ACLS/ALS vs. PALS: What’s the Difference?

When it comes to narrowing down the right training course for you, sorting through the many different acronyms may seem difficult at first. This will help you gain a better understanding of ACLS vs. PALS, what they are, when to use them, how they differ, and what the requirements are to take them.

Who is PALS For?

PALS courses are designed for professional healthcare providers who participate in the assessment and management of critical patients, including those working in in-hospital, pre-hospital, and out-of-hospital medical facilities. The only prerequisite for enrollment is that you must be proficient in pediatric basic life support (BLS) skills.

What does PALS Include?

PALS training gives you the knowledge to provide life-saving care to infants and children during times of crisis. You'll learn how to assess, recognize and provide high-quality care to pediatric patients experiencing life-threatening medical emergencies, and provide care after the return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) during a resuscitation effort. In addition, the course will challenge your critical-thinking and problem-solving skills and help improve your teamwork skills to provide better patient care.

What is ALS/ACLS?

ALS stands for Advanced Life Support and may sometimes be referred to as ACLS, or Advanced Cardiac Life Support, but there is no difference between ALS and ACLS. The goal is to stabilize critical adult patients who may have suffered a life-saving event like cardiac arrest, acute coronary syndrome, or stroke. The American Red Cross ALS course emphasizes providing high-quality care and integrating psychomotor skills with critical thinking and problem-solving to achieve the best possible patient outcomes. Since ALS is advanced, it’s required that you must be proficient in advanced basic life support skills.

Who Should Take an ALS/ACLS Class?

ALS courses offer an advanced type of certification designed specifically for healthcare professionals, like physicians, nurses, anesthesiologists, paramedics, dentists, and others who need to manage more complex medical emergencies.

What Does ALS/ACLS Include?

ALS builds upon BLS training with techniques that include advanced airway management, IV access, medication administration, electrical therapies and advanced cardiac life support.

What's the Difference Between ALS/ACLS vs. PALS?

ALS focuses on advanced cardiac care for adult patients, whereas PALS focuses on advanced care for pediatric patients experiencing life-threatening emergencies such as respiratory emergencies, shock, and cardiac arrest.

Where Can You Get ALS/ACLS and PALS Training?

The Red Cross can help you complete your ALS certification and/or PALS certification quickly and easily, as well as a required BLS course if needed. Our classes let you combine online work with hands-on training, so they fit just about any schedule and learning style. In addition, our adaptive learning functionality allows you to follow a personalized learning path that gives you the option to test out of a lesson, or test out of specific topics within a lesson, resulting in reduced overall class time.

For more than a century, the Red Cross has prepared people to respond to emergencies of all sizes, from the everyday to the large disaster. Join the millions we train every year and learn the skills that can help save a life. Find your class and sign up today.