Setting Candidates Up for Success: Ensuring the Right Emergency Cardiac Care Course

Athletic Trainers (ATs) play a vital role in responding to emergencies. That is why maintaining current Emergency Cardiac Care (ECC) certification is a requirement for BOC certification and ongoing certification renewal. Ensuring students complete the correct ECC course before they apply for certification is an important step in setting future ATs up for success.

However, a common issue occurs when students complete an ECC course offered through their educational program that does not meet BOC requirements. In many cases, the course provided is designed for the layperson rather than health care professionals. While well-intentioned, this can create unexpected barriers for students preparing to become certified.

When the Course Doesn’t Meet Requirements

A frequent scenario involves a program director hosting or recommending an ECC course within their program that is below the professional rescuer level. Students complete the course as part of their program and assume it fulfills BOC certification requirements.

Later, when the student submits their ECC certification card as part of their BOC application file, the documentation is rejected because the course does not meet the required ECC standards. At that point, the student must locate and complete a new professional-level Basic Life Support (BLS) or ECC course before they can finalize certification.

This creates several challenges:

• Delays in certification
• Additional costs for the student
• Confusion and frustration when students believed they had already met the requirement

Many of these situations involve courses such as Adult/Pediatric First Aid/CPR/AED or Heartsaver programs. While valuable for community responders, these courses typically do not include second rescuer CPR, a required component for health care providers and ATs.

What ECC Certification Must Include

To meet BOC requirements, ECC certification must include the following components:

• Adult CPR
• Pediatric CPR
• Second rescuer CPR
• Automated External Defibrillator (AED) use
• Airway obstruction management
• Use of barrier devices (e.g., pocket mask, bag valve mask)
• Demonstrated hands-on skills

Courses that omit these elements do not meet certification standards for ATs.

Guidance for Program Directors and Educators

Educators play an important role in helping candidates avoid certification delays. Programs that choose to offer ECC training should ensure the course meets professional-level requirements appropriate for health care providers.

If a program elects to host a course that is below the professional rescuer level, it is essential that students clearly understand that the course will not meet BOC certification requirements and that they will still need to complete a compliant ECC course prior to certification.

Communicating this distinction early helps students plan accordingly and prevents last-minute surprises during the certification process.

Additional ECC Documentation Requirements

ATs must maintain current ECC certification throughout each renewal period. While ECC certification is not eligible for continuing education units (CEUs) for the BOC, it remains a required component of certification renewal.

Key documentation requirements include:

• Documentation must be kept for two years after the renewal period ends
• Acceptable documentation includes:
  • Original certification cards
  • Certificates of completion
  • Photocopies (front and back) of cards or certificates
• Cards or certificates must include signatures from both the instructor and the cardholder if a QR code is not provided
• Letters from instructors are not acceptable documentation

Online ECC courses are permitted if skills are demonstrated and tested by a certified ECC instructor, a voice-assisted manikin (VAM), or a visual-assisted manikin. The in-person exam component may include video technology.

Supporting Student Readiness

The goal of ECC is simple: ensure ATs are prepared to respond effectively in emergency situations. By helping students complete the correct level of ECC training before certification, educators can prevent delays and help candidates move smoothly into professional practice.

Taking a few extra steps to verify course level and communicate expectations can make a significant difference in ensuring candidates are truly ready and fully qualified when they begin their careers as certified ATs.