3 Ways to Work With NIHE

Choose the Path That Fits Your Goals

The National Institute for Healthcare Education supports instructors, organizations, and training operations across the United States. Whether you want to teach CPR, build a training business, or develop a full internal training system, NIHE provides the structure and mentoring to help you succeed.

THE NIHE INSTRUCTOR DEVELOPMENT PATHWAY

Step 1 — Become an AHA Instructor

All instructors begin by completing the American Heart Association instructor certification process.

Instructor candidates complete:

• AHA Instructor Essentials
• Live Instructor Course
• Instructor monitoring
• Alignment with the NIHE Training Center

Instructor disciplines may include:

• BLS Instructor
• ACLS Instructor
• PALS Instructor
• ASLS Instructor
• NRP Instructor

Prerequisites vary by discipline and may include healthcare licensure such as:

• Registered Nurse
• Paramedic
• Physician
• Respiratory Therapist

After certification, instructors may pursue several development pathways

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Pathway 1 — Organizational Instructor

Many instructors teach within their employer's organization.

Examples include:

• hospitals and healthcare systems
• EMS agencies and fire departments
• corporate safety programs
• community colleges and training institutions

These instructors typically provide CPR and resuscitation training for their organization’s staff or students.

NIHE supports these programs by helping organizations develop:

• internal instructor teams
• training programs across departments
• consistent CPR and resuscitation training systems

Organizations may eventually develop Training Programs or Training Sites aligned with the NIHE Training Center.

 

Pathway 2 — Entrepreneur Instructor

Some instructors want to build their own CPR and resuscitation training business.

Under American Heart Association policy, instructors who teach independently must operate under a Training Program or Training Site agreement with a Training Center.

The NIHE Instructor Launch Program helps instructors:

• start their own training business
• build a local student base
• develop marketing and operational systems
• secure contracts with businesses and organizations

Entrepreneur instructors may grow into Training Programs and Training Sites as their business expands.

 

Pathway 3 — Instructor Leadership & Program Development

Some instructors and organizations develop larger training programs with multiple instructors and expanded operations.

This pathway focuses on:

• building instructor teams
• developing training programs
• expanding student volume
• managing AHA compliance systems

These programs may grow into full Training Sites aligned with the NIHE Training Center.

 

Training Center Faculty (TCF) Development

As instructors gain experience and demonstrate strong teaching performance, they may become eligible to develop into Training Center Faculty (TCF).

Training Center Faculty are authorized to:

• assist with instructor monitoring
• teach instructor courses
• help develop new instructors within their organization or training program

TCF development allows both entrepreneur instructors and organizations to expand their instructor teams and grow their training operations.

NIHE mentors qualified instructors through the Training Center Faculty development process as part of our long-term instructor development system.

 

Ongoing Instructor Development

All NIHE instructors have access to ongoing professional development through:

• National Training Site Conferences
• Instructor Growth Workshops
• Advanced Training Site Development Conferences
• mentoring and operational guidance

 

These programs help instructors grow from their first class to large-scale training programs.Learn More About the NIHE Instructor Development Pathway →