Frequently Asked Questions

How many participants can I expect in my class?

A typical class which is open to individuals from the public at our location is limited to 9 participants. Group training where your employer/school has scheduled the class will be filled with whatever quantity the organizer desires and we send enough instructors along to remain compliant with AHA ratio requirements.



Do I need to make a deposit or payment prior to my class?

Yes. A deposit secures your spot in our class. Without it, your seat could be taken by another customer in need of training who has made their payment.



Could my class be cancelled if enrollment is minimal?

Unlike most training providers, we don't cancel classes due to low enrollment. When our customers do their part by making the required deposit, we will do ours by teaching as scheduled...even if that means teaching a small, less-than-profitable class. If no deposit has been made by any of the participants of a given class, we reserve the right to move or cancel that class because the chance of “no shows” is far greater.



What methods of payment do you accept?

We can accept secure card payments through our website upon initial registration or the email reservation/reminder you were sent by choosing the black “make payment” button. We also accept Paypal (contact@HeartlandCPR.com), Venmo (@HeartlandCPR), check/money order made payment to “Heartland CPR”, or cash payment (if made after hours, our 24 hour lockbox outside our front door can be utilized).



Are there additional fees required?

No. Our classes are all-inclusive and all mandatory textbooks, materials, supplies and certification eCards are included in our pricing. No tricky quotes that sound cheap only to later learn that there are additional fees that weren’t disclosed upfront, as is commonplace in this business.



What if I need to reschedule?

With adequate notice, we can usually allow a one-time courtesy move; due to the work involved, we cannot accommodate repeated reschedules without penalty so choose your class carefully, making sure that you can arrive on time. Remember that our classes are small and you could easily make up 20% of it, so late cancellations cannot be accommodated unless a verifiable emergency arises. No shows, late cancellations, and late arrivals forfeit their deposit (half the cost of the class) because materials have been prepared and we are put in a position of paying an instructor to teach to an empty seat that someone else could likely have filled.



What should I wear?

Please dress comfortably. You will be moving about, up and down out of the floor...so comfort and versatility is the best choice.



What do I need to bring to class with me?

Bring your ID/drivers license to verify your identity. If you’ve recently had a name change which hasn’t been updated on your ID and would like a different name on your certification eCard, bring supporting documents such as marriage license/divorce decree/court order. A smartphone or other device for taking a digital eTest is required for BLS, ACLS and PALS. If you are taking an AHA skills assessment where you have purchased and taken a portion of your training online and you have not uploaded your completion certificate, you will need to bring it with you; without that completed prior to class, you will be unable to attend the skills session. If you are attending an AHA refresher in BLS-R, ACLS-R or PALS-R, you must show your valid, unexpired AHA certification if it wasn’t uploaded prior to class; expired or non-AHA prior certifications do not qualify for the shorter refresher class. A valid, unexpired BLS certification from the AHA is a prerequisite for ACLS and PALS; if that wasn’t provided in advance, it must be shown to your instructor and verified upon arrival.



Is there a written test?

All disciplines require proficiency on feedback manikins in the hands-on skills portion. The disciplines of BLS, ACLS and PALS additionally conclude with a written test which is “open resource” (meaning you can use your textbooks or notes taken during class) and you must score 84% or higher to pass. A second attempt is allowed after remediation if unsuccessful on the first.



How do I prepare for my class?

Only the disciplines of ACLS and PALS require significant pre-study and completion of a pre-test with a score of 70% or better; it can be taken as many times as needed to achieve this score. You must submit the pretest results in advance of class or upon arrival in order to attend. Links for these required pretests are included in your email reservations or are linked below.

Pretest for ACLS

Pretest for PALS



When will I get my eCard?

When payment in full has been made (in the event your employer which has a payment agreement with us is making payment after the class), your card will be issued by the next business day; if payment is made after class by your employer, your eCard will be made the next business day after payment arrives. Our instructors do not have the ability to issue eCards so they are issued by office staff during normal business hours; therefore it is important to choose a class that allows processing time (for example, don’t pick a class on a Friday evening if you need to be able to show your card early Monday morning to work). It should be noted that eCards have phased out AHA physical printed certification cards because they are more secure and minimize fraud; as a result, each participant needs a unique email address where the individual is required to “claim” their own certification since the individual earned the certification (all links cannot be sent to the employer, for example, but we do provide a summary of individuals certified and their unique card identifier number to the employer/organizer).

How do I claim get my eCard? 

1) You will receive an email from eCards@heat.org with a link (check your junk/spam folders & remember that it won’t come from our email address like other communications have).
2) The link directs you to the Student Profile which will be prepopulated with your name & email address as well as class information (if any information is incorrect, contact Heartland CPR immediately).
3) Set up a security question for access in the future.
4) Accept the terms & conditions, then “submit”.
5) Answer a brief survey or “skip & continue”.
6). Your eCard will be displayed; save it as a PDF, screenshot it, print or email it from the eCard landing page as desired.

PLEASE NOTE: If you do not claim your eCard, you will not be able to show proof of certification and your employer or school cannot verify training until you have completed the steps to claim! You can view your eCard online 24/7 at www.heart.org/cpr/mycards by entering your name & email address or the card code displayed when you claimed your card. 

If you have not received the AHA link within 2 business days 7 & you’re certain payment has been made, please contact Heartland CPR to troubleshoot.  



How will I get my CEUs?

CEUs come via email automatically 3 days after your class. It is important not to unsubscribe because this important followup email will not arrive.



How long is my certification valid?

All AHA certifications are valid for two years, through the end of the month in which you were certified (a certification any time in June 2022 is valid through the end of June 2024). It should be noted that some individuals who are still in school (such as nursing students) are required to certify annually until they graduate the program even though their AHA cards are still valid.



What happens if I leave something behind?

We make every effort to contact class participants when we know which class a found item came from; however, unclaimed items will be donated after 30 days. Contact our office as soon as you realize you may have left something.