ACLS stands for Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support, and it’s a certification that is required for certain nurses as well as other medical professionals. In short, an ACLS certification course will teach you how to deal with cardiovascular emergencies. This includes situations such as sudden cardiac death or heart failure.

ACLS certification is essential for any nurse that deals with cardiovascular emergencies. The program teaches nurses how to recognize and respond to cardiac arrest, stroke, and other life-threatening cardiovascular events.

ACLS involves recognizing cardiac rhythms on a monitor, which requires that one is a licensed, trained, health care professional, and involves utilizing an appropriate algorithm which can involve drugs that are only permitted to be administered by a licensed health care professional trained in their administration.

ACLS is specially designed for professional healthcare providers who take care of critically-ill adults and focuses on individuals that work in the hospital setting. Healthcare professionals that work in the ER or ICU will be required to have this certification.