What is HLTAID009 Provide CPR?

HLTAID009 Provide Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation is Australia’s nationally recognised CPR unit. It trains and assesses the skills needed to perform resuscitation in line with Australian Resuscitation Council guidelines, and at Australian Leading Institute of Technology it is listed as a 3.5 hour on-campus course at West Melbourne with weekly intakes and a listed fee of $75.00.

If you have been asked to get a CPR certificate for work, study or a volunteer role, HLTAID009 is the course that produces it. This guide explains what the unit covers, who needs it, how it fits with the broader first aid qualifications, and what to expect when you enrol.

The current national CPR unit

HLTAID009 sits on the national training register as a current unit of competency. It was first released in October 2020 and supersedes HLTAID001 Provide Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, with the register recording the new unit as not equivalent to the one it replaced. The old HLTAID001 unit was phased out under transition arrangements, with HLTAID009 replacing it in training packages from 1 July 2022, so anyone enrolling in CPR training today completes the current unit.

The unit describes the skills and knowledge required to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation in line with Australian Resuscitation Council guidelines. It applies to all persons who may be required to provide CPR in a range of situations, including community and workplace settings, which is why the same short course appears across nursing, care services, education, security and community services roles.

What the unit covers

The unit is organised into four practical elements. First, responding to an emergency situation: recognising and assessing the scene, ensuring safety for yourself, bystanders and the casualty, assessing the casualty and recognising the need for CPR, and seeking assistance from emergency services. Second, performing CPR procedures in accordance with the ARC guidelines, displaying respectful behaviour towards the casualty, and operating an automated external defibrillator according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

The third element covers communicating the details of the incident: conveying accurate information to emergency services, reporting the incident in line with workplace or site procedures, and maintaining the casualty’s privacy and confidentiality. The fourth element addresses the review of the incident, including recognising the possible psychological impacts on yourself and other rescuers and knowing when to seek help.

Who completes HLTAID009

Some students complete the unit because it is embedded in a larger qualification, such as individual support, ageing support, disability, community services or early childhood courses. Others enrol as a standalone short course because an employer, placement or registration scheme requires a current CPR statement.

It is also the standard refresher for people who hold a broader first aid qualification. Workplace first aid guidance recommends refreshing CPR skills every year, so many nurses, childcare educators, aged care workers, allied health staff, personal trainers, security staff and workplace first aid officers return for a short CPR session annually.

How HLTAID009 differs from HLTAID011

HLTAID009 covers resuscitation only. HLTAID011 Provide First Aid is the broader unit that includes CPR plus the wider range of first aid responses, such as bleeding, burns, fractures, poisoning and medical emergencies. If your workplace asks for a first aid certificate rather than a CPR certificate, check whether it means the full unit before booking.

ALIT’s guide on what HLTAID011 Provide First Aid is explains the general unit, and the guide to what is included in the HLTAID011 first aid course breaks down its content. If you work in education and care, the relevant unit is HLTAID012 first aid in an education and care setting instead.

Cost, duration and delivery at ALIT

ALIT lists HLTAID009 Provide Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation with a duration of 3.5 hours, delivered on campus at West Melbourne, with weekly intake options and a listed fee of $75.00. Delivery is face-to-face because the unit requires CPR to be demonstrated and assessed in person.

By comparison, the full HLTAID011 Provide First Aid (Includes CPR) course runs for 1 day with a listed fee of $160.00. For Melbourne-specific requirements, validity and cost questions, ALIT’s guide on HLTAID011 requirements, validity and cost in Melbourne provides more detail.

Assessment and what you do on the day

Assessment is practical. You respond to simulated emergency scenarios, demonstrate CPR on training manikins, operate a training defibrillator and complete knowledge evidence such as verbal or written questions. Wear comfortable clothing you can kneel in, because compressions are performed on manikins placed on the floor.

After successful assessment, the training provider issues a Statement of Attainment for the unit. Keep it with your employment or study records, because employers, supervisors and placement coordinators often ask to sight it.

How long your CPR statement stays current

The statement itself does not carry a fixed legal expiry date, but currency is a different matter. The Australian Resuscitation Council recommends that everyone trained in CPR refreshes their skills at least annually, and workplace first aid codes of practice based on the Safe Work Australia model recommend yearly CPR refresher training, with broader first aid qualifications renewed every three years.

Because regulatory and refresher requirements vary by industry, state and role, confirm the timeframe that applies to your situation with your employer or the relevant authority, such as WorkSafe Victoria for workplace duties.

For more on this topic, see our guide to How Long Does a CPR Course Take in NSW?.

FAQ

Is HLTAID009 the same as the old CPR certificate?

It is the current version. HLTAID009 supersedes HLTAID001, which is no longer delivered, so new and renewing students complete HLTAID009.

How long does HLTAID009 take at ALIT?

The current listing shows a 3.5 hour on-campus session at West Melbourne with weekly intakes and a listed fee of $75.00.

Does HLTAID009 expire?

The ARC recommends refreshing CPR skills at least annually, and many workplaces require yearly updates. Confirm the rule that applies to your role.

Can HLTAID009 be completed fully online?

No. CPR must be demonstrated in person on training equipment, so the assessment is face-to-face.

Related ALIT guide: whether HLTAID009 is the same as CPR certification.

Related ALIT guide: how often CPR skills should be refreshed.

Related ALIT guide: the steps of CPR for adults in Australia.

Related ALIT guide: the 30:2 compression to breath ratio for adult CPR.