• ALS & PALS Blended Learning


    When you enroll in Advanced Life Support (ALS) or Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) training from the American Red Cross you'll gain the knowledge and skills you need to provide advanced care to your community. Designed specifically for healthcare providers and first responders, our courses will not only help you learn to assess, recognize and provide high-quality care to adult and pediatric patients experiencing life-threatening medical emergencies, including shock, cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and respiratory events, but will also streamline your resuscitation training, improve skills retention, and better serve patients.

    Both the ALS and PALS training curriculums are scientifically equivalent to other courses, including all standard scientific learning objectives necessary for professional certification, including rhythm interpretation, electrical interventions and pharmacologic knowledge. In addition, through the use of interactive scenarios, they will also challenge your critical-thinking, problem-solving and teamwork skills, which can help you respond on scene with ease and confidence, and ultimately help you better serve your community. Upon successful completion of the ALS or PALS course(s), you'll receive a two-year certification.

    Ways to Train

    • Blended Learning: Created for those who need additional flexibility, our ALS and PALS blended learning courses combine online safety coursework with an in-person skills session led by a certified Red Cross instructor. Because coursework is self-paced and modular, you can train when, where, and on the device that's right for you. In addition, with our adaptive learning functionality, you can follow a personalized learning path that gives experienced participants the option to test out of sessions if they demonstrate competency – resulting in reduced overall class time. After passing your final written exam, you'll attend a skills session with a certified Red Cross instructor.
    • In-Person Classes: Designed for those who learn best in a traditional classroom setting, class participants attend lecture and skills sessions with other students in a designated physical location.

    Time-Saving Options for Experienced Providers

    For experienced providers, we offer a review a brief, in-person skills review before testing (Review Option), as well as the option to skip the review and immediately take the skills test (Challenge Option), so you can earn your recertification even faster.

    Content in this program is consistent with:

    • The International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR) 2021 International Consensus on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care Science with Treatment Recommendations
    • The American Red Cross Focused Updates and Guidelines 2020
    • American Heart Association Emergency Cardiovascular Care (AHA ECC 2020)
    • ALS: The American Red Cross Advanced Life Support (ALS) program trains healthcare providers to care for adult patients who are experiencing life-threading emergencies such as cardiac arrest, acute coronary syndrome, or stroke.
    • PALS: The American Red Cross Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) program trains healthcare providers to care for pediatric patients who are experiencing life-threading emergencies such as cardiac arrest, respiratory emergencies and shock.

    Earn Your ALS & PALS Certification

    You now have choice and flexibility in resuscitation training. Sign up for our ALS and/or PALS courses – and gain critical skills to help better serve your community. With two options for training – in-person only courses and flexible Blended Learning classes – we make it easy to choose the right course for your schedule and your learning style. To enroll in Advanced Life Support and/or Pediatric Advanced Life Support, simply find a class in your area and complete the registration process.

    FAQs

    What is the difference between ALS vs. BLS?

    • Basic Life Support (BLS) is the foundation of resuscitation training for healthcare professionals including nurses, physicians, EMS professionals, and other healthcare and public safety personnel. The Advanced Life Support (ALS) program builds on the skills learned in BLS, training healthcare providers to care for adult patients who are experiencing life-threatening emergencies such as cardiac arrest, acute coronary syndrome, or stroke.

    What is the difference between ALS vs. ACLS?

    • ALS (Advanced Life Support) is often used interchangeably with the term ACLS (Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support). Advanced Life Support is the name of the ILCOR taskforce that produces Consensus on Science with Treatment Recommendations in this subject area. Red Cross Advanced Life Support goes beyond a cardiac focus.

    What is the difference between ALS (ACLS) vs. BLS vs. PALS?

    • These three courses are part of the Red Cross Resuscitation Suiteâ„¢ program.
      • Basic Life Support (BLS) Program
        • Basic Life Support (BLS) is the foundation of resuscitation training for healthcare professionals including nurses, physicians, EMS professionals, and other healthcare and public safety personnel. BLS program content includes single-and multiple-responder CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) and AED (automatic external defibrillator) use, as well as how to care for a patient who has an obstructed airway (choking).
          • Adult and Pediatric Care includes: Cardiac Arrest, Respiratory Arrest, Airway Obstruction and Opioid Overdose.
          • Adult and Pediatric Skills include: High-quality CPR and AED Use, Obstructed Airway and BLS Team Response.
      • Advanced Life Support (ALS) Program
        • The ALS program trains healthcare providers to care for adult patients who are experiencing life-threatening emergencies such as cardiac arrest, acute coronary syndrome, or stroke.
          • Adult Care includes: BLS Review, Respiratory Emergencies, Arrythmias, Cardiac Arrest and Post-Cardiac Arrest Care, Acute Coronary Syndrome and Stroke.
          • Adult Skills include: BLS: High-quality CPR, Managing the Airway, Electrical Therapies, Intraosseous Access and ALS Team Response.
      • Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) Program
        • The PALS program trains healthcare providers to care for pediatric patients who are experiencing life-threatening emergencies such as cardiac arrest, respiratory emergencies and shock.
          • Pediatric Care includes: BLS Review, Respiratory Emergencies, Arrythmias, Cardiac Arrest and Post-Cardiac Arrest Care and Shock.
          • Pediatric Skills includes: BLS for Children and Infants: High-quality CPR, Electrical Therapies, Intraosseous Access and PALS Team Response.

    What is the difference between ALS vs. PALS?

    • Advanced Life Support (ALS) focuses on advance cardiac care for the adult patient whereas Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) focuses on advanced cardiac care for the pediatric patient. Read more to understand the differences between ACLS and PALS.