What are the differences between basic certifications and instructor authorizations for FA/CPR/AED instructors?
American Red Cross classes have several courses where there are different levels of certifications. The basic level is one that certifies that a participant can perform the skills and has passed the knowledge based written tests for that course, in other words, doing the skills. All CPR course certificates are valid for one year; all First Aid courses are valid for 3 years. The instructor level courses are where a participant learns the knowledge and skills necessary to teach the courses that apply to the instructor certificate, in other words teaching people the skills. The instructor classes are valid for a 2-year time frame where an instructor must teach one class in its entirety within that 2-year authorization period to have the instructor certificate valid for the next 2 year time period. The exception to this, is the HIV/Aids Instructor, whose certificate is valid for only one year due to the advancement in knowledge and rapidly changing information concerning HIV prevention and
