Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. History of CPR Certification Online
3. Learning CPR Online
4. Online CPR Acceptance
5. Controversies Surrounding CPR Certification Online
6. Online CPR Manikin Practice
7. Benefits of CPR Certification Online
8. Online CPR Certification Tests
9. Online CPR Certification Cards
10. Ongoing CPR Online Training
11. CPR Instructor Courses Online
12. Frequently Asked Questions About Learning CPR Online
13. ProCPR Customer Testimonials

The list of reasons that people, just like yourself, have decided to get their CPR certification online is long, but at the top of that list is just one especially important reason — to save lives.

However, when it comes to reasons why people specifically get their CPR certification online, those reasons are more plentiful but equally predictable.

This definitive guide on all things related to getting your CPR certification online will benefit anyone who is considering taking CPR classes online, as opposed to in-person classroom training. This guide also applies to those of you who are seeking more information about getting your CPR instructor certification online.

This guide will seek to answer the following questions:

• Can I get CPR certified online?
• How can I get CPR certified online?
• Is online CPR certification valid?
• Can I renew my CPR certification online?
• How can I renew my CPR certification online?
• Do hospitals accept online CPR certification?
• What are the benefits of learning CPR online?

That last question may be the most relevant to most of you, as historically, CPR was taught through in-person group classes. However, if you think about it, all subjects were once taught only through in-person classes.

Therefore, the history of getting CPR certifications online will mirror online education in general. So, without further ado, let’s dive right in.

One quick note: Since this is THE definitive guide to getting your CPR certification online, it’s going to be comprehensive, which is a fancy way of saying, long. Feel free to skip around, use the table of contents, etc. And if you’re simply looking to have some of your pressing questions answered, check out the last section of the guide. It contains every question we get (within reason) on the topic of learning CPR online.

It would be entirely reasonable to assume that online education began in the late 1990s, as the World Wide Web (to our younger readers, that’s what we called the Internet way back then) was suddenly available to everyone. After all, you can’t have online education without the “online.”

However, if we’re talking about distance learning, which is what online CPR certification technically is, that history goes back to the 19th century, with the birth of the United States Postal Service.

According to OnlineSchools.org, the first official correspondence education program called the “Society to Encourage Home Studies,” was established in Boston, Massachusetts by Ana Eliot Ticknor in 1873.

In 1953, distance learning took a major leap forward, as the University of House made distance learning history when it began offering the first televised college classes on a Houston, Texas television station, which was also the first public television station in the United States.

The TV station referred to itself as the “The Channel That Changes You” and ran several hours of educational material each week, which accounted for approximately 38 percent of the channel’s total broadcast time. Many of the courses aired in the evening so that learners who worked during the day had time to view the material.

In other words, the reasons people sought an alternative to traditional classroom learning was a very real issue even back then.

Fast forward another 50 years and distance learning is available through every major college and university. In 2003, the Blackboard Learning System staff announced that 40,000 instructors were teaching 150,000 online courses to more than 6 million students, across 55 countries.

In 2009, over 4.5 million students were taking online classes, with a Master of Science in Business Administration (MBA) being the top degree offered in the United States. This trend seems likely to continue. And now, in 2020 and beyond, many universities exist only in cyberspace.

As you can see, it only makes sense that other educational offerings, like CPR certification online, would eventually be available and specifically tailored to an online audience seeking more comfort and convenience than classroom learning can provide. It also makes sense that, just like online universities, cyberspace only CPR certification companies are becoming more commonplace and more popular.

We’ll get into much more on the reasons for this increase in popularity, but if you just look at your busy modern lifestyle, online CPR certification courses don’t just make sense, they’ve become a necessity. And consider this for a second:

Statistics show that the biggest failure in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest is that people don’t take action quickly enough, mostly because they aren’t equipped to do so. But with high-quality CPR training courses available online, this life-saving skill is more accessible than ever before and greatly reduces the barriers to training, while increasing survival rates.

The History of Online CPR

The history of CPR goes back to the mid-1700s. In 1740, the French Academy of Sciences recommended mouth-to-mouth resuscitation for drowning victims. In 1767, the Society for the Recovery of Drowned Persons became the first organization to use mouth-to-mouth to deal with sudden and unexpected death. And finally, in 1891, Dr. Friedrich Maass performed the first equivocally documented chest compression in humans.

As for the first “successful” use of external chest compressions in human resuscitation, that seems to have come in 1903. And exactly one hundred years later, ProCPR launched an online CPR course for the first time.

Which brings us right back to the history of online CPR.

Online CPR courses began around 1999, as one or two websites began offering basic HTML-based training, along with a multiple-choice test. You have to remember that during this time, most people were still using dial-up to connect to the Internet from their homes and ISDN connections from work.

Needless to say, at these snail-like speeds, video-based multimedia training wasn’t feasible yet and not something we could have foreseen exploding the way it has. Those of you old enough to remember Real Player might also recall that the only videos online were blurry videos.

During these golden years of online CPR certification, it was mostly healthcare professionals who were using online CPR training with any regularity. And the reason? Doing so provided a much more efficient means of improving their knowledge and competency.

Think about this for a second. The people that need proper CPR training the absolute most, have been getting certified and studying CPR online the longest. This answers one of those important questions we laid out at the onset of this CPR certification online guide: do hospitals accept online CPR certification?

The answer is a definitive yes!

In 2004, the game changed in the U.S. thanks to the availability of broadband Internet service. According to Pew Research, more than half of college-educated people age 35 and younger had broadband connections at home, which was up a whopping 60 percent from a year earlier.

Then, in 2005, a little company named YouTube launched in February. And Netflix streaming video launched two years later in 2007.

Also, in 2005, ProCPR launched the Internet’s first full online video CPR course taught by a licensed paramedic. The American Heart Association and the Red Cross would later also launch online video-based courses to supplement their classroom courses.

The next major innovation in online CPR certification came with the near-ubiquity of laptops and smartphones with built-in cameras for video conferencing. In early 2014, ProCPR began experimenting with remote CPR skill evaluations using GoToMeeting and later Zoom.

What began as an experiment has now evolved into a widely used and accepted method for learning CPR, practicing the necessary skills, and demonstrating tactile proficiency while being evaluated by a certified instructor. Which means whatever can be done in an in-person classroom CPR course can now be accomplished online.

With the popularity of sites like YouTube, Udemy, Lynda, MasterClass, and others, it’s a given today that you can learn anything online, even hands-on type subjects like CPR. However, as you’ve already learned, that hasn’t always been the case.

So, to answer the first question, can I get CPR certified online, the answer is obviously yes. Though a better question might be: what’s the best way to get my CPR certification online? Let’s save that one for later.

For those of you who don’t know CPR, this doesn’t insulate you from emergencies. It merely makes those emergencies much more challenging and creates poorer outcomes. In fact, 911 operators must routinely try and talk people through CPR steps during a cardiac emergency when those people don’t have vital life-saving CPR skills.

Of course, most people have seen CPR done in movies or on television and have a rough idea of how to perform CPR. Talking someone through the techniques over the phone isn’t exactly efficient, but it is better than nothing.

For a second, think about how we learn anything. From our first steps to our first utterings of a language, we learn by imitating others. The same goes for using simple tools, like forks or chopsticks, and playing sports. When we see others doing something, we can learn it simply by watching.

CPR is simple enough. Once you learn where your hands go and how to position your arms, along with a couple of basic rules on compression depth and rate, anyone can perform basic chest compressions. (The secret to CPR, though, is in performing it perfectly, which does take practice and instruction from a knowledgeable practitioner.)

In a typical American Heart Association classroom CPR course, there still exists this mode of learning by watching. With your manikin in front of you, you’ll practice along with a video instructor. How is this any different from taking an entire CPR course online?

It isn’t any different. Which begs the question: Is online CPR certification as good as classroom CPR?

We’d like to think so, but we’re biased, and it depends on your CPR online course provider. However, we’ll let you decide for yourself. But wait until the benefits of getting your CPR certification online section of this guide before deciding.

One of the more common questions we get is: Is online CPR certification valid? Well, the short answer is yes. However, it’s important to remember that …

Valid is dependent on two things – Does your employer accept online CPR certification if that’s the reason you’re getting certified. And perhaps more importantly, who is doing the certifying?

As you now know, the changes to online education, in general, have been vast. It’s gone from the fringes to being completely acceptable and from barely functional to just as functional as in-person instruction. The same goes for CPR.

Think about it like this: Is anyone questioning whether or not an MBA earned online is valid. But again, you have to factor in the source of that certification or degree. If your neighbor Dave set up an online university from his garage and started “selling” MBA degrees, the question of validity would be fair.

You also have to factor in the high demand for CPR certification these days, particularly in the workplace. It used to be that only healthcare professionals learned CPR techniques. Nowadays, anyone with routine contact with the public is fair game when it comes to employers offering (or demanding) access to a CPR certification course.

Anyone who understands basic economics knows that as demand rises, so does supply. And there’s only so much room and opportunity for more in-person CPR classes. So, while 10 years ago the answer to this question of acceptance might have been different, these days learning CPR online has become the norm. Which means your employer is much more willing to accept online CPR certification.

However, the provider of your CPR certification online still matters. Remember your neighbor Dave, the MBA degree seller. What if he decides to get in on the demand for CPR classes online? Is a CPR certification from Dave, who let’s assume doesn’t know CPR, going to be valid?

Let’s quickly look at the two types of people wanting to get CPR certified online. First, you have those people whose job requires it, and second, you have those people who simply consider learning a life-saving skill valuable.

This first group is diverse and includes:

• Healthcare professionals
• EMTs
• Paramedics
• Police officers
• Firefighters
• Coaches
• Teachers
• Camp counselors
• Lifeguards
• Cruise ship employees
• Tour guides
• Hotel and resort workers
• Prison guards
• Electricians

For this group, their employer will have a say in whether or not their online CPR certification is valid. This means that there will be a big difference between an employer accepting a CPR certification from a leading online CPR provider like ProCPR, as opposed to Dave the neighbor.

Now for that second group, the one just interested in learning a valuable life-saving skill that research suggests will become applicable at some point for most of us, they want to feel comfortable knowing that they are receiving proper CPR training. The last thing they want (or members of the first group) is to be knee-deep in a cardiac emergency and fail because they weren’t properly trained.

Proper CPR training is literally life and death.

Remember the first group from above, whose employers demand they get CPR certified. It’s no surprise that healthcare professionals are on that list. But it may surprise you to learn that many healthcare professionals are not required to learn CPR through classroom learning.

After all, do in-person CPR classes automatically translate into success? Your neighbor Dave could offer classroom CPR lessons, but it wouldn’t make him any more qualified.

Every employer is different, and you should know where yours stands on the issue of classroom CPR vs. online CPR certification.

Having said that, here are a few questions you should consider asking when choosing a CPR certification provider online:

• Does the online CPR course provider have a money-back guarantee?
• Do they have additional study materials, like workbooks, for example?
• Do they offer free and unlimited retesting if you fail the exam on the first try?
• Do they have an optional hands-on component? After all, learning CPR works best if you can practice while you learn.
• Will they be evaluating your skills?
• Does the online CPR course provider have good reviews and are they highly rated?
• Are they nationally accredited and approved by state boards and various official departments?

In our digital age where word of mouth has been replaced with online reviews, this should not be difficult. Equally important is the number of reviews each CPR certification provider has. A dozen good reviews can easily be attributed to some friends and family members. Several thousand good reviews mean that you’ll likely get exactly what you want and pay for: proper CPR skills that are highly regarded and widely accepted.

Furthermore, always consider the credentials of your course instructor. This, as much as anything else, will ensure you get the proper CPR training that your employer expects and that a cardiac emergency will demand.

If you’ve addressed everything we’ve already outlined in the last section, there won’t be any controversies. The only problems will occur when you don’t do your homework, meaning choosing a CPR certification that your employer will accept and one conducted by true healthcare professionals with a lot of social proof, like good reviews.

However, let’s look at a few things you should be aware of specifically.

1. The instructor

The beauty of online instruction is being able to move along at your own pace. But what if you have questions. It’s not like you can just raise your hand to get an answer.

While we’ve already mentioned qualified instructors, are those instructors also available? Regardless of what you’re learning online, there simply must be a way to reach out with questions or concerns.

2. Effectiveness

Since we learn by watching and practicing, it only makes sense that online CPR certification can be just as effective as classroom learning. But the emphasis is on CAN.

Can you learn CPR just by watching? Yes, but probably not very well. And CPR isn’t like horseshoes and hand grenades… close enough isn’t good enough. This means you’ll need to find a CPR course provider that has a practice component which means having your own manikin.

What about skills evaluation? Would you feel comfortable if you didn’t have a qualified instructor watching you and giving you feedback? Probably not.

Make it a priority to choose a CPR certification course that combines manikin practice with a skills evaluation, and you’ll get all the convenience of online learning combined with the effectiveness of classroom instruction.

3. Cheating

The truth is that people who want to cheat the system will always try and find a way to do so. Unfortunately, it’s just a little easier to cheat when you’re taking online instruction regardless of the course. Let’s assume you’re not trying to cheat, and if you are, please remember that you’re only cheating yourself… and whoever ends up on the wrong end of a cardiac emergency.

By now, you’d probably agree that manikin practice is vital for properly learning CPR online. What you may not realize is that there are several options when it comes to those manikins.

There are DIY options where you can make your own manikin, using a t-shirt, empty plastic bottle, rubber bands, and some type of shirt filler. And if you just wondered aloud, that can’t be effective, you’d be correct.

At the other end of the spectrum, you have manikins you can purchase for several hundred dollars. Rarely are there great intermediate options.

As it just so happens (what are the odds?), ProCPR does have a cost-effective option that’s also effective for learning. We can’t speak for anyone else offering online CPR instruction, but our patented manikins in a box (Single Use Manikin Option – SUMO) have everything you need to learn CPR the right way, and at a fraction of the cost of a real CPR manikin.

While our patented SUMO manikin may look simple, it is actually quite advanced. The lungs inflate, you’ll feel chest resistance, you’ll hear audio feedback during compressions, and you’ll be able to perform the necessary head-tilt motions to demonstrate all the essential CPR skills.

Just make sure that whatever online CPR certification course provider you choose has a blended option that includes manikin practice and you’ll be much more equipped to handle a real emergency.

Since you’re reading this definitive guide to CPR certification online, we’re going to assume two things: you’re interested in learning CPR and you’re not sure whether you should take an in-person course or get your CPR certification online.

Our guess is that 10 minutes from now, the question of to learn CPR online or not to learn CPR online will be a moot point.

As long as you keep in mind suggestions we’ve already made regarding your online CPR certification course, like making sure you have a qualified instructor, being able to ask your instructor questions, getting plenty of manikin practice, and getting plenty of skills evaluation, then it comes down to online learning vs. classroom learning.

Choosing between online vs. classroom CPR training comes down to many things, but at the top of that list are four items:

1. Time
2. Money
3. Convenience
4. More Choices

Unless, of course, you can’t use more time or more money, and you love being inconvenienced and having limited choices. Yah, that’s what we thought.

1. Getting your CPR certification online will save you time.

If you’re reading this definitive CPR certification online guide during the new normal that is our COVID existence, then maybe the time element isn’t as much of an issue. However, if you’re an essential worker during this COVID age, you’ve likely already kissed your free time goodbye.

Let’s assume things get back to normal at some point. Now imagine what normal looks like for you. In our modern world, where technology is supposed to make our lives easier, it seems like time is the one commodity we have less of; how is that possible?

The Time Challenge

Your schedule is probably busy. You likely have work or school to contend with, perhaps some children and maybe even some grandchildren to care for, a spouse or significant other that requires spending time with, not to mention any hobbies or activities that you (and especially your children) have on the social calendar.

We’re guessing it’s already too much, and that 24 hours in a day is hardly enough time to get everything done, which is why laundry piles up, the garage never gets cleaned, and your significant other looks like a stranger on some days.

If finding time is already an issue, how are you going to squeeze in classroom CPR classes, especially if those classes are held on the other side of town? Or if they’re held on days or times when you’re not available? After all, with classroom learning, you don’t get to choose the schedule. That’s usually left to the instructor.

You remember what classroom learning looks like, don’t you? It’s more about classroom management than learning. All the busywork. All the dumb questions that leave you shaking your head in disbelief. After all, you know there’s always going to be at least one student wanting to make the class all about him or her. Not to mention all the small talk before and after class. Before you know it, you’ve burned three hours of commuting and classroom time on 20 minutes of actual, useful instruction.

The Time Solution

You know the solution; it’s taking an online CPR course. But why exactly?

While finding two hours in your schedule comes with Indiana Jones-type difficulties, finding 10 minutes likely doesn’t. Think about all the gaps in your day when you can squeeze in some manikin practice or a CPR video lesson. Go ahead, we’ll wait.

You probably just came up with several, like during your lunch break, while your kids are pushing around vegetables on their dinner plates instead of eating them, while sitting in rush hour traffic that looks more like a parking lot than a thoroughfare. OK, manikin practice while driving isn’t a great idea, even in a rush-hour slog. But a video lesson on your phone?

At some point in your life, someone likely told you to work smart, not hard. Which of these sounds like the smart option?

1. Fighting through traffic to get to a CPR course in a jam-packed schedule that really can’t accommodate another time commitment.
2. Finding a few minutes here and there when it works best for you.

2. Getting your CPR certification online will save you money.

There will be some overlap between all of these benefits, but the one thing that makes our modern world modern is technology. And it would be downright foolish not to use it for your own benefit.

Think about it like this: While everyone loves horses, there’s a reason why the U.S. Postal Service opts for airplanes and vehicles instead of equine animals to deliver the mail.

The Money Challenge

Unless you’re Bill Gates, who loses money if he spends one-second bending over to pick up a $100 bill laying on the ground, money is a factor to be considered in most choices. Let’s look at some of the money challenges with in-person CPR classes.

First, there’s the cost of gas, which isn’t exactly cheap, and certainly if you have a bigger automobile that doesn’t run on D batteries. And while fuel prices are generally stable, no one knows what the future holds; gas can become very pricey very quickly.

Second, you have to factor in your time, even if you’re not Bill Gates. Time is money for all of us, however cheap that time is to us. Let’s face it, the chance of there being a local CPR class just down the block from you is probably nil, which means you’ll be wasting money (and time) driving back and forth.

Third, you know this is going to happen: You work all day and then spend an hour getting across town to attend a CPR class, and then on your way home you decide to stop at a McDonalds. OK, the home of the golden arches isn’t too expensive, but you know that you’re going to regret the decision to stop there before you even exit the drive-thru lane. So, actually, you can label this one as saving your health.

(It should be mentioned that you can probably find a free online CPR class somewhere, but this class isn’t going to provide you with a CPR certification and likely won’t be up to par considering the importance of what is being taught. Beware of free when it comes to online CPR courses.)

The Money Solution

Save your gas money. Save the value you place on your time. And save your gastrointestinal system that you know isn’t going to appreciate “food” from everyone’s favorite worst fast-food restaurant.

Seriously, if you stop for a minute and calculate how much your time is worth, how much gas costs and how much your vehicle consumes, and then multiply that by however many CPR lessons you’ll attend, this can add up.

Whereas getting your CPR certification online has only one expense – the cost of the online CPR class.

3. Getting your CPR certification online is more convenient.

If you just thought, duh and/or hello, of course it’s more convenient, you’d be very right. But let’s dig into it deeper nonetheless.

The Convenience Challenge

Raise your hand if you’re busy. Raise your hand if you already have this feeling like your life should be more convenient. You’re not alone. (You can put your hands down now.)

When you were in school, did your teachers build the class schedule around your preferences? How about work? Does your boss call you into her/his office and consult with you prior to making a work schedule? Not bloody likely.

The same is true with in-person CPR classes. You have to attend when they’re held, and there’s no wiggle room around that. You probably have more freedom choosing what yoga or Pilates class you want to attend.

The Convenience Solution

Do you know the best part of working from home? That’s actually a trick question because there are so many best parts of working from home. Taking a CPR class online is just like working from home. So, put on your pajamas, get a cup of coffee, and sit down to learn CPR at a time that’s convenient for you.

You can squeeze in a quick lesson any time you have some time. Watch a lesson before the kids wake up, get in some CPR practice with your manikin after you put the kids to bed. Review your course materials during your lunch break at work.

We’ll bet you can find 10 minutes in your daily schedule without much trouble. But can you find two hours in an already jam-packed schedule? The answer you’re searching for right now is, ugh. Just the thought of it, right?

Taking an online CPR course suits your learning speed. In other words, it’s self-paced. You decide how fast to go through the material or how slowly. You decide how many times to watch the same video if you ever don’t understand it on the first watch. As opposed to asking a CPR instructor to repeat something.

Instructor: What part do you want me to repeat?
You: Everything after, ‘hello class, how are you tonight?’

Lastly, learning anything comes with a certain amount of self-doubt and self-criticism, especially when we learn something new in a group setting. And many of us are thinking more about controlling our social anxiety, or wondering if we’re having a good hair day (you are, by the way), more than we are on the skill we’re trying to learn.

That’s a poor way to learn CPR. And all but eliminated when taking CPR classes online. It’s not like your cat is judging the way you perform chest compressions. OK, maybe your cat is judging you, but your dog could care less. The point is, your mind is completely engaged in learning CPR, as it should be.

4. Getting your CPR certification online gives you more choices.

Wasn’t it Plato who said, we all should have more choices than there are hours in the day? Probably not, and we’re not sure if that’s even an actual quote. But you get the sentiment.

The More Choices Challenge

How many in-person CPR classes are in your town or city? And how many of those are close enough to you that you won’t spend an hour or more driving back and forth to your home or work?

Or even worse, what if you live in a small town that has one option for learning CPR in a classroom setting, or maybe no options at all. In these situations, you have to take what you get; you have no choice.

The More Choices Solution

Next time you’re in a grocery store, count the number of beverage options that are available to you. It’s mindboggling, isn’t it? If only you had that many choices when it came to things that matter, like learning CPR.

You know what? You do when you choose to learn CPR online. If the first course you look at has terrible reviews, click out of that site, and look at another. And the options don’t end there.

You can find CPR online course providers that offer add-ons like learning CPR for infants, children, or animals, as well as adults. You can find course providers that offer modules for basic first aid or other medical emergencies you may encounter in your life or work.

When you open yourself up to more choices, you can find an online CPR course that fits your needs and your busy lifestyle. That’s what we call priceless.

In our digital age, even in-person CPR classes offer online CPR certification tests, for the general public and healthcare providers. There are also plenty of practice tests you can take online. The goal of CPR testing isn’t just to obtain a passing grade of 70 percent and a CPR certification card. It’s also part of the learning process.

CPR certification tests are generally simple multiple choice. However, ProCPR’s online CPR certification test includes a remediation component that explains to the test taker why a particular answer is wrong, if chosen, again to aid in properly learning the material.

If you’ve chosen an incorrect answer if using this remediation component, besides getting back an explanation, you also have the opportunity to answer again, but only for partial credit. (If that isn’t the case, what would be the point of testing?)

It’s important to note that this style of testing builds confidence. Have you ever taken a multiple-choice test and been a bit clueless by the end for how well you did? Have you ever thought, it would have been nice to know which answers I got right and which I got wrong?

That’s the benefit of this remediation component. You’ll know what’s correct by the end, even if you didn’t know initially. This will build up your confidence in your CPR knowledge. And confidence is the one element that is often undervalued, but extremely important, when it comes to using your CPR skills in real-world emergencies to produce a more positive outcome.

People often wonder how they get a certification card from an online CPR course. It’s actually quite easy, although it does depend on your online CPR course provider.

There are generally a few options:

1. Print a copy immediately.
2. Get a hard copy mailed to you.
3. Get an optional wall mount certificate mailed to you.
4. Get a digital copy of your card.

If your employer has asked you to get CPR certified, being able to print a copy of your CPR certification card immediately is invaluable. Rather than waiting a week or so for a hard copy to arrive at your home.

This allows people to start new jobs or positions quicker than they otherwise would be able to. However, this should only be considered a temporary form of proof; not something you should use long-term to show you’ve been CPR certified.

A wallet card will almost always be mailed to you regardless of your CPR certification provider. It can (but not always) contain several pieces of information, including:

• The date you were certified
• The date your card expires
• What type of certification you have
• The length of validation – two years.
• A verification number
• Details of the course

Again, this depends on your course provider.

A digital CPR certification card is a necessity in our modern world. If you have your phone with you, or another electronic device, you’ll have access to your digital CPR certification card. And who doesn’t always have their phone with them these days?

One question you may be asking yourself is, what happens if I lose my CPR certification wallet card?

This is typically easy to rectify, as long as you know your instructor’s name or have access to your course provider online. Generally, there is a fee to issue a new hard copy of your CPR card. But again, remember that if you have a digital CPR certification card, you’ll never be without it.

If you get your CPR certification online with ProCPR, getting a replacement card is as easy as logging into your account and ordering a low-cost replacement. You can also download or print a copy of your card immediately.

Your CPR certification card will expire after two years, and if you’re not regularly using those skills, this can be a very long time. Retention of your CPR skills is vital, and the truth is that we tend to forget aspects of our learning after a few days or even a few hours.

A muscle that isn’t being used will begin to atrophy, even the brain. For this reason, frequent retraining opportunities throughout this two-year period are important. If you’ve taken an online CPR course, can you rewatch the videos any time you want? Do you have access to the material online or in a downloadable workbook?

Staying up to date is the key. At ProCPR, we offer all the above – rewatching videos, workbooks, etc. – plus a weekly refresher email, a regularly updated CPR blog with even more topics than was in your course, and if you opted for the blended option which includes a SUMO manikin, you can practice at home or work any time you need a refresher.

As for your CPR certification expiring, we also send out reminders when that date is nearing, both by email and text. It’s important to remember that you don’t want your CPR certification to lapse by greater than 30 days. If this happens, recertification will look a lot like your first go-around. Simply retaking the certification test won’t be an option.

When you consider how many healthcare professionals get their CPR certification online these days, it may not shock you to learn that CPR instructors do the same, and for the very same reasons that first time CPR course takers choose online over in-person classes.

Since most people learning CPR today are taking an online course, it may be even more relevant and more important that CPR instructors, who will likely be teaching online, should also be learning online.

The reasons to become a CPR instructor are numerous and include:

• Help others learn a valuable life-saving skill
• Gain a competitive advantage among your peers
• Open doors to new opportunities
• Flexibility and freedom
• Additional income possibilities

So, if you’re wondering if you can take a CPR instructor course online, the answer is yes.

This FAQ section of our definitive guide to CPR certification online represents the most common questions we’ve gotten since 2003 when ProCPR was launched.

1. Can you get CPR certified online?

Yes, you can. However, if you’re getting your CPR certification for your employer, make sure the certification provider you’re choosing is accepted by your employer. That goes for in-person CPR classes as well.

2. Is online CPR certification valid?

Yes, it is. But again, make sure it’s valid with your employer if that’s why you’re getting CPR certified.

3. How can I get my CPR certification online?

As long as you’ve addressed your employer’s acceptance, then you have to choose an online CPR certification provider the same way you would any other product or service.

On page 13 of this guide, we offered a list of questions you should ask of any CPR online course providers you’re thinking about using. Those questions are:

• Does the online CPR course provider have a money-back guarantee?
• Do they have additional study materials, like workbooks, for example?
• Do they offer free and unlimited retesting if you fail the exam on the first try?
• Do they have an optional hands-on component? After all, learning CPR works best if you can practice while you learn.
• Will they be evaluating your skills?
• Does the online CPR course provider have good reviews and are they highly rated?
• Are they nationally accredited and approved by state boards and various official departments?

Additionally, look at reviews of the CPR course and on the company as a whole. Reviews can you tell everything you need to know, as they come from people just like you.

4. Do hospitals accept online CPR certification?

This may surprise you, but most do accept CPR certification online. However, it does depend on the CPR course provider. Make sure your hospital accepts your provider’s online CPR certification.

5. How long does it take to get CPR certified online?

This depends on you. Online CPR courses are self-paced. You can take as long as you want or as little time as you want. And, of course, you’ll have to pass a skills evaluation and a final exam.

6. Can I renew my CPR certification online?

You bet!

7. How do I renew my CPR certification online?

Generally speaking, you’ll likely just have to pass the exam rather than take the whole class again. And this is another great question you should ask any potential course provider you choose.

However, you can also use this opportunity to sharpen your skills and address any areas where updates where added. And if you let your CPR certification expire and go past the 30-day mark, you’ll likely have no other option but to take the whole course again.

8. Can I print my CPR certification online?

This will depend on your online CPR certification provider. The good course providers will allow you to print your CPR card instantly and will also send you a professionally printed CPR card in the mail. Make sure to check with your course provider.

9. Can I find my CPR certification online?

Again, this will be dependent on your individual CPR course provider, but since most things these days can be accomplished online and given how so much of our record-keeping is done digitally, this should not be a problem.

10. What should I do if I lose my CPR card and need a replacement?

As long as you know your instructor’s name or have access to your course provider online, getting a replacement is pretty easy. Generally, there is a fee to issue a new hard copy of your CPR card. If you get your CPR certification online with ProCPR, getting a replacement card is as easy as logging into your account and ordering a low-cost replacement. You can also download or print a copy of your card immediately.

11. What is the best way to get my CPR certificate online?

Learning CPR, for any reason, is a serious endeavor that can, and likely will, impact someone’s life. Whether or not that impact is a positive one or negative one will often come down to training, as providing high-quality CPR is an absolute necessity to help ensure a more positive outcome for anyone in a cardiac emergency.

You’ll find the whole range of CPR course providers online, from your neighbor Dave just looking to make a quick buck to a trailblazer in this industry like ProCPR, who have been offering online CPR courses longer than anyone, including the American Heart Association and the Red Cross.

Beware of any companies that don’t offer a blended option where you can practice along with a manikin. Beware of CPR certification tests that seem like a joke – you’re smart enough to know what those look like. Beware of any online CPR training that doesn’t leave you feeling confident in the skills you’re learning. And finally, beware of online CPR course providers that don’t have hundreds, if not thousands, of great reviews from people just like you.

At ProCPR, we have a rating of 4.6 out of 5 based on 227,265 reviews and counting. Yes, you read that correctly. We’ve been doing this for a long time. We have a 99 percent employer acceptance rate. We have instructors with decades of real-world experience. And we’re nationally accredited by a number of state and national organizations.

Whether you’re an experienced healthcare provider or a concerned citizen trying to learn a valuable life-saving skill, you can start training right now for FREE. You only pay after you train and only if you’re 100 percent satisfied with your course. (You only get your certification card after payment.) If that sounds like a deal too good to pass up, head over to ProCPR right now and get started.

If you’re still unsure, here a few ProCPR course reviews from real people, just like you:

“I am a Jazzercise instructor and have to be certified in CPR. I recertify every 2 years and ALWAYS choose ProCPR!! Roy Shaw does an amazing job!!”

~ Kim M, Certified Jazzercise Instructor from Tennessee

“The training is exceptional! I loved being able to complete the training while working as a nurse full time from home with two small children begging for my attention. Thanks to this program I don’t have to wait until an in-person course is available in my area. Time is of the essence with completing requirements for the nurse practitioner program.”

~ Cindy M, Nurse from Virginia

“Really quick and easy to complete! This is probably my 7th time getting recertified and this is much more convenient than having to find a class!”

~ Rebecca from New York

“I have been using ProCPR for many years and the site keeps getting better. It is designed for anyone to use, but as a doctor, I appreciate the fact that I can choose which videos to watch and replay so that I can concentrate on any changes that have taken place since I last took a CPR course. I also appreciate the low cost for such a great service. I like the fact that real people are used as models. I also really appreciated the video on CPR and the guilt one can feel if CPR does not work. I have a patient that is still suffering from guilt when he tried to save his dad and I will try to use your words to comfort him.”

~ Gina, Doctor (DO/MD) from California

Discover the ProCPR difference for yourself today.