HSI Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) Program - Overview - Course Requirements

Sep 23, 2026

Uploaded by Ezra

HSI Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) is a scenario-based continuing education program for trained healthcare providers who direct or participate in cardiopulmonary emergencies and resuscitation efforts. The program refines emergency cardiovascular care knowledge and hands-on skills, aligned with the ACLS Study Guide 6th Edition and ACLS eBook Study Guide 6th Edition. Enrollment requires prior high-quality BLS capability, ECG reading and interpretation, and understanding essential resuscitation pharmacology. Certification, evaluation standards, instructor and student materials, and initial versus renewal time requirements are specified, including recommended training hours and practice intervals.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages2

Reading Time5 min

AccessFree to download

Intended audience and prerequisites

Ratios and certification period

Recommended completion time

Instructional elements and materials

Student certification requirements

Topics covered (initial and renewal)

Continuing education (CEH)

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| | | --- | --- | | ADVANCED CARDIAC LIFE SUPPORT (ACLS)
The HSI Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) program is a scenario (case-based) continuing education course designed to provide trained and skilled healthcare providers with an opportunity to enhance and refine knowledge and hands-on skill proficiency in emergency cardiovascular care.
TheACLStraining program has been updated to accompany theACLS Study Guide, 6th Edition and theACLS Ebook Study Guide, 6th Edition, published by Elsevier. | | | Intended audience
Individuals who are trained and skilled as healthcare providers who either direct or participate in cardiopulmonary emergencies and resuscitation efforts.
Participant prerequisites
All individuals who participate in an ACLS class must be previously trained, skilled, and be able to:
• Perform high-quality basic life support (HQ-BLS)
• Read and interpret basic electrocardiograms (ECGs)
• Understand basic resuscitation pharmacology, prepare and administer essential medications
Ratios
• Maximum student-to-instructor ratio-10:1 (6:1 is recommended)
• Maximum student-to-manikin ratio-3:1
Certiﬁcation period
• May not exceed 2 years from month of issue.
• Spaced practice every 3-6 months strongly recommended.
Recommended time to complete
• Initial training: About 15 hours
• Renewal training: About 7 hours | Instructional elements
• HSI ACLS Instructor Materials, including:
o Instructor Resource Guide
o Scenario Sheets
• Student Book, ACLS Study Guide, 6th Edition and the ACLS Ebook Study Guide, 6th Edition, published by Elsevier
• HSI ACLS Program Slide Presentation
Student certiﬁcation requirements
• Written evaluation: Successful completion requires a correct score of 75% or higher.
• Performance evaluation: Students must demonstrate skill competency in a team setting as indicated by the skill criteria on the Performance Evaluation Sheets:
o High Quality BLS
o Respiratory arrest
o Cardiac rhythm management including
pulseless VT/VF and two other rhythms
| |

[hsi.com/cpr | P:](hsi.com/cpr | P:) [800-447-3177 | E: CustomerService@hsi.com](800-447-3177 | E: CustomerService@hsi.com) | | © 2024 HSI |
| | | --- | --- | | Topics Covered (Initial and Renewal)
• Chain of Survival & High-Quality Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
• Patient Assessment & Resuscitation Therapies
• Respiratory Compromise
• Cardiac Rhythm Management
• Bradycardias
• Tachycardias | • Acute Coronary Syndromes
• Acute Ischemic Stroke
• Resuscitation Simulation Equipment
• Airway Management & Adult BLS
• Case Studies
• High-Quality Skills and Teamwork | | Continuing education
TheACLS program provides approved EMS continuing education hours (CEH) accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Pre-Hospital Continuing Education (CAPCE), for which HSI is an accredited organization.
• Initial class: 15 hours Advanced CEH
• Renewal class: 7 hours Advanced CEH | | |

[hsi.com/cpr | P:](hsi.com/cpr | P:) [800-447-3177 | E: CustomerService@hsi.com](800-447-3177 | E: CustomerService@hsi.com) | | © 2024 HSI

FAQs

Who is the ACLS course intended for?

The course is for trained healthcare providers who direct or participate in cardiopulmonary emergencies and resuscitation efforts.

What prerequisites must participants meet before joining an ACLS class?

Participants must already be trained and skilled to perform high-quality basic life support (HQ-BLS), read and interpret basic ECGs, and understand essential resuscitation pharmacology including preparing and administering medications.

How long is initial training and renewal training, and how long is certification valid?

Initial training is about 15 hours and renewal training is about 7 hours. Certification may not exceed 2 years from the month of issue, and spaced practice every 3–6 months is strongly recommended.

Sep 23, 2026

Uploaded by Ezra