BLS vs ACLS vs PALS: which one do you need?
Written by Justin Alcalde, AHA and American Red Cross instructor, CPR West Covina
BLS vs ACLS vs PALS side by side
| Item | AHA BLS Provider | AHA ACLS Provider | AHA PALS Provider |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who it is for | Healthcare professionals, trained first responders and students in a healthcare training program | Healthcare professionals who direct or take part in managing cardiac arrest, stroke or other cardiopulmonary emergencies | Healthcare professionals who respond to emergencies in infants and children |
| Typical settings | In and out of the hospital, including EMS, fire and police | Emergency response, emergency medicine, critical care and surgery | Emergency response, emergency medicine, intensive care and critical care units that see children regularly |
| What it covers | High-quality CPR for all ages, breaths and ventilations, AED use, team CPR and choking relief | High-quality BLS, airway management, rhythm recognition, defibrillation, medications, cardioversion, pacing and high-performance teams | High-quality CPR, respiratory distress and failure, shock, arrhythmias and post-cardiac arrest care in children |
| Before you take it | No earlier card needed for the initial course | BLS skills: the AHA expects you to be proficient in BLS | BLS skills: the course starts from high-quality CPR per AHA BLS |
| Includes a BLS card? | It is the BLS card | No, BLS is a separate card | No, BLS is a separate card |
| Card | AHA BLS Provider eCard, valid 2 years | AHA ACLS Provider eCard, valid 2 years | AHA PALS Provider eCard, valid 2 years |
| Our schedule | Every day at 10:00 AM, plus 6:00 PM except Tuesday and Wednesday, under 2 hours | Sundays and Tuesdays, 12:00 PM, one afternoon | Sundays and Tuesdays, 12:00 PM, one afternoon |
| Price here | $89 | $135 | $135 |
| Renewal here | $89 | $125 | $125 |
Who it is for and course content are taken from the American Heart Association course pages. Schedule and prices match our checkout.
What is ACLS, and how is it different from BLS?
ACLS stands for Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support. The AHA says the course builds on the foundation of BLS skills and stresses high-performance teams. On top of high-quality CPR, it teaches a systematic assessment, airway management, rhythm recognition, defibrillation, medications, cardioversion and transcutaneous pacing.
BLS is the foundation: compressions, breaths and ventilations, the AED and choking relief, for adults, children and infants. ACLS is what comes next for the people who run or work a code on an adult patient. The AHA names physicians, nurses and paramedics in emergency response, emergency medicine, critical care and surgery, plus anyone else whose job requires the card.
We teach the full ACLS Provider course at our West Covina training center for $135, with an in-person megacode and a same-day eCard.
What is PALS, and is it the same as BLS?
No. PALS stands for Pediatric Advanced Life Support, and it is for infants and children. The AHA says it prepares healthcare providers to recognize and treat respiratory emergencies, shock and cardiopulmonary arrest in pediatric patients, using case scenarios and simulations. It also covers arrhythmias and care after cardiac arrest, and students must pass a multiple-choice exam with a score of at least 84%.
PALS starts where BLS does: the first skill on the AHA list is high-quality CPR per AHA BLS recommendations. It then goes much further for sick children, so it is an advanced course, not a BLS card. Our PALS Provider course is $135, Sundays and Tuesdays at 12:00 PM.
PALS vs ACLS: adults or children?
The simplest way to split them is by patient. ACLS is built around adult cardiac arrest, stroke and other cardiopulmonary emergencies. PALS is built around infants and children. Both build on BLS, and both lead to an AHA card valid for 2 years.
If your unit sees both adults and children, like many emergency departments, your employer may ask for both cards. That is why we run ACLS and PALS together on the same day.
Does ACLS include BLS?
No. The AHA says BLS is not included in its ACLS courses, and it expects students to arrive already proficient in BLS skills. So an ACLS card does not replace a BLS card. If your employer asks for both, you need both.
The AHA gives Training Centers sample agendas that bring BLS skills into an advanced course day. Our combination classes go one step further: you take both full courses in one booking and leave with two separate eCards, issued the same day.
Need BLS too?
Book ACLS and BLS $200 or PALS and BLS $200. BLS runs first, then the advanced course takes the rest of the afternoon.
Do I need BLS before ACLS or PALS?
For ACLS, the AHA answers this directly: it does not require a current BLS Provider card, but it expects you to be proficient in BLS skills, and a Training Center may require a current card. PALS also starts from BLS, since high-quality CPR is the first skill it teaches.
In practice, many hospital jobs want a current BLS card on file next to ACLS or PALS. If your BLS is current, book the advanced course on its own. If your BLS is missing or about to expire, a combination class covers both in one visit.
Taking two or three in one day
Every advanced booking runs on our Sunday and Tuesday schedule, starting at 12:00 PM. Each course is complete, with its own skills check, and each card is its own AHA eCard. Two or three courses make a longer day, so come rested and eat first.
| Booking | Cards you leave with | Price here |
|---|---|---|
| ACLS and BLS | ACLS Provider and BLS Provider | $200 |
| PALS and BLS | PALS Provider and BLS Provider | $200 |
| ACLS and PALS | ACLS Provider and PALS Provider (your BLS should already be current) | $250 |
| ACLS, PALS and BLS | ACLS Provider, PALS Provider and BLS Provider | $295 |
Prices match our checkout. All eCards are issued the same day.
Which do I need? Pick by role
These are common patterns, not rules. Your employer, school or unit decides, so check the job posting or ask your educator before you book.
- ER nurse or ER staff
BLS, plus ACLS, and often PALS too, because emergency departments see adults and children. The AHA lists emergency medicine for both ACLS and PALS. If you need all three, book ACLS, PALS and BLS.
- ICU, telemetry, PACU or cath lab
BLS and ACLS for adult units. The AHA names critical care and intensive care for ACLS. Book ACLS and BLS, or ACLS alone if your BLS is current.
- Pediatrics, PICU or NICU
BLS and PALS. PALS is the AHA course for emergencies in infants and children. NICU roles may also ask for NRP, a separate newborn course from the American Academy of Pediatrics. We teach PALS, not NRP. Book PALS and BLS.
- Labor and delivery
BLS at minimum. The American Academy of Pediatrics designs NRP for professionals who care for newborns at delivery, and L and D units may ask for it. Some also ask for ACLS or PALS, so check your unit list before you book a second class.
- Paramedic or EMT
BLS, the AHA course for trained first responders. The AHA names paramedics for ACLS and emergency response personnel for PALS, so paramedics may be asked for both. Your agency sets the list.
- Dental office
Usually BLS. If you are told you need an advanced card, ask which one: ACLS is built around adults, PALS around children.
- Nursing or medical student
BLS. The AHA designs BLS for people enrolled in a healthcare training program, and that is what clinicals usually ask for. ACLS and PALS usually wait until a job or residency asks for them.
Still not sure?
Call us at (626) 605-2067 with your job title or your unit list and we will tell you which booking fits, or see Which CPR class do I need?.
Questions people ask
Does ACLS include BLS?
No. The AHA says BLS is not included in its ACLS courses, so an ACLS card is not a BLS card. If you need both, book ACLS and BLS $200 and leave with two separate eCards the same day.
Do I need BLS before ACLS?
The AHA does not require a current BLS card for ACLS, but it expects you to be proficient in BLS skills, and a Training Center may require the card. Many employers also want BLS on file, so check yours.
Can ACLS and BLS be taken together?
Yes. Our ACLS and BLS class runs Sundays and Tuesdays at 12:00 PM. BLS runs first, then ACLS, and both AHA eCards are issued the same day.
Is PALS the same as BLS?
No. BLS is CPR, ventilations, AED use and choking relief for all ages. PALS builds on that for sick infants and children: respiratory distress and failure, shock, arrhythmias and care after cardiac arrest. They are separate cards.
Who needs PALS certification?
The AHA says PALS is for healthcare professionals who respond to emergencies in infants and children, and for staff in emergency response, emergency medicine, intensive care and critical care units that see children regularly. Pediatric, PICU and ER staff are common examples.
Does an ER nurse need ACLS or PALS?
Often both, plus BLS, because emergency departments care for adults and children. Your hospital sets the list, so check it. Our ACLS, PALS and BLS class covers all three in one day for $295.
How long are BLS, ACLS and PALS cards good for?
Each AHA card is valid for 2 years, through the end of the month it was issued. We found no grace period in the AHA card rules, so renew before the end of the month shown as Renew By on your eCard. See When does my CPR card expire?
Book BLS, ACLS or PALS in West Covina
BLS $89, ACLS $135 or PALS $135, taught in person at 100 N. Barranca St, Suite #255-B, West Covina, with a same-day AHA eCard.
Related questions
Sources
- American Heart Association: course FAQs (BLS and ACLS, card renewal)
- American Heart Association: Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS)
- American Heart Association: ACLS course options
- American Heart Association: Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS)
- American Heart Association: PALS course options
- American Heart Association: Basic Life Support (BLS)
- American Heart Association: BLS course options
- American Academy of Pediatrics: Neonatal Resuscitation Program
Facts checked . Prices on this page come straight from our booking system, so they match checkout.