HeartCode® ACLS Online

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

HeartCode® ACLS Online; Enduring Web Course

Original Release Date: 10/22/2025

Last Review Date: September 2025

Termination Date: 10/21/2028

Description
HeartCode ACLS Online is the online portion of ACLS blended learning that will prepare students for hands-on practice and testing of skills. It uses a personalized adaptive algorithm that sets learners on the most efficient path to ACLS mastery. Students follow a continuously adapting learning path that is personalized by their own inputs: their performance, and their self-reported confidence level related to each probe. The course content is presented in the form of self-directed learning content, probes, and cognitive assessment activities.

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

1. Apply the basic life support (BLS), primary, and secondary assessments sequence for a systematic evaluation of adult patients
2. Discuss how the use of a rapid response team or medical emergency team may improve patient outcomes
3. Discuss early recognition and management of acute coronary syndromes, including appropriate disposition
4. Discuss early recognition and management of stroke, including appropriate disposition
5. Recognize bradycardias and tachycardias that may result in cardiac arrest or complicate resuscitation outcome
6. Perform early management of bradycardias and tachycardias that may result in cardiac arrest or complicate resuscitation outcome
7. Model effective communication as a member or leader of a high-performance team
8. Recognize the impact of team dynamics on overall team performance
9. Recognize respiratory arrest
10. Perform early management of respiratory arrest
11. Recognize cardiac arrest
12. Perform prompt, high-quality BLS, including prioritizing early chest compressions, ventilation, and integrating early automated external defibrillator use
13. Perform optimized management of cardiac arrest until termination of resuscitation or transfer of care, including post–cardiac arrest care
14. Evaluate resuscitative efforts during a cardiac arrest through continuous assessment of CPR quality, monitoring the patient’s response, and delivering real-time feedback to the team

Accreditation Terms

Joint Accreditation: 10/22/2025 - 10/21/2028

CAPCE: 10/22/2025 – 10/21/2028

AARC: 10/22/2025 – 10/21/2026

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 2.25 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 2.25 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.

ANCC Credit Designation Statement - Nurses
The maximum number of hours awarded for this CE activity is 4.50 contact hours.

ACPE Credit Designation Statement – Pharmacists
ACPE Credit: 5.00 Contact Hours. Universal Program Number: JA0000134-0000-25-045-H01-P

**ACPE Credit must be claimed within 30 days of participation. ACPE credit will no longer be available to claim after the 30-day period has elapsed.

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 4.25 Advanced CEHs, activity number 25-AMHA-F4-0046.

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.

AARC Credit Statement - Respiratory Therapist
This non-traditional program has been approved for 3.75 contact hour(s) Continuing Respiratory Care Education (CRCE) credit by the American Association for Respiratory Care Course # 195181000

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

1. Complete all portions of the online activity
2. Complete the course evaluation
3. Receive 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:

Ashish Panchal, MD, PhD
Elizabeth Sinz, MD, MEd
Peter Panagos, MD
Sallie Johnson, PharmD
Kenneth Navarro, MEd, LP
David Slattery, MD
Susan Morris, RNBN, MEd, CNCC(C), CCN(C)
Hiroshi Nonogi, MD
Patrizia Vitolo, MD
Carolyn Zelop, MD
Erik Soderberg, MS
Julie Mallory, MBA
Kaleigh Baxter, MBA
Comilla Sasson, MD, PhD, FAHA, FACEP
Amber Rodriguez, PhD
Kerrie Zakaras, RN, MSN

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:

Martha Gulati, MD, MS, FACC, FAHA, FASPC, FESC – Novartis, Esperion, Boehringer Ingelheim (Consultant); Seimans (Speaker); Medtronics (Consultant/Speaker)
Donna Tanner, RRT – Draeger (Consultant)
Ian Drennan, ACP, PhD – ZOLL Medical (Speaker’s Fee)

Target Audiences
1. Physicians
2. Physician Associates
3. Nurse Practitioners
4. Nurses
5. Pharmacists
6. EMS
7. Respiratory Therapists

Accessibility Statement
The American Heart Association and American Stroke Association strive to make our websites accessible. The American Heart Association and American Stroke Association are committed to diversity, inclusion, and meeting the needs of all our constituents, including those with disabilities. We are continually improving our digital assets to comply with the accessibility guidelines for levels A and AA in accordance with WCAG 2.1.

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 course is designed for healthcare professionals who direct or manage cardiopulmonary arrest or other cardiovascular emergencies; personnel in emergency response, emergency medicine, intensive care, and critical care units; physicians, nurses, and paramedics; and others who need an ACLS course completion card for job or other requirements.