Originally published for Minnesota School of Business students

For many nursing, dental, EMT and other healthcare students, CPR certification is one of those requirements that needs to be completed before clinical training, internships or employment can begin.

In-Pulse CPR provides American Heart Association BLS training for healthcare students throughout Minnesota. Students from colleges, universities and technical programs are welcome to attend our regularly scheduled public classes.

This article was originally written specifically for students attending Minnesota School of Business. That school has since closed, but the same basic need remains for thousands of Minnesota healthcare students who need BLS certification as part of their education or clinical requirements.

Which CPR class should healthcare students take?

Most nursing, dental, EMT and other clinical healthcare programs require American Heart Association BLS Provider certification rather than a general CPR class.

BLS stands for Basic Life Support.

The course covers adult, child and infant CPR, AED use, choking response and team-based resuscitation skills commonly expected of healthcare professionals.

If your school tells you that you need:

• BLS certification
• BLS Provider
• Healthcare Provider CPR
• CPR for healthcare professionals
• American Heart Association BLS

the BLS Provider course is generally the class you should be looking for.

Requirements can vary by school or clinical program, so students should always check the exact CPR requirement provided by their instructor or program before registering.

Why do healthcare programs often require BLS?

Healthcare students may eventually work in hospitals, clinics, dental offices, nursing facilities, ambulances and other environments where they could encounter a patient experiencing cardiac arrest or another medical emergency.

BLS goes beyond simply learning how to perform chest compressions.

Students practice skills such as:

• Adult, child and infant CPR
• Use of an automated external defibrillator, or AED
• Responding to choking
• Working with another rescuer
• Coordinating CPR as part of a team
• Recognizing cardiac arrest
• Providing effective chest compressions and ventilations

These are hands-on skills, which is why practicing them with CPR manikins and AED training equipment can be especially valuable for students preparing to enter healthcare.

In-Pulse CPR classes are open to college students

You do not have to attend a particular college or university to register for an In-Pulse CPR class.

Over the years, we have trained students from nursing, dental, EMT, medical assisting and other healthcare programs throughout Minnesota.

Students often choose one of our public classes because they can find a date, time and location that fits around school, work and clinical schedules.

Public CPR and BLS classes are offered at locations throughout the Twin Cities and other Minnesota communities.

View our Minnesota CPR class calendar

What certification will I receive?

Students who successfully complete the appropriate American Heart Association BLS course receive an AHA BLS Provider eCard.

The certification is generally valid for two years.

If your school has specifically told you that it requires American Heart Association BLS, make sure you register for the BLS course rather than selecting a different CPR program simply because it is less expensive or shorter.

Different schools and employers may have different certification requirements.

What about Heartsaver CPR?

American Heart Association Heartsaver courses are designed for people who need CPR and AED training but are not necessarily healthcare professionals.

That may include teachers, childcare workers, coaches, workplace employees and members of the general public.

For students entering nursing, dental, EMT or another clinical healthcare program, BLS Provider is usually the appropriate choice.

Again, your school or clinical program should have the final say on which certification you need.

Before registering, check your school’s requirements

One mistake students sometimes make is registering for a CPR course before confirming exactly what their program requires.

Look at the information supplied by your school and check for details such as:

Training organization: Does the school specifically require American Heart Association certification?

Course type: Does it say BLS Provider, Healthcare Provider CPR or something similar?

Certification deadline: Does the card need to remain valid through the entire clinical semester?

Online-only restrictions: Some healthcare programs require a hands-on skills component and will not accept an online-only CPR course.

Taking a minute to check these details before registering can prevent the headache of discovering later that you completed the wrong course.

CPR training throughout Minnesota

In-Pulse CPR offers American Heart Association CPR and BLS classes at multiple Minnesota locations, including communities throughout the Minneapolis-St. Paul area and beyond.

Our public classes are open to students from any school as well as healthcare professionals who are renewing their certification.

Classes provide hands-on practice with CPR manikins and AED training equipment, allowing students to practice the skills they would actually use during an emergency.

For students already juggling classes, clinical rotations and work schedules, having multiple class dates and locations can make getting BLS certification considerably easier.

View upcoming Minnesota BLS and CPR classes

A note for former Minnesota School of Business students

This page originally welcomed nursing, dental and EMT students from Minnesota School of Business to attend In-Pulse CPR classes.

Minnesota School of Business and Globe University later ceased operations, and the schools are no longer enrolling students.

We have kept and updated this article because many current Minnesota healthcare students have the same questions that MSB students had when the article was first published: Which CPR course do I need? Will I receive an American Heart Association certification? Can I take the class somewhere other than my college?

For most healthcare students who are required to obtain AHA BLS certification, our public BLS Provider classes remain an option.

Always confirm your individual school’s requirements before registering.

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This article was originally written for Minnesota School of Business students. It was updated and expanded in 2026 after the school’s closure to provide current information for nursing, dental, EMT and other healthcare students seeking BLS CPR certification in Minnesota.