ALS Courses
Please Note: Applications for Course Centre status have been placed on hold until the course review process has been completed.
ARC & RC(UK) ADVANCED LIFE SUPPORT COURSES
Advanced Life Support Level 1/IMMEDIATE LIFE SUPPORT (ALS1/ILS) COURSES
Jump to ALS1 Course Information
Advanced Life Support level 2/ADVANCED LIFE SUPPORT (ALS2/ALS) COURSES
Jump to ALS2 Course Information
The Australian Resuscitation Council (ARC) in collaboration with the Resuscitation Council - United Kingdom - RC(UK), have jointly agreed to co-badge highly regarded adult advanced life support courses.
The adult advanced life support courses are standardised national courses teaching evidence-based resuscitation guidelines and skills to healthcare professionals. As all co-badged courses in Australia are regulated by the ARC, the course credentials are cross-recognised by the RC(UK), New Zealand Resuscitation Council (NZRC) and the European Resuscitation Council (ERC). ALS certificates provided by the NZRC, RC(UK) or ERC are recognised by the ARC. The RC(UK) and ERC use the same evidence based teaching material, program and assessment processes.
ARC adult advanced life support courses are held in every state and territory of Australia by centres that are approved and certified by the Australian Resuscitation Council. Course manuals, teaching and administrative materials are made available to approved centres by the ARC to ensure a consistently high quality approach to the course and that it conforms to the ARC resuscitation guidelines. This all ensures a uniformity of content and standard regardless of the location or organisation delivering the course. The courses include core lectures and interactive workshops. Face-to-face teaching is mainly delivered in small groups with hands-on practical skill stations and clinically based simulations.
The ARC credentials all its instructors delivering the advanced life support programs. ARC Instructors follow a prescribed development pathway to ensure the maintenance of high standards. All Instructors on the ARC Courses have undergone training and development in order to be registered by the ARC as an Instructor as set down in the course regulations.
Candidates on the courses are derived from the medical, nursing, paramedical and allied healthcare professions to teach best available evidence based approach. ARC Courses provide the opportunity for interprofessional education to promote the knowledge, skills, attributes and attitudes in order to work together in an effective collaborative fashion.
Continuous assessment of candidates occurs throughout the advanced life support courses, including using clinical simulations that allow candidates to demonstrate the core competencies that have been taught on the course. These include airway management, initial assessment and resuscitation and cardiac arrest scenarios.
The ALS course is recognised for continuing professional development by many colleges and organisations. As the systems vary between professional colleges, state and individual organisations, candidates should check with their respective professional bodies for the latest requirements.
Colleges that currently recognise the advanced life support courses include:
- RACGP
- ANZCA
- CICM
- ACRRM
- ACN
- ACEM
- RACP
Certification for the courses is valid for up to 4 years. Recertification courses are available for both the ALS1 and ALS2 courses at ARC Course Centres. The recertification face-to-face component of each course is approximately half the length of the initial course.
It is not essential to complete the ALS1 prior to the ALS2. However the ALS2 does have a higher level of expected knowledge and recent clinical exposure to critical/crisis events at the commencement of the course. Both advanced life support courses are widely accepted by government and private hospitals, healthcare organisations, Australian Defence Force, rural and remote health including the resource industry.
Frequently Asked Questions
ALS1
Advanced Life Support Level 1/Immediate Life Support
A one-day (or modular - two half day) course aimed at providing the candidate with the skills and knowledge to manage the patient in the immediate period of crisis. It includes the recognition, assessment and immediate management of the deteriorating patient. Candidates are sent a manual at least two weeks prior to the course to commence preparation for the face-to-face component. This includes those skills for dealing with a cardiac arrest or other medical emergencies in a clinical setting. Included in the course is:
- Recognition, assessment and management of the critically ill patient using a structured ABCDE approach (aiming to prevent cardiac arrest)
- Airway management skills
- Basic Life Support
- Defibrillation skills (Manual and/or AED modes)
- Cardiac arrest management using the ARC ALS Algorithm
- Work as an effective team member in a cardiac arrest
The course can also deliver targeted training needs in a session specific to the candidate group or organisational requirements. It is ideal for those in healthcare with limited or infrequent exposure to crisis events needing advanced life support training.
Further details on the ALS1/ILS course including how to become a course centre can be obtained by contacting the National Course Coordinator on:
Applications for Course Centre status are via the form below:
Application Form to become an ARC Course Centre
The Course Regulations provide additional information and are available for review below:
- ALS Regulations Revised August 2016 - September 30, 2014 (1.2 MiB)
- ALS1 Regulations Appendix 1 and 2 revised August 2016 - October 19, 2016 (0.3 MiB)
- ALS1 Regulations Appendix Remote Courses - June 2, 2020 (0.5 MiB)
ALS2
Advanced Life Support Level 2 / Advanced Life Support
This is a two-day (or modular) course with the focus on the developing advanced skills in managing deteriorating patient and cardiac arrest. The course is designed for healthcare professionals with who would be expected to apply those skills taught as part of their clinical duties, or to teach them on a regular basis. Appropriate participants include doctors, and nurses working in critical care areas (e.g. ED, CCU, ICU, HDU, acute admissions units) or in the resuscitation /medical emergency team, and paramedics.
Medical students, nurses and other healthcare providers not covered in the groups above may be encouraged to complete the ALS1/Immediate Life Support (ALS1/ILS) course. Those with a particular interest in resuscitation should then consider attending an ALS2/ALS course, where appropriate.
The course is very intensive and candidates are sent the ALS2/ALS manual one month prior to the course. Candidates are required to complete a pre-course multiple choice question paper to guide preparation.
Prior skills and competence in CPR is an essential prerequisite to attending the course. While the course covers advanced resuscitation skills it is also designed to develop leadership and team skills in managing such emergencies.
The ALS course teaches the knowledge and skills required to:
- Recognition, assessment and management of the deteriorating patient using a structured ABCDE approach (aiming to prevent cardiac arrest)
- Treat cardiac and/or respiratory arrest, including manual defibrillation
- Management of life-threatening arrhythmias
- Preparing and planning for post resuscitation care
- Care for the deteriorating patient or patient in cardiac and/or respiratory arrest in special circumstances such as asthma, anaphylaxis, and pregnancy
- Lead a team, work as a team member, and use structured communication skills including giving an effective handover
- Consideration for end of life decision making
Further details on the ALS2/ALS course including how to become a course centre can be obtained by contacting the National Course Coordinator at: [email protected]
Applications for Course Centre status are via the form below:
Application Form to become an ARC Course Centre
The Course Regulations provide additional information and are available for review below:
- ALS2 Course Regulations Revised Nov 2020 - November 20, 2020 (1.2 MiB)
- ALS2-ALS Recertification Course Regulations - September 30, 2014 (0.2 MiB)
- ALS2-ALS Modular Course Regulations - September 30, 2014 (0.2 MiB)
- ALS2 Regulations Remote Course Delivery Appendix - June 2, 2020 (0.6 MiB)
- ALS2 Regulations 2016 Appendix 1 Instructor Pathway - November 2022 (0.2 MiB)
How to Become a Course Centre
- Read the regulations of the course.
- Contact the National Course Coordinator via email initially: [email protected]
- Complete the application form for the course you wish to deliver
- You will receive confirmation of the application receipt and your application will be assessed
- Upon Course Centre approval you will receive a password to access the ARC Course materials including all teaching and administrative materials.
ARC course centres have access to all the pre-prepared teaching and administrative materials required to run the course. This will include the;
- Core program
- Instructor materials
- Instructor guidance for each session
- Lectures/Workshop slides
- Cardiac Arrest Teaching Scenarios
- Assessment guides
- Administrative materials
- Manual ordering
- Course approval forms
- Results/report templates
- Certificates
This eliminates the need for individual organisations to design, develop and produce courses and supporting material. It offers the security of a high standard internationally recognised course using best available evidence delivered by trained instructors. A course centre can choose when and where it wishes to deliver courses.
The cost for ALS1/ILS and ALS2/ALS courses includes course centre access to all the materials, individual candidate course registration, course manual and certificate (credit card type – sent post course).
Course centres set their own fees for course attendance. This may include costs incurred by the organisation to facilitate the course including venue, faculty, catering and other costs. The ARC set fees for each course to provide a manual and certification.
These fee are:
ALS1/ILS: $77 per course participant.
ALS2/ALS: $175 per course participant
Course Centres costs vary and result in differences in candidate fees for attending the course.
Purchasing ALS1/ILS and ALS2/ALS manuals
The ARC makes both manuals available without course registration and certification.
ARC ALS1/ILS manual $44.00
ARC ALS2/ALS manual $88.00
Prices are inclusive of postage & handling, (inc GST).
For all course queries:
Please contact the ARC Course Coordinator at: [email protected] or [email protected]