National Wilderness Leadership Institute (NWLI) is a wilderness medicine, CPR, and emergency care training provider based in Virginia. NWLI delivers American Heart Association (AHA), American Red Cross, SOLO, C-TECC, and NWLI-developed certification courses for outdoor leaders, healthcare professionals, workplaces, schools, and the general public.
AHA and American Red Cross CPR, BLS, ACLS, and PALS certifications are valid for two years from the date of successful course completion. Wilderness First Aid and Advanced Wilderness First Aid certifications are also valid for two years.
Heartsaver CPR/AED is a lay-responder course for the general public, workplaces, and schools. BLS (Basic Life Support) is the healthcare-provider course, covering high-quality CPR for adults, children, and infants, bag-mask ventilation, AED use, and team-based resuscitation. Most hospitals, nursing programs, EMS agencies, and clinical employers require BLS, not Heartsaver.
Both are nationally recognized. AHA is the standard most hospitals, nursing schools, and clinical employers require. Red Cross is widely accepted for workplace, childcare, lifeguarding, and general-public requirements. NWLI teaches both, so students can match the credential their employer or school specifies — confirm the requirement before booking.
WFA trains responders to manage medical emergencies when definitive care is delayed, typically more than 60 minutes away. It covers patient assessment, environmental emergencies, wound and fracture management, and evacuation decision-making. It is required or recommended for outdoor guides, scout leaders, camp staff, trip leaders, search and rescue volunteers, and backcountry travelers. Standard WFA runs about 16 hours over two days; Advanced Wilderness First Aid runs about 32 hours and is aimed at outdoor leaders managing extended patient care and evacuations.
Blended courses split the class into an online eLearning module completed before class plus a shorter in-person hands-on skills session. The online portion must be finished before the scheduled skills session; NWLI sends the eLearning key by email or text after registration. Blended options exist for BLS, ACLS, PALS, and instructor courses.
Cards are issued electronically after successful course completion. AHA eCards arrive by email with a claim link, and Red Cross certificates are issued digitally. Nothing is mailed.
Most public courses have none. Blended courses require the online module before the skills session. Instructor courses require the corresponding AHA Instructor Essentials module and current provider status. Prerequisites are listed on every course page.
Registration is online. Browse upcoming classes by course, date, or location, choose a session, and complete registration and payment. Registration closes the day before the class date — same-day registration is not available.
Yes. Private and onsite classes are scheduled for businesses, schools, healthcare teams, camps, outdoor programs, and government agencies. Submit a request on the onsite training page and NWLI confirms date, location, and pricing.
Yes. NWLI sells AEDs, CPR and first aid supplies, and accessories through the shop, and supports AED program management including unit registration and inspection tracking.