BLS / ACLS study guide
BLS / ACLS · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
BLS and ACLS Provider certification is the credential hospitals, clinics, EMS agencies, and dental and surgical practices expect when they ask whether a clinician is 'current' in resuscitation. BLS covers the foundation: recognizing cardiac arrest and choking, delivering high-quality compressions and ventilations to adults, children, and infants, using an AED, and working effectively as part of a two-rescuer team. The BLS / ACLS study guide has 9 sections and about 3,106 words.
01Chain of Survival and Recognition of Arrest / Emergencies
Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) and in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) each have their own chain, and questions test whether you know which link belongs where. The OHCA chain starts with recognition and activation of the emergency response system, then bystander CPR, rapid AED use, advanced resuscitation, post-arrest care, and recovery.
311 words, about 2 min02High-Quality CPR for Adults, Children, and Infants
High-quality CPR is defined by numbers a candidate must recall precisely. Compress at 100–120 per minute, at a depth of at least 5 cm (2 inches) but no more than 6 cm in an adult, at least one third of the anteroposterior chest depth in a child (about 5 cm / 2 inches) and in an infant (about 4 cm / 1.5 inches).
340 words, about 2 min03Ventilation, Rescue Breathing, and Airway Management
Head tilt–chin lift is the default for an unresponsive patient without suspected trauma; use a jaw thrust when cervical spine injury is suspected. Remove visible obstruction, suction if available, and insert an oropharyngeal airway (measured from the corner of the mouth to the angle of the mandible) in patients without a gag reflex, or a nasopharyngeal airway (nostril to earlobe) when an OPA is not tolerated.
322 words, about 2 min04Automated External Defibrillator (AED) Use and Defibrillation
Turn the AED on and follow its prompts: bare and dry the chest, apply pads to the upper right chest and the left lateral chest (or anterior-posterior), let the device analyze, ensure no one is touching the patient, deliver the shock, and immediately resume compressions without checking a pulse or rhythm. Continue 2-minute cycles of CPR, letting the AED reanalyze at each pause.
331 words, about 2 min05Cardiac Rhythm Recognition and Electrical Therapy
Only two rhythms are defibrillated: ventricular fibrillation and pulseless ventricular tachycardia. Asystole and pulseless electrical activity (PEA) are non-shockable and are treated with high-quality CPR, epinephrine, and a search for reversible causes (hypovolemia, hypoxia, acidosis, hypo/hyperkalemia, hypothermia, toxins, tamponade, tension pneumothorax, thrombosis).
292 words, about 1 min06Pharmacology and Vascular Access in Resuscitation
Epinephrine is the only drug shown to improve outcomes in arrest: 1 mg IV/IO of the 0.1 mg/mL (1:10,000) concentration, repeated every 3–5 minutes. For a non-shockable rhythm give it as soon as feasible; for VF/pulseless VT give it after the second shock.
306 words, about 2 min07Team Dynamics, Communication, and Systems of Care
A resuscitation team performs best when every member has a clear role: team leader, compressor, airway/ventilation, monitor-defibrillator, vascular access/medications, and a recorder-timekeeper. The leader stands back to maintain situational awareness and should not be the person doing compressions unless the team is too small.
298 words, about 1 min08Post-Cardiac Arrest Care and Oxygenation Targets
After return of spontaneous circulation, titrate oxygen to the lowest level that keeps saturation in the normal range - approximately 92% to 98% - and wean the fraction of inspired oxygen as soon as possible. Both hypoxia and hyperoxia harm the post-arrest brain.
299 words, about 1 min09Acute Coronary Syndromes and Suspected Stroke
Acute coronary syndrome includes ST-elevation myocardial infarction, non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction, and unstable angina. Presenting symptoms may be typical (substernal pressure radiating to the arm or jaw, diaphoresis, nausea) or atypical, especially in women, older adults, and people with diabetes - dyspnea, fatigue, indigestion, or syncope.
607 words, about 3 min