ACLS & BCLS Certifications

Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) and Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS) training is in place to prepare healthcare providers to know what to do to help patients in emergencies. In addition, PALS (Pediatric Advanced Life Support) specifically trains health workers how to treat children and infants. These certifications are most commonly attained by healthcare workers, including occupational therapists, doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists, residents, physician assistance and paramedics. Courses for certification can be found online and in most communities. Because the certifications are good for only two years, there are also recertification classes available.

Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS)

• The BCLS certification course teaches how to assess patients; administer rescue breathing to an adult, child and infant; use a defibrillator and administer supplemental oxygen. Most courses also cover basic first aid and blood-borne pathogens.

Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS)

• The course for ACLS certification includes everything taught for BCLS certification, but with the addition of microsimulation and ACLS algorithms. The ACLS algorithm is a guide that teaches principles to health care providers in order to better assess and treat patients.

Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS)

• Focusing strictly on pediatric patients, the PALS certification enables health care providers to correctly assess and treat children and infants. The training involved not only covers rescue breathing and initial emergency treatment, but also stabilizing and transporting their young patients.