CPR certification is not required prior to taking the state of North Carolina certified nursing assistant examination. However, most every inpatient facility and/or care agency will require employees to be trained in CPR. We recommend that our students only take courses offered by American Heart Association (AHA) instructors because most colleges and hospitals prefer AHA courses. If you take a course that is not recognized by your college or place of employment, you will be required to take the correct CPR/BLS course (offered by AHA).
Most students who take the American Red Cross course will be required to take the American Heart Association CPR course prior to working at a local hospital or caregiving facility. Therefore, start off with an AHA course and save yourself time and money.
BLS training is intended for certified or noncertified, licensed or nonlicensed, healthcare professionals, including:
- physicians
- nurses
- paramedics
- emergency medical technicians
- respiratory, physical, and occupational therapists
- physician's assistants
- residents or fellows
- medical or nursing students in training
- aides, medical or nursing assistants
- other allied health personnel