Welcome to your ACLS and PALS Courses:
The ACLS & PALS Provider course covers extensive material in a short time. Please plan to arrive on time, because it will be difficult for late students to catch up once we start. Students are expected to attend and participate in the entire course and latecomers over 20 minutes will be asked to reschedule. You will need to prepare for the course beforehand and complete the required elements.
How to Get Ready: Complete/pass the Precourse Self-Assessment on the AHA Student Website (details below).
For ACLS:
The ACLS Course will teach you the lifesaving skills required to be both a team member and a Team Leader in either an in-hospital or out-of-hospital setting. Because the ACLS Course covers extensive material in a short time, you will need to prepare for the course beforehand.
Precourse Requirements
You should prepare for class by doing the following:
Review and understand the information in your ACLS Provider Manual.
Review, understand, and pass the mandatory precourse self-assessment.
Use the following steps to access the assessment
1. Visit the STAT participant resources website for ACLS and complete the required pre-course assessment, Option A or B. (password is in your confirmation email from STAT, check your junk/spam/updates folders if you did not receive it).
2. Print your certificate showing a passing score of 70% or higher and bring it with you to class.
Ensure that your BLS skills and knowledge are current for the resuscitation scenarios. At the beginning of the ACLS Course, you will be tested on adult high-quality BLS skills, using a feedback manikin. You must know these skills in advance because the ACLS Course will not teach you how to do CPR or use an AED.
We suggest you bring the ACLS Provider Manual (Dec ‘20) and/or have access to any additional resources.
For PALS:
The PALS Course is designed to teach you the lifesaving skills required to be both a team member and a Team Leader in either an in-hospital or an out-of-hospital setting. Because the PALS Course covers extensive material in a short time, you will need to prepare for the course beforehand.
Precourse Requirements
You should prepare for class by doing the following:
Review and understand the information in your PALS Provider Manual and in the Student Resources. Pay particular attention to the systematic approach to pediatric assessment, the evaluate-identify-intervene sequence, and the management of respiratory and circulatory abnormalities
Review, understand, and complete the precourse self-assessment (mandatory) in the Student Resources. This test consists of 3 sections: ECG rhythm identification, pharmacology, and practical application. Use this assessment to identify areas where you need to increase your knowledge.
Use the following steps to access the assessment
1. Visit the STAT participant resources website for PALS and complete the required pre-course assessment, Option A or B. (password is in your confirmation email from STAT, check your junk/spam/updates folders if you did not receive it).
2. Print your certificate showing a passing score of 70% or higher and bring it with you to class.
Be prepared to pass the Child CPR and AED Skills Testing Checklist and Infant CPR Skills Testing Checklist. You will not be taught how to do CPR or how to use an AED during the course. The resuscitation scenarios require that your BLS skills and knowledge are current. Review and understand all 2020 BLS guidelines, especially as they relate to pediatric patients. You may find this information in the BLS Provider Manual or in other publications based on the 2020 AHA Guidelines for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care (see cpr.heart.org).
Be familiar with the PALS algorithms and flowcharts so that you can apply them to clinical scenarios. Note that the PALS Course does not present the details of each algorithm.
We suggest you bring the PALS Provider Manual (Dec ‘20) and/or have access to any additional resources.
Note: What The PALS Course Does Not Cover
The PALS Course does not teach CPR, ECG rhythm identification, PALS pharmacology, or algorithms. If you do not review CPR and if you do not learn and understand the ECG and pharmacology information in the precourse self-assessment, it is unlikely that you can successfully complete the PALS Course. You will not be taught how to read or interpret ECG rhythm strips in the course, nor will you be taught details about PALS pharmacology.
You may wish to purchase the AHA’s Handbook of Emergency Cardiovascular Care for Healthcare Providers (optional), which you may bring to class to use as a reference guide during some of the learning stations.
What to Bring and What to Wear: Please wear loose, comfortable clothing to class. You will be practicing skills that require working on your hands and knees, bending, standing, and lifting. If you have any physical condition that might prevent you from engaging in these activities, please tell an instructor. The instructor may be able to adjust the equipment if you have back, knee, or hip problems.
Continuing Education/CME - We do not offer CE/CME, but elements that are completed online with the American Heart Association may be eligible for credits.
Course Completion E-Cards
Cards typically arrive within two weeks of the course from the American Heart Association and often much sooner, please plan accordingly.
We look forward to welcoming you