Advanced Life Support Level 2 – Advanced Life Support
Australian Resuscitation Council (ARC)
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
- 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
