ACLS Certification for Healthcare Providers
In-Person ACLS Classes in Oakland plus HeartCode ACLS Skills at 40 Locations
Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) training prepares healthcare professionals to manage cardiac arrest, respiratory failure, stroke, and life-threatening cardiac rhythms using advanced assessment, algorithms, and high-performance team dynamics. Project Heartbeat offers ACLS Initial, Renewal, HeartCode Complete, and Skills-Only pathways based on your experience and learning preferences.
Our ACLS courses follow the American Heart Association (AHA) Guidelines, in airway management, opioid-associated emergencies, physiologic monitoring, and team-based resuscitation.
Choose Your ACLS Training Path
ACLS certification is available in two learning modalities. Both modalities lead to the same AHA ACLS Provider eCard, valid for 2 years..
In-Person Classroom
100% classroom instruction with a live AHA instructor. Available at our Oakland campus.
HeartCode Self-Guided Learning – Choose from 2 options:
HeartCode ACLS Complete
Includes both the online course and the skills check
HeartCode ACLS Skills Only
Only for students who already finished the online course through the AHA
How HeartCode ACLS Works (Online Course + Skills Check)
HeartCode ACLS is the American Heart Association’s official blended learning format. It combines online adaptive learning with an in-person skills evaluation to complete your certification.
Part 1 — Online Course (HeartCode ACLS)
Complete the AHA’s adaptive online modules at your own pace. The program customizes your learning experience—spending more time on topics where you need review and moving quickly through content you already understand. Part 1 covers the full ACLS curriculum and prepares you for your skills evaluation.
Part 2 — In-Person Skills Check
After completing Part 1, attend a short hands-on session where you demonstrate compressions, ventilations, and team communication using a manikin with real-time feedback.
What to Expect at a Self-Guided Skills Session?
You will receive real-time CPR feedback during compressions and ventilations. This evaluation satisfies the AHA requirement for ACLS certification. We recommend watching this short video if you are unsure which pathway to choose. It shows what you will see at a self-guided HeartCode Skills session.
Why ACLS Training Matters
ACLS equips healthcare providers with the knowledge and skills to manage adult cardiac arrest, respiratory emergencies, stroke, and peri-arrest conditions using advanced assessment and evidence-based algorithms.
The 2025 Guidelines reinforce:
- Team-based resuscitation and shared mental models
- Early recognition of decompensation
- Improved CPR quality and physiologic feedback
- Differentiated airway and ventilation strategies
- Updated bradycardia/tachycardia pathways
- Opioid-associated life-threatening emergencies
Effective ACLS training ensures clinicians can integrate these elements quickly and confidently during real-world emergencies.
What You’ll Learn in ACLS Training
Every Project Heartbeat ACLS course follows the latest 2025 AHA Guidelines for CPR and ECC. Training includes:
Every training pathway — In-Person, HeartCode Complete, or HeartCode Skills-Only — leads to the same AHA ACLS Provider eCard, valid for two years.
Who Should Take ACLS Certification?
ACLS training is recommended for professionals who respond to cardiovascular emergencies, including:
- Registered Nurses (RNs)
- Advanced Practice Nurses (NPs, CNS, CNM)
- Physicians, Residents, Medical Students
- Paramedics, EMTs, Respiratory Therapists
- Critical care, telemetry, and ED staff
- Code blue & rapid response team members
Also suitable for:
- ICU/CCU staff
- Cath lab personnel
- PACU & procedural unit staff
If your role involves managing or anticipating adult cardiac emergencies, ACLS certification is required or strongly recommended.
Frequently Asked Questions
Learn More About ACLS Certification
What to Expect During ACLS Training
Knowing what to expect when you are facing anything new can mean the difference between feeling deep anxiety or confidence. This is no different when it comes to ACLS training and testing.
The Most Forgotten ACLS Algorithms
Because ventricular fibrillation, or V-fib, is so commonly seen and is so dangerous, it's typically a primary focus in any ACLS class. However, you should also focus sufficient time on the following two algorithms, frequently forgotten by well-meaning students.
What’s the Difference Between ACLS and BLS Certification?
Are ACLS and BLS the same thing? The short answer is no; they differ quite a bit – specifically in the level of advancement. So, what is the difference between BLS and ACLS, and which do you need? Read on to find out.
