BLS Exam & Skills Test
Every AHA BLS course ends with two assessments: hands-on skills tests on manikins, and a short written exam. Both check the things you will actually do at a real arrest, and both are very passable if you have practised. This guide explains each one and how to prepare.
The short answer
You pass adult CPR and AED skills tests and an infant CPR skills test, and a multiple-choice written exam with a pass mark of 84%. Remediation and a retest are available if a part is not passed first time.
Adult CPR and AED. You find an unresponsive adult, check the scene, call for help, check breathing and pulse, give high-quality compressions and breaths, and use an AED when it arrives. The instructor watches the details that matter: compression depth of at least 5 cm, a rate of 100 to 120 a minute, full chest recoil, pauses kept short, and breaths that make the chest rise.
Infant CPR. The same sequence on an infant manikin, including the single-rescuer and two-rescuer techniques, and the switch in compression-to-breath ratio when there are two rescuers.
Most manikins used in training give feedback on depth and rate, so you see how you are doing while you practise. The steps are laid out in the BLS algorithm explained.
A short multiple-choice test on the course content: the chain of survival, recognising arrest, CPR quality, AED use, team roles, ventilation, choking and the adult, child and infant differences. The AHA pass mark is 84%. The questions are scenario-based and follow the course closely, so if you paid attention during the practice, very little should surprise you.
AHA courses include remediation. The instructor explains what went wrong, you practise it, and you are retested. For the skills tests, the usual issues are shallow compressions and pausing too long for breaths; both are fixed with a few minutes of coached practice.
After you pass, you receive the card described in the BLS certificate guide. Book a date on the BLS course page.
Other life support and first aid courses: ACLS Course · PALS Course · First Aid Course · Training calendar
The AHA pass mark for the BLS written test is 84%.
No, if you have taken part in the course practice. The questions follow the course content and are scenario-based.
Adult CPR and AED use, and infant CPR, including compression depth, rate, recoil, minimal interruptions and effective breaths.
You receive remediation from the instructor and are retested.
The eCard is issued by the training centre after you pass. Ask us when you book about current timings.
Safety First Medical Services is an American Heart Association training centre on Al Reem Island. Classroom BLS, HeartCode blended BLS and on-site group BLS training, with a two-year AHA BLS Provider eCard on completion.
See BLS dates and register HeartCode BLS course page Group booking enquiry
What we teach follows the awarding body and the UAE health authorities. For the definitive position on a course or licensing question, these are the places to check.
Last reviewed by the training team at Safety First Medical Services, an American Heart Association training centre at Addax Office Tower, Al Reem Island, Abu Dhabi. Call +971 55 761 9841 or email training@safetyfirstmed.ae.