Basic Life Support (BLS) certification is a foundational skill set for many professionals, particularly those in healthcare. It involves learning techniques for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), using an automated external defibrillator (AED), and managing choking. Continuing Education (CE) credits, also known as contact hours, are units required by state boards and professional organizations to maintain licensure and ensure ongoing competency. Determining how many CE hours a BLS course is worth is complex because the number of hours issued by the training provider often differs from the number accepted by a professional licensing board.
Standard Credit Hours Assigned to BLS Courses
The number of continuing education hours assigned to a Basic Life Support course is determined by the content and duration of the training. Major providers, such as the American Heart Association (AHA) and the American Red Cross, structure their courses to align with specific time requirements. A full, instructor-led BLS certification course often ranges from four to five hours, which usually translates directly into the associated CE hours.
Renewal or refresher courses are generally shorter. These courses focus on reviewing and practicing core high-quality CPR skills and are frequently assigned three to four contact hours. For example, the American Red Cross blended learning course is accredited for approximately 4.5 Basic CE hours by organizations like the Commission on Accreditation for Prehospital Continuing Education (CAPCE). This credit is awarded based on the time spent in the educational activity, including both the online cognitive portion and the in-person skills check.
The blended learning format combines a self-paced online module with a hands-on skills session. The online portion of a course like the AHA’s HeartCode BLS takes about one to two hours to complete. The subsequent hands-on skills check takes an additional one to two hours, and the training center uses this total time to calculate the CE credit issued.
Applying BLS Credit Toward Professional Licensure
A significant point of confusion is the distinction between the CE hours issued by the training provider and those accepted by a state licensing board. Many state boards mandate BLS certification as a separate requirement for licensure, often not allowing those hours to count toward the total required CE hours. For instance, a registered nurse might be required to complete 30 CE hours every two years, but the four hours spent on the BLS course may be explicitly excluded.
Licensing boards often view BLS certification as a minimum competency standard rather than a form of advanced continuing education. The course is a prerequisite for practice, similar to an orientation, and is therefore not considered an elective or advanced learning activity. Some state boards, such as the Kentucky Board of Nursing, specifically list BLS/CPR classes as activities that cannot be submitted to fulfill the mandatory continuing education requirement.
Conversely, certain state boards or professional groups may allow the BLS hours to count if they are tied to a specific mandate. The Texas Board of Nursing, for example, allows some contact hours for Board-approved certification to count toward the 20 total required hours, though this is often content-specific. Professionals must carefully consult their specific state board’s regulations to determine if their BLS credit falls under an exclusion or an allowance.
State and Format Variables in CE Acceptance
The acceptance of BLS continuing education credit depends on the professional’s location and the format of the course taken. State boards and national registries maintain the authority to determine which educational activities meet their standards for license renewal. For Emergency Medical Services (EMS) professionals, the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) utilizes CAPCE to approve courses. This accreditation ensures the BLS content meets the national standard for EMS patient care, making CAPCE-accredited hours generally accepted for recertification.
Course format is a key variable, particularly concerning the acceptance of fully online versus blended learning options. While blended learning (online cognitive plus in-person skills) is widely accepted, some state boards may reject CE credit from a course that is 100% online. The rationale is that psychomotor skills like chest compressions and ventilation require direct observation and practice to ensure proficiency, which a purely virtual course cannot provide.
The process for reporting the credit also varies, requiring the professional to submit specific documentation. A certificate of completion must be obtained from the training provider, clearly listing the accredited provider number, such as an ANCC or CAPCE number, if applicable. This documentation is typically submitted through a state-specific tracking system or portal, which is subject to audit. The professional’s area of practice also dictates which accrediting bodies are recognized for CE credit, adding another layer of variability.