How to Become a First Aid Instructor

I have been a First Aid Instructor Trainer in the Tampa Bay, Florida area for more than nine years. During this time, I have found First Aid Instruction to be a lucrative income stream. First Aid certification is an OSHA mandate in many workplaces, certifications expire and therefore are a repeatable source of income, and this is a valuable life skill everyone should learn in their lifetime. First Aid training saves lives. Consequently, becoming a First Aid Instructor also could offer you many opportunities to serve your community and workplace in a meaningful and rewarding way.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Student Level Certification in First Aid
• Instructor Training by a recognized Board
• Connection with a local Training Center
• First Aid Training Equipment to use for teaching
• Enough equipment and supplies for student learning
• The usual office supplies to administer your business
• A marketing strategy

How to Become a First Aid Instructor

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   Becoming a First Aid Instructor means being able to certify providers in this skill set. If you are not already certified in First Aid at the student level, this is where you must begin. Student level certification is the minimum prerequisite to sit the Instructor Training course. Confirm if the Board you pursue will grandfather in your student credentials from another Board. Since many certification Boards will not recognize a competing student level certification as meeting this criteria, decide what Board you wish to become an Instructor for, then sit the student level First Aid course with that organization.

2. Contact the Board of your choice and request their calendar showing their Instructor Training dates and pricing. There are many First Aid certification Boards you may choose from, for example: the American Safety and Health Institute - ASHI, the American Heart Association - AHA, the American Red Cross, the National Safety Council to name a few. Ask how long their Instructor's credentials are valid for and what it takes to maintain that credential. The requirements for becoming and maintaining your First Aid Instructor credentials may vary enough for that to be a deciding factor in which Board you seek certification through.

3. Complete the First Aid Instructor training course. For many Boards, becoming a First Aid Instructor also means simultaneously being able to teach their Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation CPR, the Automated External Defibrillator AED, and other courses. Becoming an instructor with a Board usually means you represent them as an instructor for all the courses they market. Of course you will still have to outfit yourself with the appropriate training to be effective in these other courses, but the hurdle to access those courses is non-existent at this point.

4. Find out from your Instructor Trainer who are the local Training Centers for your certification Board and sign on with them as an instructor. When you attach yourself to a Training Center, find out if they assign you to teach classes, or if you are required to find these classes on your own. Find out about their policies regarding instruction fees, management of student data, training facilities and if you need to supply your own equipment. If you are an entrepreneur who prefers to set your own prices and policies, then ask how you can create your own Training Center in your area.

5. Once you are a certified First Aid Instructor, whether you are attached to a local Training Center, or you have established your own Training Center, follow all the usual marketing strategies to get your name known in the community. Since OSHA requires many corporations to have several people certified in First Aid, your next First Aid assignment may be just a few cubicles away. Decide if you want to add product sales such as student first aid kits, posters and books for supplemental income.

Tips & Warnings

• While it is helpful, being a nurse or having prior medical training is NOT a prerequisite for becoming a First Aid Instructor for many Boards. An effective instructor training course will address and equip people from all backgrounds to present their curriculum. The one skill that these Boards cannot effectively teach is how to teach. Teaching effectively is what separates First Aid instructors from quality providers. Word of mouth will always move the more effective teachers forward in the industry, and in the market place.

• Keep in touch with all your clients, because in two to three years, depending on your Board, they will need to be re-certified and you will be on your way to building a nice income stream.

• Do NOT take an online course to become a First Aid instructor. First Aid is and will be a hands-on skill set that you will have to demonstrate to your students. Online refresher courses to maintain your credential is fine, but never as your introduction to the business. In any case, most of your students have already been warned by their inspectors that when it comes to safety, very few online courses will be acceptable certifications. When you select your Board to become an Instructor for, ask for a list of organizations that recognize the First Aid certification you will issue to your students at the end of a class.

Resources

• Health Coach Plus trains First Aid Instructors in the Tampa Bay, FL area
• The American Safety & Health Institute, a credential Board for First Aid training curriculum