Advanced Cardiac Life Support
AHA ACLS is a high-level, instructor-led classroom course that emphasizes team dynamics and communication, systems of care, and urgent post-cardiac arrest care. It also includes information on airway management and related medications. This course teaches skills in large group sessions as well as small group learning and assessment stations where case-based scenarios are given. ACLS highlights the importance of basic life support CPR to patient survival, as well as the combination of effective basic life support interventions with advanced cardiovascular life support therapies. Students enrolled in advanced life support courses are not required to hold a current BLS Healthcare Provider (HCP) card, but they must be proficient in BLS HCP skills.
Required Student Materials You are required to purchase the Provider Manual or eBook. We do not stock books for purchase however you can purchase them here:
ACLS Provider Manual digital eBook
Who Should Enroll in This Course? The AHA ACLS course is designed for healthcare professionals who either direct or participate in the management of respiratory and/or cardiovascular emergencies and cardiopulmonary arrest in adult patients. This includes personnel in emergency response, emergency medicine, intensive and critical care units, and others who require PALS certification for job requirements.
Exam and Course Format Students must pass the online ACLS Precourse Self-Assessment with a score of 70% or better before enrolling in the ACLS course. This exam is available on the ACLS student website (access is given with the purchase of the ACLS Provider Manual). Skills are taught in large-group sessions as well as small-group learning and assessment stations where case-based scenarios are given during the classroom section. Students must be able to exhibit skills competency in all learning stations and pass the high-quality BLS skills test, the bag-mask ventilation with OPA/NPA insertion skills test, the Megacode test, and ultimately, the ACLS exam with an 84% or higher.
Certificate of Completion Students receive a two-year American Heart Association ACLS Provider eCard. AHA cards will be processed as eCards and will typically be received within 5-7 business days of the class. Students should expect an email from ecards@heart.org or noreply@heart.org with a link to their eCard.
Do you want to take this course online? The American Heart Association also offers blended learning classes. Contact Us today if you would like to set up a blended learning course.