ACLS Course

Lesson 1 • Legal and Ethical Considerations

Addresses consent, advance directives, and resuscitation decisions. Prepares learners to navigate ethical dilemmas encountered in real emergencies.

Lesson 2 • ACLS Team Roles and Dynamics

Defines team leader and member responsibilities during resuscitation. Establishes communication standards that reduce errors throughout the course.

Lesson 3 • Cardiac Arrest Physiology Review

Covers oxygen delivery, perfusion failure, and cellular injury during arrest. Anchors all subsequent ACLS interventions in physiological rationale.

Lesson 1 • Rescuer Fatigue and Rotation

Addresses physical limits of sustained CPR and structured rotation protocols. Maintains compression quality across prolonged resuscitation efforts.

Lesson 2 • Compression Mechanics and Metrics

Teaches rate, depth, recoil, and hand placement for effective compressions. Correct mechanics directly determine coronary perfusion pressure during arrest.

Lesson 3 • CPR Feedback and Quality Monitoring

Introduces real-time feedback devices and physiological monitoring during CPR. Learners use data to self-correct and sustain guideline-compliant performance.

Lesson 1 • Supraglottic Airway Devices

Teaches insertion and confirmation of supraglottic airways as CPR-compatible alternatives to intubation. Reduces skill dependency on laryngoscopy during arrest.

Lesson 2 • Endotracheal Intubation in Arrest

Covers laryngoscopy technique, tube confirmation, and securing during ongoing CPR. Emphasises minimising compression pauses during intubation attempts.

Lesson 3 • Basic Airway Maneuvers

Covers head-tilt chin-lift, jaw thrust, and positioning for airway patency. These maneuvers form the first-line response before advanced devices are available.

Lesson 1 • Shockable Arrest Rhythms

Identifies ventricular fibrillation and pulseless ventricular tachycardia with precision. Accurate recognition triggers immediate defibrillation, the highest-priority intervention.

Lesson 2 • Non-Shockable Arrest Rhythms

Covers asystole and pulseless electrical activity identification and differentiation. Links each rhythm to its underlying reversible cause using the H's and T's framework.

Lesson 3 • Peri-Arrest Rhythm Recognition

Identifies bradyarrhythmias and tachyarrhythmias that may deteriorate into arrest. Prepares learners to intervene before haemodynamic collapse occurs.

Lesson 1 • Transcutaneous Cardiac Pacing

Covers pacing indications, pad placement, rate and output titration, and capture verification. Addresses symptomatic bradycardia unresponsive to pharmacological therapy.

Lesson 2 • Defibrillation Principles and Technique

Explains transthoracic impedance, energy selection, and pad placement for effective shock delivery. Correct technique maximises the probability of successful defibrillation.

Lesson 3 • Automated External Defibrillator Use

Covers AED operation, voice prompt interpretation, and integration with CPR cycles. Reinforces the universal skill applicable across all clinical and public settings.

Lesson 1 • Vascular Access During Resuscitation

Covers IV, IO, and central access priorities and techniques during active resuscitation. Reliable access is prerequisite to all pharmacological interventions in ACLS.

Lesson 2 • Drugs for Bradycardia and Tachycardia

Reviews atropine, adenosine, beta-blockers, and calcium channel blockers for peri-arrest rhythm management. Links drug choice to rhythm type and haemodynamic stability.

Lesson 3 • Vasopressors and Cardiac Arrest Drugs

Details epinephrine and vasopressin mechanisms, dosing, and timing in VF, PEA, and asystole. Correct timing relative to CPR cycles and shocks is emphasised.

Lesson 1 • Cardiac Arrest Algorithm Execution

Walks through the full cardiac arrest algorithm for shockable and non-shockable rhythms. Learners practice decision points, timing, and team coordination simultaneously.

Lesson 2 • Simulation-Based Algorithm Practice

Uses high-fidelity simulation to rehearse all algorithms under realistic time pressure and team dynamics. Debriefing identifies performance gaps and reinforces correct decision sequences.

Lesson 3 • Tachycardia Algorithm Application

Executes the tachycardia algorithm across stable and unstable presentations with narrow and wide complexes. Integrates rhythm identification with cardioversion and drug therapy decisions.

Lesson 1 • Immediate Post-ROSC Assessment

Covers the systematic evaluation of haemodynamics, airway, and neurological status immediately after ROSC. Rapid identification of instability guides the first interventions in post-arrest care.

Lesson 2 • Targeted Temperature Management

Explains the rationale, target ranges, and duration of temperature control after cardiac arrest. Prevents secondary neurological injury in comatose post-arrest patients.

Lesson 3 • Haemodynamic Optimisation Post-Arrest

Covers blood pressure targets, fluid resuscitation, and vasopressor use in the post-arrest period. Maintains coronary and cerebral perfusion pressure during the vulnerable post-arrest phase.