Description AHA ACLS is an advanced, Instructor-led classroom course that highlights the importance of team dynamics and communication, systems of care and immediate post-cardiac arrest care. It also covers airway management and related pharmacology. In this course, skills are taught in large, group sessions and small group learning and testing stations where case-based scenarios are presented.  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. Students in advanced life support courses are not required to have a current BLS Healthcare Provider (HCP) card, but they are expected to be proficient in BLS HCP skills.  

Who Should Take This Course?  The AHA ACLS is designed for healthcare professionals who either   direct or participate in the management of cardiopulmonary arrest and other cardiovascular emergencies. This includes personnel in emergency response, emergency medicine, intensive care and critical care units.

Course Content

• Basic life support skills, including effective chest compressions, use of a bag-mask device, and use of an AED
• Recognition and early management of respiratory and cardiac arrest
• Recognition and early management of peri-arrest conditions such as symptomatic bradycardia
• Airway management
• Related pharmacology
• Management of ACS and stroke
• Effective communication as a member and leader of a resuscitation team

Required Student Materials You have the option to purchase the Provider Manual or eBook. We do not stock books for purchase, however, the following AHA distributor links will be provided upon registration.
Option A)  ACLS Provider Manual  http://www.worldpoint.com/en/Products/American-Heart-Association/ACLS/ACLS-Provider-Manual_-_15-1005/#.V6uHn1UrLnA
Option B)  ebook  https://ebooks.heart.org/product/acls-provider-manual-ebook-collection50044713

Course Format and Exam Before taking the ACLS course, students must pass the online ACLS Precourse Self-Assessment with a score of 70% or higher. This test is part of the ACLS student Web site (access granted with purchase of the ACLS Provider Manual).  During the classroom portion, skills are taught in large-group sessions and small-group learning and testing stations where case-based scenarios are presented. For the exams, student must be able to demonstrate 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 finally, pass the ACLS exam with a score of 84% or higher.

Continuing Education Credits  EMS Professionals requiring continuing education credits, must submit a written request within 60 days of course completion. Please submit your request by emailing info@citywidecpr.com. The AHA offers continuing medical education (CME) or continuing education (CE) credits for some of its CPR and ECC courses, and CME/CE may also be offered for live events.  Learn more>

Course Completion Card Students receive the American Heart Association ACLS Provider eCard, valid for two years.  AHA cards will be processed as eCards, and usually received within 3-5 business days following the class.  Students can expect to receive an email from ecards@heart.org or noreply@heart.org, with a link to claim their eCard. Learn more >

BLS Renewal  If you are taking an ACLS class, ACLS Update or an ACLS skills session, you are also eligible to take a BLS skills session, on the same day, at a discounted rate of $30. You must first complete BLS Heartcode in order to take advantage of the discounted BLS skills session. 

Are you interested in taking this course online? The American Heart Association also has a blended learning format, where students take the cognitive portion online and schedule a Skills Practice Session and Skills Test with an AHA instructor. Want to learn more about this blended learning option? Click here>