American Heart Association / AHA eCard - FAQ

Your AHA eCard will be sent within 72 hours of course completion.Click on the link to watch a video about how to self-claim your eCard.Click on the link to watch a video about how to claim your eCard from the email sent by AHA.

If you have previously claimed an eCard, it can be found by visiting www.heart.org/cpr/mycards. Under the section titled "Students," input your name and email address OR your eCard credential ID, and then click "Search." You will be prompted to enter the answer to the security question you created upon claiming your eCard.

The American Heart Association is the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. Founded by six cardiologists in 1924, the AHA now includes more than 22.5 million volunteers and supporters. AHA funds innovative research, fights for stronger public health policies, and provides critical tools and information to save and improve lives. AHA's nationwide organization includes 156 local offices and more than 3,000 employees. AHA moved their national headquarters from New York to Dallas in 1975 to be more centrally located. The American Stroke Association was created as a division in 1997 to bring together the organization’s stroke-related activities. To improve the lives of all Americans, AHA provides public health education in a variety of ways. AHA is the nation’s leader in CPR education training. AHA helps people understand the importance of healthy lifestyle choices and provides science-based treatment guidelines to healthcare professionals to help them provide quality care to their patients. AHA educates lawmakers, policymakers and the public as they advocate for changes to protect and improve the health of our communities. AHA's volunteer experts select scientific research most worthy of funding – with great results. The association has funded more than $3.7 billion in heart disease and stroke research, more than any organization outside the federal government. - From: www.heart.org

All American Heart Association guidelines for adult and pediatric resuscitation are generated by an evidence evaluation process. The basis for these guidelines was accomplished in collaboration with the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR), an international consortium of representatives from many of the world’s resuscitation councils. ILCOR was formed to systematically review resuscitation science and develop an evidence-based consensus to guide resuscitation practice world wide.

The AHA has established a network of Training Centers to broaden it’s outreach of ECC education courses (ACLS, BLS and PALS) and strengthen the chain of survival. Training Centers are responsible for the proper administration and quality of ECC courses as well as the day to day management of their Training Network. This management includes: providing instructors and training sites with consistent and timely communication of any new or updated information about National/Regional policies, procedures, course content or course administration that could potentially affect an instructor in carrying out his/her responsibilities. The Training Center is considered the principal informational resource, support and quality control for all AHA instructors.

Cascade offers courses to Healthcare Professionals (MDs, PA, ARNPs, RNs, LPN/LVNs, EMTs, CNAs, Dental, Respiratory and Radiology Professionals, Etc.) as well as non-healthcare providers (Persons wanting CPR or First aid training). Healthcare Professionals are required to take the Healthcare specific courses by accreditation organizations, their employer or the state licensing/certification board. In addition to these entities, healthcare professionals SHOULD take the Healthcare level courses because of their scope of practice and their capacity to perform the additional skills taught in the Healthcare specific courses. Healthcare Provider CPR is commonly referred to as Basic Life Support (BLS). For non-healthcare professionals the AHA has developed the HEARTSAVER curriculums. These courses cover CPR, AED and First Aid. There are many different course modules. Some of these courses are “credentialed” and others are “non-credentialed”.

Credentialed courses include formal skills evaluations and/or a written examination. All Healthcare Courses (BLS, ACLS, PALS, ACLS-EP) are credentialed courses as well as many of the Heartsaver courses. A student is provided with an official AHA certification card upon successful completion of a credentialed course. If a card is not issued the student either did not meet the course requirements or the course was not credentialed.

Replacement cards may be requested by calling the Training Center. Our standard replacement card fee is $20. When ordering a replacement card please supply the Training Center staff with as much information as possible (date of course, name of instructor, type of course, location of course, etc). Your replacement card will indicate the same dates as your original certification card. Expired cards will not be replaced.

Students who present an expired card or do not possess a provider card may challenge a renewal course but WILL NOT BE GIVEN THE OPTION OF REMEDIATION. If a student attends a renewal course without current certification and cannot meet course requirements, they will need to re-take the entire 2-day provider course. Fees for an additional course will be the responsibility of the student.

If you are interested in becoming an AHA Instructor, please call 877-277-6778.