Course Purpose

The purpose of the American Red Cross First Aid/CPR/AED Instructor Course is to prepare instructor candidates to teach the basic-level First Aid/CPR/AED courses in accordance with the latest program standards and instructional best practices.

The First Aid/CPR/AED Instructor course is taught by American Red Cross Instructor Trainers. Upon successful completion of the course, candidates will receive an American Red Cross First Aid/CPR/AED Instructor certification and a basic level Adult and Pediatric First Aid/CPR/AED certification, valid for 2 years.

Prerequisites

Have a current American Red Cross basic-level certification in Adult CPR/AED or higher or from a Red Cross-approved organization (see table on the Instructions for New Instructor Candidates document). Adult and Pediatric First Aid/CPR/AED basic-level certification is preferred.
Be 16 years of age, or older, as evidenced by a driver's license, state identification card, passport or birth certificate. If a birth certificate is used to provide proof of age, an additional form of identification with a photo is also needed.
Complete the First Aid/CPR/AED Instructor Candidate online session upon enrollment. The online session will be sent to instructor candidates within 2 weeks of the in-person session; requests for early access will not be granted.
Have the required program materials: First Aid CPR/AED r.25 Instructor Candidate Resources

Please note that you may add an Adult CPR/AED challenge course to your enrollment if you do not currently possess one of the above basic-level certifications or if it is expired. The purpose of a challenge course is to provide instructor candidates the opportunity to demonstrate knowledge and skill competency outside of a formal class setting. Instructor candidates have sole responsibility to prepare for the knowledge and skill evaluations; instructor candidates who do not pass the challenge course will be ineligible to participate in the instructor course and will follow the Unsuccessful Instructor Candidate policy. They should not be allowed to attempt a challenge again, nor are they eligible to participate in the review course Instructor candidates who enroll in the challenge option must pass the following testing scenarios: Giving CPR and Using an AED for Adults and Caring for a Choking Adult or Child.

Required Course Materials

All of the following materials are available digitally on the Instructor Candidates Resources page. Please ensure you have the updated revision 2025 (r.25) materials; outdated materials will not be accepted.

First Aid/CPR/AED Instructor's Manual (printed copy HIGHLY encourged)
First Aid/CPR/AED Instructor Candidate Workbook (will be provided to you at the in-person session)
Program Administration Database
First Aid/CPR/AED Participant's Manual
Adult and Pediatric First Aid/CPR/AED Instructor-Led Training and Blended Learning course presentations
Adult and Pediatric First Aid/CPR/AED videos
Adult/Child CPR Mask (available for purchase, or bring your own)

Other Course Information

Review the course schedule here.
Review the Instructions for New Instructor Candidates document.
Expect to spend 8-12 hours to prepare for the in-person session. DO NOT wait until the last minute to begin preparation.
Instructor Candidates will be given 1 hour for lunch mid-day on day with a second 15 minute break later in the afternoon. Please be prepared with a packed lunch or make plans to eat during the break. Instructor Candidates are expected to prepare for their Practice Teaching Assignments during these break periods. See schedule above.
The Red Cross Learning Center Blended Learning content will be sent to candidates within 2 weeks of the in-person session.

Cancelation/Reschedule Policy

Instructor-level classes may not be rescheduled or canceled by the participant for any reason. In the event of a participant-initiated cancellation, all tuition fees will be forfeited—no exceptions will be made. The American Red Cross requires that instructor-level courses meet a minimum enrollment of three (3) instructor candidates to fulfill course objectives and maintain instructional quality. Allowing instructor candidates to reschedule or withdraw would jeopardize our ability to meet these requirements, and therefore rescheduling or cancellation requests cannot be accommodated.

If ProACT Academy must cancel an instructor-level course due to insufficient enrollment (fewer than three confirmed and attending instructor candidates), you will have the option to:

Reschedule into the next available instructor-level class,
Receive a credit for future ProACT Academy programming, or
Receive a refund to the original method of payment.

Please note: ProACT Academy is not responsible for any monetary losses related to travel, lodging, or other personal expenses in the event of a course cancellation.

First Aid/CPR/AED Instructor-r.25, American Red Cross®