AHA vs. ARC

[kelseydear]

I'm currently enrolled in an EMT basic class. I have an ARC certification that my job recognizes. My basic instructor wants to recertify everyone in his class, but the ambulance company only recognizes AHA. When I graduate and take my national, I'm wanting to pick up a part time job with the ambulance company to gain hours to move on to my medic. But my ARC certification expires in May. And I plan to be working for both companies. With taking the AHA class will it cancel out my ARC certificate? And then vice versa in May when I have to retake my ARC?

 

[Christopher]

I'm currently enrolled in an EMT basic class. I have an ARC certification that my job recognizes. My basic instructor wants to recertify everyone in his class, but the ambulance company only recognizes AHA. When I graduate and take my national, I'm wanting to pick up a part time job with the ambulance company to gain hours to move on to my medic. But my ARC certification expires in May. And I plan to be working for both companies. With taking the AHA class will it cancel out my ARC certificate? And then vice versa in May when I have to retake my ARC?

Your ARC certification, is it CPR and First Aid or just CPR?

If it is just CPR the AHA certification should be fine for both jobs.

(And no, one certifying agency cannot cancel your other certifying agency.)

 

[kelseydear]

My ARC certification is CPR & AED and First Aid. But my job that I work for now will only recognize ARC. The ambulance company will only recognize AHA. And I'm afraid once I go to AHA it will cancel out the ARC and vice versa.

 

[Christopher]

My ARC certification is CPR & AED and First Aid.

The equivalent AHA course is HeartSaver First Aid (with CPR/AED or via your BLS HCP card).

But my job that I work for now will only recognize ARC. The ambulance company will only recognize AHA.

Welcome to the world of EMS. Some agencies around here only take ITLS others only take PHTLS, some take both but only recertify you in one or the other. You'll never escape this nightmare as long as we're a vocation.

And I'm afraid once I go to AHA it will cancel out the ARC and vice versa.

I have good news: this is a baseless fear, the ARC and AHA do not talk to one another and honestly neither organization even have a clue you have a card. I teach AHA classes, and can assure you they really don't .

While the two organizations appear diametrically opposed--and adding -1 and 1 is 0--in this case there is absolutely nothing to worry about.

If you're still worried:

• Only show your ARC card to people who ask for ARC certifications.
• Only show your AHA card to people who ask for AHA certifications.

 

[unleashedfury]

The equivalent AHA course is HeartSaver First Aid (with CPR/AED or via your BLS HCP card).



Welcome to the world of EMS. Some agencies around here only take ITLS others only take PHTLS, some take both but only recertify you in one or the other. You'll never escape this nightmare as long as we're a vocation.



I have good news: this is a baseless fear, the ARC and AHA do not talk to one another and honestly neither organization even have a clue you have a card. I teach AHA classes, and can assure you they really don't .

While the two organizations appear diametrically opposed--and adding -1 and 1 is 0--in this case there is absolutely nothing to worry about.

If you're still worried:

• Only show your ARC card to people who ask for ARC certifications.
• Only show your AHA card to people who ask for AHA certifications.

I really cannot grasp the concept of this. ARC Professional Rescuer = AHA healthcare provider and vise versa.

ITLS = PHTLS

Its all a matter of whos the certifying agency

To the OP though if you take the AHA course your CPR through AHA will be just that and will expire on said date after your ARC card expires. so by legal standpoint you will be certified in CPR to maintain your EMT credentials. If you choose to have both cards or are mandatory to have one over the other just keep recerting with each agency as needed.

At the end of the day, CPR is still CPR whether you got it from ARC,AHA or whoever else certifies you out there these days its all the same

 

[Christopher]

I really cannot grasp the concept of this. ARC Professional Rescuer = AHA healthcare provider and vise versa.

Perhaps currently, there is no guarantee they remain the same.

ITLS = PHTLS

This has not been my understanding or experience. They're both prehospital trauma courses, certainly, but their content is quite a bit different.

At the end of the day, CPR is still CPR whether you got it from ARC,AHA or whoever else certifies you out there these days its all the same

Unless your employer requires a specific certifying agency, in which case it is not the same. (I'm not arguing that it is somewhat odd or inconvenient)

 

[EEEMMMTTT]

Perhaps you can get in touch with your employer and convince him to take aha. They are very popular.

 

[unleashedfury]

Perhaps currently, there is no guarantee they remain the same.



This has not been my understanding or experience. They're both prehospital trauma courses, certainly, but their content is quite a bit different.



Unless your employer requires a specific certifying agency, in which case it is not the same. (I'm not arguing that it is somewhat odd or inconvenient)

When I took PHTLS and ITLS at different times in my career, They both just seemed trauma assessment based. Nothing really changed other than I took PHTLS as a basic provider and ITLS at a advanced provider level

So I guessed I learned something new today.....

 

[WTEngel]

I am an instructor for AHA and ARC. Having one certification does not cancel out the other. In fact, they both use the same consensus guidelines to design their curriculum every 5 years.

What is amazing to me is that even though they use the same consensus guidelines, they are not in fact the same. As I said, I am currently an instructor for both orgs, and ARC's courses are not on the same level as AHA. AHA beats ARC as far as CPR training goes every day of the week, IMHO.

ARC's interpretation of the science and their roll out of the new guidelines in 2011 could not have been worse. I really feel like ARC is trying to be different in an attempt to remain relevant in comparison to AHA. Unfortunately, being different doesn't necessarily mean they are better.

 

[mycrofft]

I am an instructor for AHA and ARC. Having one certification does not cancel out the other. In fact, they both use the same consensus guidelines to design their curriculum every 5 years.

What is amazing to me is that even though they use the same consensus guidelines, they are not in fact the same. As I said, I am currently an instructor for both orgs, and ARC's courses are not on the same level as AHA. AHA beats ARC as far as CPR training goes every day of the week, IMHO.

ARC's interpretation of the science and their roll out of the new guidelines in 2011 could not have been worse. I really feel like ARC is trying to be different in an attempt to remain relevant in comparison to AHA. Unfortunately, being different doesn't necessarily mean they are better.

This is nothing new, and goes both ways.

Then there's ASHI and that tribe.