CPR courses

The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada sets the Canadian Guidelines for CPR, defibrillation and other aspects of emergency cardiovascular care in Canada. HSFC offers a comprehensive range of CPR training programs that are based on these guidelines – the most current resuscitation and educational science.  The Heart and Stroke Foundation courses you can take include the following:

For the general public:

For healthcare professionals:

The training materials for many of the above courses are accompanied by CD/DVD. If you have a problem loading or using the CD, make sure your computer system meets the minimum system requirements. If your system meets the requirements and you are still having trouble, log on to www.americanheart.org/cprproductsupport for additional assistance.

HeartSaver CPR (A)

The HeartSaver CPR course contains up-to-date content and science from the 2005 Guidelines for CPR and Emergency Cardiac Care. The course teaches cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and choking relief in adults. Training in infant and child CPR and choking relief are optional. The course is designed for those who have a duty to respond to a cardiac emergency because of job responsibilities or regulatory requirements. It is also open to the general public.

This course does not train participants in the use of Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs).

Approximate course length: 4 hours

To learn more about HeartSaver CPR, contact your provincial Heart and Stroke Foundation.

HeartSaver AED (C)

The HeartSaver AED course is designed to teach lay rescuers the lifesaving skills of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and relief of choking in adults, children and infants. Automated External Defibrillator (AED) use is taught for adults and children. This course teaches participants to recognize and treat emergencies such as cardiac arrest, heart attack, stroke and choking. The course is designed for those who have a duty to respond to a cardiac emergency because of job responsibilities or regulatory requirements. This course is also open to the general public. 

Approximate Course Length:

5 hours with Infant CPR
4 hours without Infant CPR

To learn more about HeartSaver AED, contact your provincial Heart and Stroke Foundation.

Basic Life Support (BLS) for Healthcare Providers (C)

The BLS for Healthcare Providers course contains updated content and science from the 2005 Guidelines for CPR and Emergency Cardiac Care. The course addresses core material such as adult and pediatric CPR (including two-rescuer scenarios and the use of bag mask), foreign-body airway obstruction, and Automated External Defibrillator (AED) use. A participant CD is included with the text and contains supplemental information on topics such as stroke, cardiac arrest and special resuscitation situations. The course is designed for healthcare providers such as emergency medical services (EMS) personnel, physicians, dentists, nurses and respiratory therapists who need a credentialed course. This course is also open to first responders who have a duty to respond to a cardiac emergency because of job responsibilities or regulatory requirements.

Approximate course length: 4.5 hours

Approximate course length for renewal course: 4 hours

To learn more about BLS for Healthcare Providers, contact your provincial Heart and Stroke Foundation.

Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) for Healthcare Providers

The ACLS for Healthcare Providers course is designed to teach the skills needed to assess and administer care within the first 10 minutes of an adult VF/VT (ventricular fibrillation/ventricular tachycardia) arrest. Students will learn the skills needed to manage 10 advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) scenarios: respiratory emergency, 4 types of cardiac arrests (simple VF/VT, complex VF/VT, PEA (Pulseless Electrical Activity) and asystole), 4 types of pre-arrest emergencies (bradycardia, stable tachycardia, unstable tachycardia and acute coronary syndromes) and stroke.

Approximate course length: 8 to 16 hours

To learn more about ACLS for Healthcare Providers, contact your provincial Heart and Stroke Foundation.

Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) for Healthcare Providers

The PALS for Healthcare Providers course is designed to teach health providers to recognize the indicating factors for infants and children at risk of cardiopulmonary arrest; to help students learn the strategies to prevent arrests in infants and children; and to provide students with the skills to safely and effectively apply cognitive and psychomotor skills to resuscitate and stabilize infants and children in respiratory failure, shock or cardiopulmonary arrest. A strong emphasis is placed on bag-mask ventilation, management of airway, defibrillation and cardioversion, use of Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) for children older than one year, and rhythm management.

Approximate course length: 14 hours

To learn more about PALS for Healthcare Providers, contact your provincial Heart and Stroke Foundation.

If you would like more information on CPR courses in your community, contact your local Heart and Stroke Foundation or call 1-888-HSF-INFO. If you would like to purchase CPR and AED material, contact Laerdal Medical Canada Ltd. at 1-888-523-7325.

Last reviewed February 2009.