ACLS EDUCATIONAL GUIDE
What Is H's & T's in ACLS
Understand the H’s & T’s and their role in patient assessment before beginning your HeartCode ACLS eLearning course.
The H’s & T’s are an important concept introduced during the American Heart Association HeartCode ACLS eLearning course. They provide healthcare professionals with a structured way to think about potentially reversible causes of cardiac arrest and other critical conditions. This resource is intended to reinforce learning and should not replace the official American Heart Association Provider Manual.
What are the H's and T's?
The H’s & T’s are a memory aid used during the HeartCode ACLS eLearning course to help healthcare professionals perform a systematic patient assessment. Students learn how reversible causes may influence patient care and why recognizing them is an important part of advanced cardiovascular life support.
Who Needs ACLS Certification?
Healthcare professionals commonly requiring ACLS certification include:
- Registered Nurses (RN)
- Physicians
- Nurse Practitioners
- Physician Assistants
- Respiratory Therapists
- Paramedics
- Emergency Department Staff
- Intensive Care Unit Staff
- Cardiac Care Professionals
Why They Matter?
Recognizing potentially reversible causes is an important concept taught during the HeartCode ACLS eLearning course. Students learn how patient assessment, communication, and evidence-based decision making work together when evaluating emergency cardiovascular situations.
Topics commonly covered include:
- Reversible causes of cardiac arrest
- Systematic patient assessment
- Team communication principles
- Clinical decision-making concepts
- Recognition of emergency conditions
- Evidence-based ACLS care
- Integration of reversible causes into patient assessment
How to Prepare
Before your ACLS course:
- Complete the HeartCode ACLS eLearning course before your skills session.
- Review the concept of reversible causes.
- Become familiar with systematic patient assessment.
- Arrive prepared to demonstrate high-quality CPR skills.
- Key Takeaways
- The H's & T's are taught during the HeartCode ACLS eLearning course.
- They help healthcare professionals consider reversible causes during patient assessment.
- Understanding these concepts supports evidence-based emergency care.
- The in-person ACLS skills session focuses on high-quality CPR skills.
Frequently Asked Questions
American Heart Association ACLS certification is typically valid for two years.
ACLS certification is intended for healthcare professionals who respond to cardiovascular emergencies. The HeartCode ACLS eLearning course teaches advanced concepts, while the in-person skills session verifies high-quality CPR skills.
Yes. BLS focuses on the fundamentals of high-quality CPR and AED use. ACLS builds on those skills by introducing advanced cardiovascular emergency concepts during the HeartCode ACLS eLearning course.
Yes. Students complete the HeartCode ACLS eLearning course before attending the in-person skills session, which focuses on demonstrating high-quality CPR skills.
