# BLS, ACLS and CME hours are different checks

Separate course-card authenticity, workplace acceptance and Saudi CPD credit when choosing resuscitation training.

Check the training requirement, the course card and any claimed CME credit separately. A genuine BLS or ACLS card does not itself prove a specific Saudi CPD award.

## Ask what requirement you are trying to meet

Your employer may ask for a particular resuscitation qualification, while your professional record has its own CPD requirement. Start by confirming the exact course and issuing system your employer requires. Do not assume a cheap online awareness module is equivalent to a provider course with a practical component.

Read what the advertised product includes: learning materials, supervised skills work, assessment, course completion card and any separate credit certificate. If these are sold separately, establish the full cost and scheduling before booking.

## Verify the card through its issuer

For AHA-branded courses, the American Heart Association provides course-card information and verification routes. Use the route appropriate to the card and issuing training centre, including its guidance for cards outside the United States. Ask the original centre about corrections or replacement.

A verification result answers a card-authenticity question. It does not certify that you meet every employer’s requirement or that a particular Saudi credit has been recorded. Do not buy a card without attending or completing the required training. A promise to issue credentials without participation is a reason to stop and investigate.

## Ask for the separate credit information

If CME is advertised, ask for the specific activity approval, eligible professions, attendance requirements and who handles recording. The AHA’s own FAQ says some courses have continuing education credit; that is not a universal award or automatic Saudi equivalence.

Keep the skills qualification, credit evidence and professional-record check as separate items in your archive. This prevents a valid card from being mistaken for a missing credit certificate and helps you contact the right organisation when something needs correction.

Canonical: https://saudicme.com/en/guides/bls-acls-cme-hours-difference/

## Sources
- [American Heart Association · Course card verification](https://cpr.heart.org/en/resources/course-card-information)
- [American Heart Association · CPR and continuing education FAQs](https://cpr.heart.org/en/resources/faqs)
- [SCFHS · Accredited institutions and electronic platforms](https://scfhs.org.sa/en/institution)

Saudi CME Editorial. This guide awards no credits.