Recent questions about our courses (FAQ)

Our online classes are very simple to work with, and you can most certainly call us or mail us with any questions. This page gives immediate answers for the most recent questions our customer support team received. Newest questions are on top.

Bloodborne pathogens course specific questions

Does the BBP course cover the following?
  • a) Anatomy
  • b) Skin diseases, disorders, and conditions that may affect the skin
  • c) Infection control procedures including waste disposal, hand washing techniques, sterilization equipment operation and methods, and sanitization /disinfection /sterilization methods and techniques
  • d) Facility safety and sanitization

Yes. The BBP course covers all of the above.

Your BBP course does address waste disposal and handwashing techniques. However, handwashing must be performed specifically with hot running water, and hand sanitizer is not allowed in lieu of handwashing.

Actually hand sanitizer is permitted in lieu of handwashing in many scenarios. Although washing with antibacterial soap under running water (there is no recommendation for temperature) is desireable, it is not the only acceptable way to cleanse hands.

ACLS, BLS, and PALS course questions

I’m having a hard time finding how fast you should initiate a beta blockade after admission in the literature. Also during refractory VF when is it appropriate to give sodium bicarbonate? I also can’t find any contraindications for why nitroglycerin is given other than hypotension. Where exactly should defibrillator pads be placed as the literature given isn’t supporting the question.

EMS (or anyone) no longer intubates until Return of Spontaneous Circulation. Sodium Bicarbonate is not mentioned because it was eliminated from resuscitation guidelines in 2010. Nitroglycerin is NOT given in hypotension, in fact hypotension is a contraindication (and always has been) to the administration of Nitroglycerin. It is also not indicated in inferior wall MI with RV involvement. It is also contraindicated when taking medications for erectile dysfunction. Defibrillator pads can be placed anywhere that the heart is between the pads.

My name is Greg Bell, I’m and heart transplant coordinator in Louisville, KY. I’m looking for a standard of care or basic protocol for ACLS in heart transplant patients. Is there a standard (basic protocol/algorithm) for heart transplants & advanced cardiac life support r/t the denervated heart?

AHA does not deal with specialty practices. As a cath lab person of many years, in a cardiac transplant center, we utilized Beta such as Epinephrine or even Isuprel bolus for severe Bradycardia, although I have to be honest I can only think of once or twice it was an issue. Both transvenous (in the lab or the unit) or transcutaneous (on the floor) pacing would also benefit the patient. The most common cause of bradycardia is parasympathetic and so with that removed, it is actually quite rare. Immediately post op it can be due to sympathetic denervation or damage from biopsy. In this period bradycardia can and is managed with myocardial pacing wires. I hope this is helpful.

This question is regarding section 1 Ethics of Resuscitation. The last 2 paragraphs are confusing. “To clarify, prognostication of neurological outcome is recommended at least 72 hours after body temp returns to normal in TTM treated patients or 72 hours post cardiac arrest in non-TTM treated patients unless obviously non-survivable conditions are present?”

That is correct. If a patient who does not have non survivable conditions such as brain herniation etc. one should wait until 72 hours following return to normal body temperature. If TTM was not utilized, then decisions regarding status or withdrawal should be made 72 hours following the initial cardiac arrest.

I did not find the reference for delivering a shock from an AED if the patient is in water, such as was on the exam.

“It is covered in the course in two places. One in the BCLS portion and again in the renewal course.”

Quoted the BCLS section: “The patient should be supine on a hard surface such as the floor, or if in a bed something hard should be placed under the upper portion of the body in order for the compressions to be effective.”

RE: ACLS course study materials. Please define the following: rosc, ecmo, fem-fem, petco, timi, met
  • ROSC: Return of spontaneous circulation
  • ECMO: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (a form of bypass)
  • FEM-FEM: Utilizes the femoral arterial and femoral vein percutaneously to assist with blood flow (partial bypass)
  • PETCO2: Measures the partial C02 pressure in the arteries. (Capnography)
  • TIMI: As flow measurement standard
  • MET: Medical emergency team who responds to floor from a critical care unit for patients with deteriorating status prior to arrest
A pdf course summary from the Red Cross recommends a minimum compression fraction of 80% vs 60% as printed on your course. What accounts for the difference? Here is where I found the Red Cross information: https://www.redcross.ca/crc/documents/Canadian-Consensus-Guidelines-document-Feb-2016_EN_Final.pdf

We utilize the American Heart Association guidelines which may in fact differ from the American Red Cross. Their recommendations are 5–6cm or 2–2.4” of compression depth for the adult.

I do not see a study material section about the EKG rhythms that the AHA requires: the specific recognition, the discerning characteristics, etc. I did notice perfunctory mentions of rhythms with an occasional EKG strip but no real study guide to the rhythm material. This was an important part of the ACLS AHA program and test. Am I missing something?

The interpretation of rhythms and their recognition are considered a prerequisite requirement for attendance in American Heart Association advanced cardiac life support courses and are not taught during the renewal or provider courses. We do have a separate monitor technician program that teaches these skills, but they are not included in the ACLS course as we model our course after the standardized requirements.

I am a RN working as a resuscitation coordinator in a hospital. I am worried your drug list is missing some drugs that are necessary in managing some of the reversible causes of cardiac arrest as and also drugs necessary for incubation. I wonder if it would be wise to include them on our crash trolley.

I would need to know which drugs she is referring to before I can answer the question.

We are looking at updating our Crash Carts and came across the list you all have on your site. We have tried to locate that information in other locations. Is this just the recommended list you all think is sufficient or did it come from another source?

The list is a foundation for a basic crash cart. A crash cart has to be designed to meet the needs of your facility. There is no “required or complete” list.

I was looking at your page for references in regards to cardiac arrest.
I noticed this webpage https://www.acls.net/bls-healthcare-provider-algorithm-vf-pulseless-vt was titled “BLS Healthcare Provider Algorithm for Managing VF and Pulseless VT,” however the information and the PDFs are all referring to Immediate Post-Cardiac Arrest Care. I also looked to see if the VF/VT with AED and VF/VT with no AED pdfs were different, but they are the same PDF, which has the ROCS algorithm.

We removed the BLS Healthcare Provider Algorithm for Managing VF and Pulseless VT.

In Canada, what level is your CPR (“BLS”) course?

We are CPR-C level also known as “Healthcare Provider” level. This is the course for healthcare provider cardiopulmonary resuscitation training.

My current certification has expired. Can I use these courses to become recertified?

Please choose “certification” if you have never taken this course (whether with us or anyone else) or if your last training was more than five years ago today. You do not need to provide a copy of your certificate to us. Options are available on our sign up page.

I am retired. I only treat family. Do I need the PALS and ACLS to keep my license open?

That is dependent upon the credentialing body.

My current certification has expired. Can I use these courses to become recertified?

Please choose “certification” if you have never taken this course (whether with us or anyone else) or if your last training was more than five years ago today. You do not need to provide a copy of your certificate to us. Options are available on our sign up page.

My name is Dr Eugene Tuyishime, Anesthesiologist from Rwanda, CEO of the Answer Consulting Group Ltd. I’d like to request collaboration to run ACLS, PALS, and BLS courses in East Africa!

International courses are run completely separately with completely separate training centers than the US.

Hello. My name is Bola, and I want to make an enquiry for my wife. my wife is a nurse who is interested in migrating to Canada to work. She is interested in doing a proper ACLS course, having already done one in Nigeria. I want to find out if your organisation gives recognised cerificates with a seal or stamp that will be recognised by the canadian immigration service, as she will be submitting it to the canadian government as part of her points in the point based system.

I have no idea anything about immigration or medicine in Canada.

I used to be a RN and taught ACLS at the last hospital I worked at. I have since surrendered my license and have considered taking up teaching ACLS as a new career. My question is; do I have to have a medical license in order to teach the class, or just as I did before with BLS certification along with ACLS certification for teaching?

You do not have to have a license, however you must be functioning in an environment that utilizes the skills taught in ACLS.

Examination

I took the exam but it was scored wrong!

Please email us your exam scoring report and we will be happy to investigate.

What happens if I fail the exam?

You will receive 3 attempts for each course. After each attempt, you will receive an exam scoring report showing any incorrect answers. If you fail 3 times, you will need to retake the course.

Timing and deadlines

How long does the course last?

Our courses expire after one year. If you need to access your course after one year, please email us at and we can extend it for you.

How long does the certification last

The certification period lasts for 2 years.

How long does the exam take?

You may spend up to 8 hours in the exam. Yes, you can see patients between questions. But you MUST leave the browser window open during testing, there is no partial save.

What is the passing mark?

A score of 84% or more is passing and you get 3 attempts for each exam.

How long does it take to receive my certificate?

As soon as you finish and pass the exam you will be able to immediately download a PDF version of the provider eCard. Upon your request, we will ship your physical certificate within one business day. Depending on where you live, it should arrive in 3–4 days. International shipping takes longer. We also have rush shipment options for an additional cost.

How long does acls certification last?

The certification period lasts for 2 years.

Referral credits

How do I get the referral credit?

We really appreciate it when you refer a new customer to us. We are happy to pay a referral credit to our customers that refer new customers. Corporate accounts and other promotions are excluded. Just email us at after they have purchased the course and provide their name, email, and order number.

Continuing education credits / CME / CEU

What is your provider number?

It is 0004600. This is the same number used for all systems in every US State and Canadian Province (yes, including California).

Refunds

Do you have a refund policy?

Yes, we have a refund policy. All physical products carry a 14-day return policy. All of our courses come with a 30 days money-back guarantee. This guarantee is good for 30 days from the date that you purchased the course. For more details or to claim a refund, click here.

What happens if my certification is not accepted?

We offer a 100% refund within the first 30 days for all of our classes. All you need to do is contact us and let us know that you want a refund.

Is there a practical skills test required to receive my certification?

There is no in-person practical skills test required to receive your ACLS, PALS or BLS certification or recertification. A skills check off sheet is included with your course which is optional in case specifically requested by your employer.

What happens after I pass the test?

Once you pass the test, you will first receive a notification that you passed and we will show you which questions that you missed. You will also be able to download an instant PDF version of your certification. Finally, if requested we will mail you a physical copy of your certificate.

What are the shipping costs?

At ACLS Training Center, standard shipping for your physical certificate is free within North America and internationally.

General questions

Where can the ACLS algorithms be found in your ACLS course?

ACLS algorithms page.

I am a respiratory manager. I am having some conflicts with the nursing manager. I did read for BLS, that medical people can give a breath every 6 seconds, and no need to stop CPR. The nursing manager states that ACLS requires 30:2. So she does not want us to give a breath until 30 compressions are done. We have always given a breath every 6 seconds and not stopped CPR. Could you please let me know for the hospital how this should be done?

Both are correct. Patients without intubation (definitely airway) are ventilated at a compression to ventilation ratio of 30:2. Once the patient has a definitive airway, ventilation is continuous for 2 minutes with respirations of 1 breath every 6 seconds. Before intubation, a pause is necessary to permit lung expansion. Every 2 minutes you do a pulse check and switch rescuers doing compressions.

Should compressions rescue start before rescue breaths? Is PETCO2 the same as carbon monoxide? In a code, should I be ventilating once every 6 seconds or twice after 30 compressions?

If no pulse and no respirations are present, start CPR with a compression to ventilation ratio of 30:2 if no definitive airway is in place. If the patient has a definitive airway, perform continuous compression with 1 breath every 6 seconds. During a code, the use of Quantitative waveform capnography (PETCO2) is used to monitor CPR quality and to indicate ROSC. This is exhaled CO2.

100–120 per minute refers to the speed at which they are done not the number of compressions in a 60-second period. To test students, perform 30 compressions and 2 ventilations in an 18-second time frame.