The American Heart Association's Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support course is designed for healthcare providers who either direct or participate in the management of cardiopulmonary arrest or other cardiovascular emergencies. Through the ACLS course, providers will enhance their skills in the treatment of the adult victim of a cardiac arrest or other cardiopulmonary emergencies. ACLS emphasizes the importance of basic life support CPR to patient survival; the integration of effective basic life support with advanced cardiovascular life support interventions; and the importance of effective team interaction and communication during resuscitation.ACLS is based on simulated clinical scenarios that encourage active, hands-on participation through learning stations where students will practice essential skills individually, as part of a team, and as team leader. Through didactic instruction and active participation in simulated cases, students will enhance their skills in the diagnosis and treatment of cardiopulmonary arrest, acute arrhythmia, stroke, and acute coronary syndromes. After successful completion of this course, students will be able to apply important concepts, including: The Basic Life Support Survey; High quality cardiopulmonary resuscitation; ACLS survey; ACLS algorithms; Effective resuscitation team dynamics; Immediate post-cardiac arrest care.

Prerequisites: 

• Pre-Test score of 80% or greater
• Ability to identify cardiac rhythms
• A basic understanding of the medications used to treat pulseless arrest, bradycardia & tachycardia

Course Length: Approximately 14 hours over the course of 2 days ACLS Day 1: 8am- 5pm, ACLS Day 2: 8am- 1pm

Intended Audience: The course is designed for medical providers such as physicians, nurses, emergency medical technicians, paramedics, respiratory therapists, and other professionals who may be required to manage a cardiovascular emergency.

Student Materials: ACLS Provider Manual

Student Website: www.heart.org/eccstudent

Course Completion Requirements:

• Pass the 1 & 2 Rescuer Adult CPR and AED test
• Pass the Bag-Mask Ventilation Test
• Demonstrate competency in the ACLS learning station skills.
• Pass the Megacode Test
• Pass the closed-book written exam with a minimum score of 84%

YOU MUST COME TO CLASS WITH A TEXTBOOK AND A COMPLETED PRINTED PRECOURSE SELF-ASSESSMENT TEST THAT IS FOUND ON THE STUDENT WEBSITE. The American Heart Association strongly promotes knowledge and proficiency in BLS, ACLS, and PALS and has developed instructional materials for this purpose. Use of these materials in an educational course does not represent course sponsorship by the American Heart Association. Any fees charged for such a course, except for a portion of fees needed for AHA course materials; do not represent income to the Association.