ave
  • Temple Health Chestnut Hill Hospital8835 Germantown Ave
  • Jefferson Frankford Hospital4900 Frankford Ave
  • Jefferson Torresdale Hospital10800 Knights Rd, a Level II trauma center
  • Fox Chase Cancer CenterNortheast Philadelphia
  • Cooper University HospitalOne Cooper Plaza, Camden, a Level I trauma center
  • Jefferson Cherry Hill HospitalCherry Hill, NJ
  • Mercy Fitzgerald HospitalDarby, PA

Named as nearby places, not partners. Your employer or program has the final word on which card you need.

Getting here

Getting to 1819 John F Kennedy Blvd

The classroom is on the 1800 block of John F Kennedy Blvd in Center City, one block west of Comcast Center. Suburban Station, the SEPTA Regional Rail hub, has a street stair at 18th St and JFK Blvd, and SEPTA Metro T trolleys stop underground at 19th St and Market St. The L and the B meet at 15th St and City Hall, linked to Suburban Station by the underground concourse.

Regional Rail

  • Suburban StationStreet stair at the southeast corner of 18th St and JFK Blvd, plus entrances at 16th and 17th Sts and at 16th St and JFK Blvd.
  • LinesTrenton, West Trenton, Chestnut Hill East and West, Paoli/Thorndale, Media/Wawa, Wilmington/Newark, Airport, Manayunk/Norristown, Fox Chase, Warminster and Lansdale/Doylestown.

SEPTA Metro

  • 19th Street (T1 to T5)Trolley station under Market St at 19th St. It is not accessible yet; the L does not stop there.
  • 15th St and City Hall (L and B)The L (Market-Frankford) and the B (Broad Street) meet here, joined to Suburban Station by the concourse.

PATCO from New Jersey

  • 15-16th and LocustThe nearest PATCO stop to the classroom, at the Philadelphia end of the line.

Buses

  • At 19th Street stationSEPTA City Bus 17, 38, 44 and 48, Suburban Bus 124 and 125, and NJ Transit 316, 414, 417 and 555 connect here.

By car

Driving in from the west or north on I-76, take I-676 east; the first exit, 23rd St / Benjamin Franklin Parkway, is an eastbound exit only. Driving in from the east (I-95 Exit 22 or the Ben Franklin Bridge), take I-676 west; the 22nd St off-ramp is a westbound exit only. From I-95, Exit 22 is signed Central Philadelphia / I-676.

Parking

Public garages are listed on the blocks around the classroom, including the Penn Center House garage at 1900 JFK Blvd (valet, 7 ft 0 in height limit). Building parking and validation are not confirmed, and garage hours and rates are set by each operator.

Directions and map

FAQ

AHA BLS Provider: questions

Where can I get BLS certification in Philadelphia?

CPR Philadelphia teaches the American Heart Association BLS Provider skills session at 1819 John F Kennedy Blvd, Suite 307, Philadelphia, PA 19103, in Center City near Suburban Station. You do HeartCode BLS online first, then come in for about 60 minutes.

Does Drexel accept this BLS course?

Drexel's College of Nursing and Health Professions says only American Heart Association BLS will be accepted. This is the AHA BLS Provider course, in its blended HeartCode BLS form. We are not affiliated with Drexel, so check your compliance checklist for the exact wording.

How long is the in-person part of BLS?

About 60 minutes. The knowledge part is done online beforehand in HeartCode BLS, so the session is hands-on practice and the skills test.

Is the online HeartCode BLS course included?

No. HeartCode BLS is sold separately by the American Heart Association. You buy and finish it with the AHA, then bring the certificate of completion to your session.

How long is an AHA BLS card valid?

The AHA BLS Provider card is valid for 2 years. Renew before it expires so your card stays current.

Is HeartCode BLS the same card as the classroom BLS course?

Yes. HeartCode BLS is the blended version of the AHA BLS Provider course. After you pass the skills session you receive the same AHA BLS Provider card.

When do I get my BLS card?

The same day you pass. The AHA BLS Provider eCard is issued the same day as your skills test and sent to the email address you booked with.

Can I take BLS if my card already expired?

Yes. The blended BLS Provider course works for first-time students and for people whose card has lapsed. You complete HeartCode BLS online and the skills session the same way.

What should I bring to the BLS skills session?

Your HeartCode BLS certificate of completion and clothes you can kneel in. Compressions are practiced on the floor.

Areas we serve

BLS for nearby neighborhoods and cities

Every class is held at 1819 John F Kennedy Blvd. Each page covers the trip from that area and the local hospitals, schools and employers.

Sources for the facts on this page

  1. American Heart Association, BLS course options
  2. American Heart Association, HeartCode BLS
  3. American Heart Association, Basic Life Support (BLS) training
  4. American Heart Association ShopCPR, HeartCode BLS Online (learning objectives)
  5. Drexel College of Nursing and Health Professions, certifications (only AHA BLS accepted)
  6. Rutgers School of Nursing catalog, clinical requirements (American Heart Association BLS certification)
  7. Community College of Philadelphia, Nursing program
  8. Thomas Jefferson University Hospital (Wikipedia)
  9. Pennsylvania Hospital, 800 Spruce St (Wikipedia)
  10. University City, Philadelphia (Wikipedia)
  11. NLRB case 04-RC-155291, Jefferson Methodist Hospital, 2301 S Broad St
  12. Temple Health, Temple University Hospital Episcopal Campus, directions
  13. Temple University Bulletin, Health Sciences Center campus
  14. Nomad Health, Roxborough Memorial Hospital, 5800 Ridge Ave
  15. Temple Health, Chestnut Hill Hospital, directions and parking
  16. Jefferson Frankford Hospital (Wikipedia)
  17. Jefferson Torresdale Hospital (Wikipedia)
  18. Northeast Philadelphia (Wikipedia)
  19. Cooper University Health Care, Cooper University Hospital, One Cooper Plaza
  20. LatLong, Jefferson Cherry Hill Hospital (directory listing)
  21. The Philadelphia Inquirer, Delaware County Memorial Hospital ER closure
  22. SubwayNut, Suburban Station entrances and concourse
  23. 19th Street station, SEPTA Metro T (Wikipedia)
  24. SEPTA Metro line letters (Wikipedia)
  25. PATCO Speedline (Wikipedia)
  26. Interstate Guide, I-676 in Philadelphia (no exit numbers)
  27. AARoads, I-676 east in Philadelphia (23rd St / Benjamin Franklin Pkwy exit)
  28. AARoads, I-676 west in Philadelphia (Ben Franklin Bridge, Broad St ramp, I-76 interchange)
  29. City of Philadelphia, road closures notice listing the 22nd St (westbound) and 23rd St (eastbound) I-676 off-ramps
  30. Pennsylvania Convention Center, directions (I-95 Exit 22 to I-676)
  31. Parkopedia, Penn Center House garage, 1900 JFK Blvd

Ready to book AHA BLS Provider?

Finish the online part, then come to 1819 John F Kennedy Blvd in Center City for about 60 min in person.

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