Advanced cardiovascular life support (ACLS) by The American Heart Association ACLS is an advanced, Initial Provider course that takes about 12 to 14 hours to complete. The card that healthcare professionals receive after completion of the course qualifies them to perform a range of techniques that include post cardiac arrest care, airway management and pharmacology. The skills practice and skills testing are conducted in large group sessions in learning and testing stations with case based scenarios. The renewal courses take approximately six to eight hours. The well designed and structured courses are unlike many other similar ones and are ideal for healthcare professionals who handle emergency response, medicine and intensive care and critical patients. They are taught team dynamics and communication applicable to working with others in the field. They learn basic life support skills with use of AED and recognition and immediate management of cardiac arrest. They are also taught how to treat and manage patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) and stroke.