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Advanced Life Support (ALS)

Advanced Life Support (ALS)

The Resuscitation Council (UK) Advanced Life Support (ALS) course was launched 1993. It is a standardised national course teaching evidence-based resuscitation guidelines and skills to healthcare professionals in the United Kingdom. The ALS course has also been adopted by the European Resuscitation Council (ERC) and the Australian Resuscitation Council (ARC).

Who is this course suitable for?

The ALS provider course is designed for healthcare professionals who would be expected to apply the skills taught as part of their clinical duties, or to teach them on a regular basis. Appropriate participants include doctors, paramedics and nurses working in acute care areas (e.g. ED, CCU, ICU, HDU, operating theatres, acute medical admissions units) or on resuscitation /medical emergency/ICU outreach teams. All applicants must hold a professional healthcare qualification or be in training for a professional healthcare qualification. Medical students, nurses and other healthcare providers not covered in the groups above should be encouraged to complete the Immediate Life Support (ILS) course.

Learning outcomes

The ALS course teaches the knowledge and skills required to:

  • Recognise and treat the deteriorating patient using a structured ABCDE approach;
    deliver standardised CPR in adults
  • Manage a cardiac arrest by working with a multidisciplinary team in an emergency situation
  • Utilise non-technical skills to facilitate strong team leadership and effective team membership

ALS courses are held at centres throughout the UK and are approved and certified by the Resuscitation Council (UK). This ensures uniformity of content and standard regardless of the centre.

This is a 2-day face-to-face course.

All candidates will be registered on the Learning Management System (LMS) regardless of their chosen course pathway to access course modules, pre-course multiple choice questionnaire (MCQ), course evaluation and post course certificates.

The course programme consists of lectures, workshops, skill stations and cardiac arrest simulations (i.e. CASTeach).

Assessment and Certification

Continuous assessment occurs throughout the ALS course, which is based on clinical simulations that allow candidates to demonstrate the core competencies that have been taught on the course. These include airway management, high quality CPR and defibrillation and cardiac arrest management. A final assessment of candidates at the end of the course takes the form of management of a cardiac arrest simulation and a MCQ paper. Successful candidates receive a Resuscitation Council (UK) ALS provider certificate, which is valid for 4 years. The ALS course is recognised for up to 10 continuing professional development (CPD) points.

Pre-course preparation

The course manual is sent to candidates one month before the course. Candidates are expected to have prepared for the course by reading the manual and submitting their completed pre-course MCQ paper before attending the face-to-face course. Candidates are advised to complete the pre-course MCQ without reference to the manual. Candidates are also given access to e-learning materials on the LMS. For those candidates attending the e-ALS course, the e-learning content replaces the first day of the 2-day course and they must access and undertake the e-learning component before attending the face-to-face element of the course. Prior competence in CPR is an essential prerequisite to attending the course.

Course Duration - 2 days (plus pre-course learning MCQ and manual)

Course cost - £480

Method of Assessment 

  • Pre-course MCQ
  • Continuing assessment throughout course.
  • End of course MCQ and
  • End of course Test Secenario