First Coast CPR -
ACLS – Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support
American Heart Association ACLS Certification for Healthcare Professionals
Get ACLS certification in Jacksonville and Northeast Florida with American Heart Association training.
Choose an instructor-led classroom course or contact us about available blended-learning options.
Same-Day AHA eCard After Successful Completion
ACLS Training for Healthcare Professionals
Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support, or ACLS, is designed for healthcare professionals who direct or participate in the management of cardiac arrest, stroke, and other cardiopulmonary emergencies.
ACLS builds on Basic Life Support skills and focuses on advanced assessment, treatment, communication, and team response during cardiovascular emergencies.
Who Needs ACLS Certification?
ACLS is commonly required for healthcare professionals working in areas where cardiovascular emergencies may occur.
This may include:
- Physicians
- Nurses
- Paramedics
- Emergency medical professionals
- Emergency department staff
- Intensive care and critical care professionals
- Surgical and procedural teams
- Other healthcare professionals who participate in the management of cardiac arrest, stroke, or other cardiopulmonary emergencies
If your employer requires ACLS certification, this is most likely the course you need.
Choose Your ACLS Training Option
ACLS – Classroom Course
Complete the ACLS course with an American Heart Association instructor, including advanced cardiovascular emergency training, hands-on skills practice, and required testing.
Students must complete the required precourse work before attending class.
✓ Same-day AHA eCard after successful completion
Best for healthcare professionals who prefer:
- Instructor-led learning
- Hands-on practice
- Real-time questions and discussion
- Team-based emergency scenarios
- Completing the course requirements in a traditional classroom environment
ACLS – Online + Skills
The American Heart Association also offers ACLS through blended learning using HeartCode ACLS.
Students complete the cognitive portion online and then complete the required hands-on skills session with an instructor. Both formats lead to an AHA ACLS Provider course completion card after successful completion of all requirements.
✓ Same-day AHA eCard after successful completion
Best for healthcare professionals who prefer:
- More flexibility with the classroom portion
- To complete the cognitive portion from home
- A shorter in-person visit
- The same AHA ACLS Provider certification as the classroom course
What You Will Learn in ACLS
ACLS training focuses on the recognition and management of serious cardiovascular emergencies.
Training includes:
- High-quality CPR and Basic Life Support skills
- Recognition and management of cardiac arrest
- Airway and respiratory emergency management
- Recognition and treatment of arrhythmias
- Defibrillation and cardioversion
- Use of ACLS medications
- Acute coronary syndromes
- Stroke recognition and response
- Post-cardiac arrest care
- Effective communication
- High-performance team dynamics
ACLS emphasizes coordinated team response and effective decision-making during complex cardiovascular emergencies.
What Should I Know Before Taking ACLS?
ACLS is an advanced healthcare-provider course.
Students taking ACLS are expected to already be proficient in:
- High-quality BLS skills
- Reading and interpreting ECG rhythms
- ACLS pharmacology
- Bag-mask ventilation
Students must also complete the required ACLS Precourse Self-Assessment and achieve the required passing score before attending the course.
If you are unfamiliar with ECG rhythms or ACLS medications, additional preparation before class may be helpful.
Does ACLS Include BLS Certification?
No.
ACLS builds on BLS skills, but the American Heart Association does not automatically include a separate BLS Provider certification with the ACLS course.
AHA does not require every ACLS student to hold a current BLS Provider card, but students are expected to be proficient in BLS skills. Individual Training Centers or employers may have their own requirements.
If you also need BLS certification, contact us or select the appropriate BLS option when registering.
ACLS Certification
After successfully completing all course requirements, students receive an American Heart Association ACLS Provider eCard.
The ACLS Provider course completion card is valid for two years.
Both the instructor-led and HeartCode blended-learning options result in the appropriate AHA ACLS Provider course completion card after successful completion.
Renewing Your ACLS Certification
Healthcare professionals who need ACLS renewal or recertification can attend our regular American Heart Association ACLS course.
Rather than using a shortened renewal-only format, we teach the full ACLS course so participants receive a complete review of current algorithms, cardiovascular emergencies, team response, and advanced resuscitation concepts.
Students who successfully complete the course receive a new American Heart Association ACLS Provider eCard valid for two years.
