PRECOURSE PREPARATION

• All students must have a manual prior to class, during class, and after class. If you do not have a provider manual, please email Maria at CPRmobile.me@gmail.com.

• There will be content that we test on that will not be covered in class.

• Please use the precourse work to identify gaps in your knowledge and remediate these gaps PRIOR to class.

• All testing scenarios can be found in the Appendix of the provider manual. Please review the Appendix to become familiar with the AHA's testing criteria.

The following information is quoted from pages 2-4 of your 2025 AHA ACLS Provider Manual:

Before class, read the ACLS Provider Manual, complete the mandatory prework in the ACLS Student Resources (accessed via eLearning.heart.org), identify any gaps in your knowledge, and remediate those gaps by studying the applicable content in the ACLS Provider Manual or other supplementary resources, including the ACLS Student Resources. you must pass the ACLS Precourse Self-Assessment with a minimum score of 70%. You may retake the self-assessment as often as needed to pass. Print your certificate of completion and score report and bring them with you to the course.

You will need the following knowledge and skills to complete the course successfully:

• BLS skills

• Electrocardiogram (ECG) rhythm interpretation for core ACLS rhythms

• Knowledge of airway managment and adjuncts

• Basic ACLS medication and pharmacology knowledge

• Practical application of ACLS rhythms and medications

• Effective high-performace team skills

BLS Skills

Strong BLS skills form the foundation of ACLS, so you must pass the High-Quality BLS Testing Station to complete this course. Make sure that you are proficient in BLS skills before attending the class.

ECG Rhythm Interpretation for Core ACLS Rhythms

• The basic cardiac arrest and periarrest algorithms require you to recognize these ECG presentation

• Sinus rhythm

• Atrial fibrillation and flutter

• Sinus bradycardia

• Sinus tachycardia

• Narrow-complex tachycardia

• Atrioventricular (AV) blocks

• Asystole

• Ventricaular tachycardias (VTs)

• Ventricular fibrillation (VF)

You should also recognize the clinical condition called pulseless electrical activity (PEA). This is the presence of an organized rhythm (not VF or pulseless VT [pVT]) on an ECG without a corresponding pulse (no pulse).

The PreCourse Self-Assessment contains an ECG rhythm identification section. Use your self-assessment score and feedback to help you identify your areas of strength and weakness before attending the class. you must be able to identify and interpret rhythms during course practice sessions and the final Megacode evaluation station.

Basic ACLS Medication and Pharmacology Knowledge

You must know the medications and doses used in the ACLS algorithms. You will also need to know when to use which medication based on the clinical situation.

The Precourse Self-Assessment contains pharmacology questions. Use your self-assessment score analysis feedback to help identify areas of strength and weakness before attending the class.

Course Materials

Course materials consist of the ACLS Provider Manual, ACLS Student Resources, and 3 reference cards.

ACLS Provider Manual

The ACLS Provider Manual contains the basic information you will need to participate in the course, including the systematic approach to a cardiopulmonary emergency, information about effective high-performance team communication, and the ACLS cases and algorithms. Review this manual before attending the class, and bring it with you to the class. If you are using the eBook version, you should download the manual to your device's eReader app and bring it with you in case there is no internet connection."

(end quote)

IN CLASS STRUCTURE, SKILLS, & TOPICS

BLS REVIEW

• Relief of choking for conscious and unconscious patients

• CPR and AED as a single-rescuer and as part of a multi-rescuer team

• "Rescue Breaths" for respiratory failure

• Drowning

• Opioid overdoses

ACLS CODE

• Rapid Manual Defibrillation

  • Precharging the monitor and pre-checking a pulse

  • Recognizing shockable vs non-shockable rhythms (compressions must not be interrupted for more than 10 seconds when doing this)

• IV/IO access

• Medications for cardiac arrest

• Simple airway adjuncts

• H&T's - especially how they relate to PEA

SYMPTOMATIC BRADYCARDIA

• Treat reversible causes, atropine, epinephrine/dopamine infusions, and transcutaneous pacing

• Differentiate between stable and unstable

• Understand indications for transcutaneous pacing

• Demonstrate transcutaneous pacing

SYMPTOMATIC TACHYCARDIA

• Treat reversible causes, vagal maneuvers, adenosine, and synchronized cardioversion

• Differentiate between stable and unstable

• Understand the indications for synchronized cardioversion

• Demonstrate synchronized cardioversion

MEGACODE

• Manage a patient (manikin) that starts with symptomatic bradycardia/tachycardia and goes into cardiac arrest

• Successfully play the role of a Team Leader

• Successfully play the role of a Team Member

AIRWAY MANAGEMENT

• Rescue breaths and simple airway adjuncts (NPA/OPA)

• Indications for advanced airways

WRITTEN EXAM >84%

• Open notes/AHA resources

• Consider bringing your reading glasses

Bring a snack!

REMEDIATION

Insufficient SELF-remediation often results in the need for CLASSROOM-remediation. If the student is not able to demonstrate proficiency by the AHA standards, the student will not be issued a certification and there will be no refund. The instructor will provide the student a checklist of proficiency criteria that need remediation. Please be familiar with the Appendix (testing criteria) of your provider manual.

• The student is expected to self-remediate (aka study) for a minimum of 2 weeks prior to attempting another class.

• The student must re-complete both online components. All categories must score >90%.

• The student can remediate in the classroom for free (one time) if they are willing to be put on a waiting list (class is capped at 4 students).