ACLS vs. BLS vs. PALS: How to Match the Right Course to Your Role
When it comes to saving lives, not all training is the same, and that’s a good thing. The American Heart Association (AHA) offers a range of certification courses tailored to various roles, experience levels, and patient populations. But with so many options — ACLS, BLS, and PALS — it’s easy to wonder: Which one do I need?
Whether you’re a first-time student, renewing your certification, or exploring new healthcare roles, this quick guide will help you tell them apart. Plus, you’ll get to test your knowledge with a fun matching quiz along the way!
The Essentials at a Glance
Before diving into the quiz, let’s take a look at what each course covers and who it’s for:
Who it’s for: Healthcare professionals and first responders
Focus: High-quality CPR, AED use, and team-based response
Goal: Teach the fundamental life-saving techniques for cardiac arrest and respiratory emergencies in adults, children, and infants
BLS is the foundation for all emergency care. It’s required for nurses, doctors, EMTs, and many allied health professionals. Every ACLS and PALS course builds on these essential skills.
ACLS: Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support
Who it’s for: Advanced providers such as nurses, physicians, and paramedics
Focus: Managing cardiac arrest, stroke, and other life-threatening cardiovascular emergencies
Goal: Equip providers to interpret ECG rhythms, manage airways, and administer emergency medications
ACLS teaches how to recognize and respond to complex cardiac events using advanced algorithms and teamwork strategies. It’s where medical science meets rapid decision-making under pressure.
PALS: Pediatric Advanced Life Support
Who it’s for: Healthcare professionals who care for infants and children
Focus: Pediatric assessment, respiratory distress, shock, and cardiac arrest in children
Goal: Provide a systematic approach to saving the lives of young patients
PALS ensures that every healthcare professional — from pediatric nurses to emergency physicians — can deliver age-appropriate care when seconds count.
Match the Scenario: Which Course Fits?
Can you tell which course applies to which emergency? Match each situation below to ACLS, BLS, or PALS — then check your answers afterward!
🚑 A paramedic responds to a 58-year-old in cardiac arrest, identifies VFib on the monitor, and prepares to administer epinephrine.
🏥 A nurse on a pediatric unit stabilizes a 4-year-old with respiratory distress and an irregular heartbeat.
🩷 A dental hygienist performs CPR on an adult who collapses in the waiting room before the ambulance arrives.
💉 An ER doctor leads a resuscitation team using ECG rhythm recognition and airway management.
🧸 A daycare worker wants to know how to react if a toddler stops breathing.
❤️ A hospital tech assists with high-quality compressions during a Code Blue.
🫁 A critical care nurse manages a post-cardiac arrest patient’s airway and medications.
👩⚕️ A pediatric resident assesses an infant with bradycardia and poor perfusion.
Check Your Answers!
Here’s how each scenario lines up — and what that tells you about each course:
Scenario 1: ACLS - provides learning about Advanced cardiac rhythm recognition and drug administration
Scenario 2: PALS - teaches how to manage respiratory and cardiac emergencies in children
Scenario 3: BLS - teaches immediate CPR and AED use for adults before EMS arrives
Scenario 4: ACLS - course content includes leadership and algorithm-driven resuscitation
Scenario 5: PALS - course content focused on Pediatric-specific emergency response
Scenario 6: BLS - teaches high-quality compressions and teamwork basics
Scenario 7: ACLS - course content includes advanced post-resuscitation management
Scenario 8: PALS - instruction includes pediatric bradycardia and assessment skills
The Right Training for the Right Response
Each course serves a vital purpose within the continuum of care.
BLS is the starting point; it’s where you learn the hands-on fundamentals that save lives in the first few minutes of an emergency.
ACLS builds on those skills with advanced knowledge for adult cardiac events, focusing on interpreting rhythms and managing complex cases.
PALS specializes in caring for children and infants, where anatomy, physiology, and interventions differ significantly from those of adults.
No matter which you choose, you’ll walk away more confident, capable, and prepared to act when it matters most.
Still not sure which course you need? Our team can help match you with the appropriate certification based on your role, workplace requirements, and prior training experience. Contact us to discuss your next AHA course and schedule your class with ACLS Academy.
Why Train with ACLS Academy?
At ACLS Academy, we specialize in AHA-certified courses for every level of responder, from first-time learners to advanced providers. Our instructors are all active medical professionals who bring real-world experience and practical insight to every class.
We offer flexible scheduling, in-person and blended learning options, as well as group or workplace training for hospitals, schools, and businesses across the region.
When you train with us, you’re not just checking a box — you’re learning to save a life.
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Train with professionals who care as much about teaching as they do about saving lives.
ACLS Academy is an authorized American Heart Association (AHA) Aligned Training Center. We have three convenient locations in Massachusetts—Quincy, Bridgewater, and Newton Center—and most of our classes include an online training component. We offer high-quality courses taught by practicing medical professionals, including ACLS, BLS, TNCC, ENPC, NRP, PALS, PALS Plus, PEARS, ACLS-EP, ASLS, Bloodborne Pathogen, HeartSaver CPR/AED, First Aid, and Instructor Courses. Browse our course catalog.