First Aid + CPR/AED

Technically, CPR is a component of First Aid care. However, in terms of classes, they are generally separate due to how much information and practice is involved in effective CPR alone.

In terms of material, First Aid classes typically cover a wide range of ways you can assist a person who’s become ill or injured, while CPR classes focus on helping a person undergoing cardiac arrest specifically.

Yes. First Aid classes can be taken separate from CPR. However, Vitali does not offer standalone First Aid classes to the public. You would need to sign up for a full CPR and First Aid class. Visit our registration page for available First Aid classes.

After successfully completing a First Aid class, you’ll receive an eCard (via email). An instructor technically has up to 20 days to send your certification, but Vitali guarantees you’ll receive it within one business day.

Yes and no. Any class that’s completely online is typically not accepted by employers as OSHA and state requirements mandate hands-on training. However, training can be more flexible if you opt to take an online blended-learning class (part online, part onsite). After completing the online portion, you would need to demonstrate your skills in front of an instructor to get your CPR and First Aid certification. View our blended-learning class options here.

Yes and no. American Heart Association (AHA), American Red Cross (ARC), and Health & Safety Institute (HSI) certification cards all cost money. So, while some hospitals and fire departments may offer free classes, you may still have to pay for the card ($20-40).

Additionally, not all hospitals and fire departments offer these classes to the community (non-employees) anymore due to budget cuts and/or low demand, and those that do generally have limited availability.

All of our CPR classes are the same format, regardless if it’s your first or tenth time taking it. Vitali offers a wide range of CPR classes to people of all skill levels and will tailor the course appropriately to the audience.

Typically, if you initially received an eCard (via email), you’ll be able to log into your AHA portal to retrieve it. You can refer to this article on what to do if you lost your CPR certification card to learn more.

Students are issued a two-year CPR certification upon successful completion of class. Certifications expire two years later at the end of the month issued.

You should plan to renew your certification every two years. Certification is good through the end of the month the card was initially issued. However, some employers require more up-to-date training, so you have the option to renew prior to the end of this period.

No. Students are no longer required to take a test in order to obtain a First Aid certification card. This is a change that happened when the 2010 CPR guidelines were released.

You can expect your certification to be emailed to you within one business day of successfully completing the class. You can either save or print the card from there.

First Aid is the care given to someone who has suffered sudden illness or injury. The goal of First Aid is to help improve medical outcomes, either by addressing the injury with proper training or getting the person to a higher level of care. If someone is First Aid-certified, it means they have been trained to provide basic care in emergency situations within the past two years.

An AED stands for automated external defibrillator. This device is used to detect and shock an abnormal rhythm called Ventricular Fibrillation (or V-Fib) in the heart during cardiac arrest.

The best resource is the AHA website itself. CPR guidelines are updated every five years and they offer a hard copy book available for purchase.

Vitali offers both American Heart Association (AHA) and American Red Cross (ARC) authorized CPR classes. They both teach the same national standards. However, some employers especially in the healthcare field will require one brand over the other. Check with your employer to verify what they require so that you choose the appropriate class.