We offer Level 1, Level 2 and Level 2 Recertification advanced life support (ALS) training at the Melbourne Clinical Simulation Centre at the Royal Melbourne Hospital.
Advanced life support (ALS) training is a professional development program designed for critical care professionals to learn cardiac arrest and resuscitation management.
Our ALS programs are jointly accredited by the Resuscitation Council (UK) and the Australian Resuscitation Council (ARC).
ALS1 (Level 1)
Advanced Life Support Level 1 (ALS1) is a one-day course that provides candidates with the skills and knowledge to recognise, assess and manage deteriorating patients the immediate period of crisis.
Intended learning outcomes include:
- 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
- cardiac arrest management using the Australian Resuscitation Council (ARC) ALS algorithm
- working as an effective team member in a cardiac arrest
Email rmh_simulation@mh.org.au for enquiries about ALS1.
ALS2 (Level 2 certification)
ALS2 is a 2-day course for medical and nursing professionals to develop advanced skills in managing deteriorating patient and cardiac arrest, emphasising the importance of teamwork before safe transfer into a critical care environment.
The ALS course consists of lectures, practical workshops and cardiac arrest scenarios that providing the opportunity to practise skills and apply knowledge.
ALS2 covers:
- causes and prevention of cardiac arrest
- acute coronary syndromes
- ALS universal algorithm
- rhythm recognition
- airway management
- defibrillation
- blood gases
- emergency drugs
- cardiac arrest simulations
- post-resuscitation care
Assessments are based on clinical scenarios that allow the participants to demonstrate the core competencies that have been taught on the course.
These include a multiple choice questionnaire, airway management, safe defibrillation and fully integrated cardiac arrest management.
Participants must have competency in basic life support and be a:
- registered medical practitioner with minimum PGY 2
- nurse working in critical care areas such as intensive care, coronary care, emergency department, perianaesthesia and recovery, MET team and cardiac arrest team
- critical care paramedic
Learning outcomes
After completing the course, participants will be able to:
- Understand the causes of cardiorespiratory arrest in adults
- Identify patients at risk of cardiorespiratory arrest
- Identify and treat acute coronary syndromes
- Practice and demonstrate the techniques for airway management in a simulated environment
- Identify the main cardiac rhythms associated with cardiac arrest
- Identify the indications for defibrillation and demonstrate safe defibrillation in a simulated environment
- Use various emergency drugs in the appropriate clinical settings
- Practice and demonstrate transcutaneous cardiac pacing in a simulated environment
ALS provider card
After successfully completing ALS2, participants will be issued an ALS provider card by the Australian Resuscitation Council (ARC).
The card is valid for 4 years and is recognised Australia-wide and throughout the UK and Europe.
The course is accredited for quality assurance (QA) and Continuing Medical education (CME) points with multiple medical colleges.
ANZCA CPD Approval
- Category 3, Level 2 = 3 credits per hour
- 2-day Course = 9 hours × 2 Days = 18 hours
Approval number 168
The original Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) course was developed by the American Heart Association in the 1980s.
In 1990 the Resuscitation Council (UK) formed a multidisciplinary body – the Advanced Life Support (ALS) course subcommittee – to develop a standardised national course to teach the most up-to-date cardiac arrest and resuscitation guidelines.
Upcoming course dates
This two-day course is held regularly throughout the year at the Melbourne Clinical Simulation Centre at the RMH Parkville.
Browse upcoming ALS2 courses or contact the ALS course coordinator at rmh-als2@mh.org.au or on (03) 9342 7540 for more information.
ALS2 Recertification
The ALS2 Recertification is a one-day course for ALS2-certified providers to renew their ALS status before it expires.
If your certification has lapsed (4 years from your initial ALS2 course date), you will need to take the full 2-day ALS2 course again.
Ground Level West
300 Grattan St, Parkville, Victoria
300 Grattan St, Parkville, Victoria