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ACLS certification requirements are methodically addressed in Health Ed Solutions (HES) course materials for the purpose of preparing health care professionals to deal with the demands of an emergency situation that calls for advanced cardiac life support. The module descriptions below outline details of the ACLS certification curriculum, from conditions covered to assessment instructions and recommended treatments. This gives you an idea of the topics covered in each ACLS certification module. NOTE: ACLS certification requirements are not represented in full in the following paragraphs. Many additional details will be covered in the actual ACLS certification curriculum.

1. Education & the Team Approach to Emergency Care

The HES ACLS certification curriculum covers important dynamics of team resuscitation (such as anticipating necessary interventions and communication) that decrease the likelihood of errors during a cardiopulmonary emergency, and increase likelihood of efficient health care delivery. ACLS certification requirements also call for team management skills, as well as dynamic case studies.

2. Initial Assessment & Respiratory Support

Students learn how to quickly, but accurately, assess an unresponsive patient with immediate initiation of chest compression, followed by establishing an airway and providing sufficient oxygenation and respirations to the patient. This module of the ACLS certification curriculum includes instruction on the use of devices to measure expired carbon dioxide to monitor adequacy of chest compressions and assess sufficiency of airway and ventilations.

3. Ventricular Fibrillation Treated with CPR and AED

In this module of the ACLS certification curriculum teaches students how to identify a non-responsive individual who might be in ventricular fibrillation or pulseless ventricular tachycardia, and then initiate care, including obtaining assistance, beginning CPR, and use an AED appropriately. Emphasis is placed on earliest possible defibrillation to restore a perfusing rhythm for the best chance of normal cardiac function.

4. Ventricular Fibrillation / Pulseless Ventricular Tachycardia

ACLS certification requirements include knowing how to identify these conditions and initiate immediate care, including obtaining assistance, beginning CPR, and performing defibrillation to restore the heart's rhythm and its ability to pump blood through the body. This module of the ACLS certification curriculum includes team management principles for an individual with VF or pulseless VT.

5. Pulseless Electrical Activity

Students learn how to verify that an individual has a rhythm on the monitor, but no discernable pulse. Each etiology has its own treatment and associated prognosis, so the responder must rapidly identify the correct cause and treat it accordingly. As called for in ACLS certification requirements, students learn how to assess for possible causes, then initiate immediate care, including using the correct dosage and timing of epinephrine and vasopressin administration.

6. Asystole

This module of the ACLS certification curriculum teaches students how to identify a non-responsive individual who is in asystole based on the ECG—a "flatline", as well as initiate evaluation of possible causes, particularly considering reversible causes. To meet ACLS certification requirements, they also learn how to follow evaluation with immediate care of the patient, including obtaining assistance and beginning CPR, and using the correct dosage and timing for epinephrine and vasopressin.

7. Acute Coronary Syndrome

Students learn how to develop a differential diagnosis of life-threatening chest pain, with emphasis on early identification, risk factors, and treatment. The most common symptom is retrosternal chest discomfort often described as uncomfortable pressure or squeezing. Immediate care includes appropriate use of oxygen, aspirin, nitroglycerine, morphine, fibrinolytic, and heparin therapies.

8. Bradycardia

Students learn how to recognize signs, symptoms, causes, and treatment of this potentially lethal heart rhythm, including identifying first, second, and third degree atrioventricular (AV) blocks, and differentiating between AV and sinus bradycardia. Students also learn how to use proper medications for treatment, including atropine, dopamine, and epinephrine, plus understand the indications for and use of transcutaneous pacing.

9. Stable Tachycardia

Students learn to recognize the rapid rhythms that define tachycardia—usually greater than 100 beats per minute. To meet ACLS certification requirements, they learn how to initiate a proper evaluation for narrow complex tachyarrhythmias, such as atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, supraventricular tachycardia (SVT), and wide complex tachyarrhythmias, such as monomorphic ventricular tachycardia and polymorphic ventricular tachycardia. Treatment consists of immediate management of rhythms, including drug delivery and synchronized cardioversion, plus post-ACLS treatment and monitoring.

10. Unstable Tachycardia

This module of the ACLS certification curriculum teaches students to recognize the rapid rhythms that define unstable tachycardia, with clinically significant signs and symptoms secondary to his or her heart rate. They learn how to initiate a proper evaluation for tachyarrhythmias, such as atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, supraventricular tachycardia (SVT), monomorphic ventricular tachycardia, polymorphic ventricular tachycardia and wide complex tachycardia. ACLS certification requirements including knowing how to conduct immediate management of rhythms, including proper energy levels for cardioversion, proper drug delivery and synchronized cardioversion, plus post-resuscitation treatment and monitoring.

11. Acute Stroke

Students learn how to identify major signs, symptoms, and risk factors of an acute stroke, using the rapid assessment method and understanding the acute Emergency Medical System and Emergency Department assessment and role in rapid management of these patients. In addition, to meet ACLS certification requirements, students learn how to recognize and follow the NINDS time goals, as well as indications and contraindications for fibrinolytic therapy. Instruction in managing elevated blood pressure in acute stroke victims is also included in this module of the ACLS certification curriculum.

12. Post-Cardiac Arrest Care

One of the most important ACLS certification requirements is knowing how to identify strategies to maintain cardiopulmonary function, including vital organ perfusion after return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC), plus prevent a recurrent arrest by addressing the precipitating causes of the initial cardiac arrest. Ventilation management support and supporting the transport and transfer of a patient to a facility that provides comprehensive care is also a part of this module in the ACLS certification curriculum.