This is one of my favorite places to make a donation. Did you know that donating blood is actually…read morevery good for your health? It reduces your risk of a heart attack and is good for your liver! It also helps save lives. The staff and volunteers at this location of the American Red Cross are very friendly and professional. From the moment I walk through the door to when I leave the rest area (packed with complimentary snacks!), I feel cared for and appreciated. I consider it an honor to be able to donate blood to help others.

Great experience there everyone is nice and it's helping out other people so I think everyone…read moreshould donate blood. It might take up your time but it's worth it to save a life. Helping out other people is what this city is all about. My family has donated and recommended everyone do it!

I'm hitting a hard reset button on my professional life in the next few weeks, and part of what…read moreI'll be doing requires First Aid/CPR/AED certification. Since I do enjoy taking care of things sooner rather than later, I was putzing around on a Friday looking for said classes the following day, but was coming up empty until I came across CPR Carolina. Upon further inspection, I realized that not only was the schedule amenable, but the location and price of the training were decent as well, and with that - I signed up. A few thoughts. Location: 4 out of 5 Most of the Heartsaver First Aid/Adult and Toddler CPR & AED training sessions seem to be held at the Wingate by Wyndam in Raleigh. Pay special attention as there are multiple locations of this chain, and the one that you're looking for is the one closest to PNC Arena. The physical address can be a bit deceiving too, as the location is nested a little bit off of the main road. The hotel's meeting room was nice enough: standard covered conference chairs and tables, easy access to the restrooms, and coffee/juice in the morning. Structure of Course: 5 out of 5 CPR Carolina has maximized its resources and time to suit a variety of training sessions. For example, I signed up for first aid and adult/child CPR/AED. The first aid session began at 8am, and was done shortly before 11am. At 11am, additional individuals came in just for adult/child CPR/AED, which lasted until ~12:30, which was followed immediately by infant CPR/AED. In other words, if you need the whole spectrum of training, you can sit through one long session. If you only need portions (and some in my group that morning were in this group), you show up at the set time without having to sit through the portion(s) you don't need. Quality of Instruction: 4.5 out of 5 It's my understanding that with AHA, there is an expectation/obligation to watch certain parts of the pre-recorded video, and those parts can be supplemented by the instructor. Bryan made what could have been a very boring and burdensome First Aid course much more enjoyable, and was clear with his speaking and instruction. When it came time for CPR/AED, he was equally as clear with his instructions, and made sure that each person understood what was going on. Price: 5 out of 5 Probably the best bang for the buck (outside of free, which is offered by some FD/PD). The course I took was 50$, and included the use of a loaner book, the First Aid course, and the adult/child CPR/AED course. Other organizations in the area were looking for at least 70$ or 80$ for the same certification, so I feel like I got a better value. Overall: 5 out of 5 Well organized, well taught, and I was able to quickly demonstrate the skills checklist and be on my way.

Incredible training. Bryan and the entire team are super knowledgeable and professional. I would…read morerecommend this for everyone. Especially if you are having a baby soon!

This is my second time attending a CPR class with Save a Life Now Training Center. The EMS…read moreCertified Instructor is Valentina Cordoba. She is very passionate about CPR and helps the class think of all scenarios. The classes are held in her home and I enjoy the informal setting. She is sweet and knowledgeable. Valentina feels that there is no such thing as a dumb question. She truly cares if you learn and feel confident in your CPR techniques. I will be back to Save a Life Now Training Center in the future. Thank you Valentina for all your insight.

Very informational instruction. Comfortable setting. Valentina put my nerves to ease from the very…read morebeginning. She's very knowledgeable! I feel very secure in CPR training after taking her blended classes.

Training Pros is a wonderful resource for people who need to obtain their CPR, First Aid…read morecertifications. The instructors are knowledgeable and professional. They are happy to work with businesses who require their employees to be certified, as well as individuals who want to educate themselves and be prepared for emergencies. They can successfully support small and large classes and are organized and efficient when scheduling classes, processing payments, and distributing credentials. I have worked closely with one of the instructors for 20 years and was so excited to hear that she had gone out on her own and started Training Pros. I would highly recommend Training Pros to anyone that needs to be certified.

From the owner: Emergency training at our location or yours. Small class sizes at our location allow us to provide…read moreplenty hands on practice and individualized attention. At your location we can provide training to small or large groups and customize training. American Heart Association 2 year certification for Basic Life Support, CPR/AED and First Aid.

Outstanding classes and instructors. I have used them for over 25+ years! Successful completion…read moregives you an American Heart Association certification, the Gold Standard in Industry Compliance!

I am waiting for the BLS class I signed up to to start. It's now 15 minutes after the class was…read moresupposed to begin, and the ACLS class is going on still. I spoke with the manager, Keisha who said it's not a big deal that it's starting so late, but because this is a for profit venture I would have expected this to be much better run. I'm basically missing work to hear an instructor say, oh no I bet you broke some ribs, and taking time from actual patient care right now while I watch others train. In the hospital setting it makes sense but to pay money for this for convenience is ridiculous. The manager herself really could have cared less as well.

When I first signed up for the phlebotomy program at Shades of Purple, I was genuinely excited to…read morestart my journey in healthcare. Unfortunately, my experience was far from what was promised. From the beginning, there were major inconsistencies. Online, the program was advertised as a virtual class--which heavily influenced my decision to enroll. However, once I began, I learned that the class was not virtual at all. In fact, I was required to attend in-person every Saturday in scrubs. That was the first of several misleading details. The program was also said to last 7 weeks, but in reality, it stretched closer to 10-12 weeks. I began in March and was supposed to finish by the end of June. Throughout that time, the structure of the class was disorganized. Homework expectations were unclear, and uploading assignments to the website was a challenge due to poor communication and lack of oversight. We rarely completed a full chapter in class, and the instructor seemed unsure of how to effectively teach the material. The environment wasn't welcoming, either. The owner appeared constantly rushed and often had a negative attitude. The instructor wasn't much better--frequently sidetracked, hard to follow, and unapproachable for help. Despite putting in $700 toward the $1,500 program cost, I was told I would need to retake the course after missing just two classes (we were only allowed to miss three total). When I asked about options, I was told the next Saturday session wouldn't start for a while. I chose not to continue, especially since they couldn't accommodate my schedule and I felt misled from the start. Most concerning is that students are not given enough practice for certification. I know someone who completed the program and only received 10 venipuncture sticks--far below the required 30 for certification. That, to me, highlights the real issue: this program feels more like a money grab than a legitimate educational opportunity. There are far better, more affordable phlebotomy programs out there that offer structure, support, and proper hands-on experience. This would have been my second attempt at certification, but now I'll be enrolling in a third program--armed with clearer expectations and a better understanding of what a quality training program looks like. If you're considering Shades of Purple (now under a different name), I strongly recommend doing your research and looking into other options first. You deserve better.

Round 2... So this is my second time obtaining my American Heart Association BLS (CPR) class from…read moreShades of Purple. I was surprised to see that this medical training facility is in a much larger office space and it's NICE. Mekeisha Bradley did a great job facilitating the CPR training program. The training facility was clean and comfortable. Quality equipment and materials were used. There were about 8 students in the class from various professional backgrounds. If you're looking for a place to obtain your CPR training. This is it! I went to their website to check class availability. There are plenty of weekday and weekend classes as well as daytime and evening hours. They also provide training for Dental Assisting, Phlebotomy, Certified Nursing Assisting, and more. Large private parking lot. Plenty of spaces.