Advanced Life Support (ALS): Trauma Module

Please refer to elearning.heart.org for specific course technical requirements.

Advanced Life Support: Trauma; Enduring Web Course

Original Release Date: 10/19/2025

Last Review Date: September 2025

Termination Date: 10/18/2028

Description
The purpose of this module is to describe the systematic evaluation of a trauma patient, including performing initial lifesaving maneuvers. This module includes assessment, approaches, and treatment of systematic evaluation of trauma patient, key concerns during assessment, adjuncts to the primary trauma survey, airway obstruction maneuvers and securing the airway, identifying shock and providing treatment, hemodynamic instability and hemorrhage control, trauma resuscitation, permissive hypotension, massive transfusions, traumatic brain injury, burn injuries, and musculoskeletal injuries.

Learning Objectives
At the conclusion, participants should be able to:

1. Describe the systematic evaluation of a trauma patient, including performing initial lifesaving maneuvers
2. Explain how to ensure that a trauma patient has a secure and functional airway
3. Describe the pathophysiology of shock in trauma
4. Identify sources of hemodynamic instability and perform lifesaving maneuvers for initial hemorrhage control
5. Describe the management of trauma patients with traumatic central nervous system injury, burn injuries, and fractures
6. Explain the indications and contraindications of resuscitative thoracotomy in case of traumatic cardiac arrest

Accreditation Terms
Joint Accreditation: 10/19/2025 – 10/18/2028

CAPCE: 10/19/2025 – 10/18/2028

AARC: N/A

Accreditation Statements

Joint Accreditation Statements
In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by The American Heart Association. The American Heart Association is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

AMA Credit Designation Statement - Physicians
The American Heart Association designates this activity for a maximum of 0.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

AAPA Credit Acceptance Statement – Physician Associates
AAPA accepts certificates of participation for educational activities certified for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ from organizations accredited by ACCME or a recognized state medical society. Physician associates may receive a maximum of 0.25 hours of Category I credit for completing this program.

AANP Credit Acceptance Statement – Nurse Practitioners
American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) accepts AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ from organizations accredited by the ACCME.

Continuing Education Accreditation – Emergency Medical Services
This continuing education activity is approved by the American Heart Association, an organization accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Pre-Hospital Continuing Education (CAPCE), for 0.50 Advanced CEHs, activity number 25-AMHA-F3-0047.

By claiming CAPCE credit, the claimant acknowledges the following: I understand that the American Heart Association as a requirement of CAPCE accreditation will submit a record of my course completions to the CAPCE AMS. I further understand that my course completion records may be accessed by or shared with such regulators as state EMS offices, training officers, and NREMT on a password-protected, need-to-know basis. In addition, I understand that I may review my record of CAPCE-accredited course completions by contacting CAPCE.

Participation and Successful Completion
Successful completion of this CE activity includes the following:

1. Complete all portions of the online course
2. Complete the course evaluation
3. Print the Certificate/Statement of Credit

Disclosure Statement
All persons in a position to control educational content of a CE activity provided by the American Heart Association must disclose to the audience all financial relationships with ineligible companies whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients. The presence or absence of all financial relationships will be disclosed to the audience in activity materials. All unlabeled/unapproved uses of drugs or devices discussed will also be disclosed to the audience. All relevant financial relationships have been mitigated prior to the commencement of the activity.

The following authors/faculty have declared NO financial interest(s) and/or affiliations:

Erick Goralnick, MD, MS
Sallie Johnson, PharmD, BCPS
Stefan W. Leichtle, MD
Kenneth Navarro, MEd, LP
Comilla Sasson, MD, PhD
Elizabeth Sinz, MD, MEd
Erik Soderberg, MS
Amber Rodriguez, PhD

This list represents the relationships that may be perceived as actual or reasonable conflicts of interest as reported on the Disclosure Questionnaire, which all AHA volunteers are required to complete and submit. The focus is on relevant financial relationships with commercial interests in the 24-month period preceding the time that the individual is being asked to assume a role controlling content:

N/A

Target Audiences
1. Physicians
2. Physician Associates
3. Nurse Practitioners
4. EMS: Paramedics

ADA Statement
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If the format of any material on our web pages interferes with your ability to access the information, please contact us to request assistance, or if you have questions or comments about our web sites’ accessibility.

This self-directed module is designed for advanced healthcare providers who are seeking additional content beyond ACLS and Continuing Education (CE) credit.

The intended audiences for ALS: Trauma include ED Physicians (who have not recently taken ATLS), ED Nurses, Paramedics, and NPs/APNs.