Number of Courses:  One Live 2-Hour Class
Credit Awarded:  2 Hours
Credit Type: Advanced
Accredited: CAPCE (F5-VILT), CE Broker (FL & TN), Pennsylvania Bureau of EMS, and Virginia Office of EMS
Enrollment Period:  One year or until completed, whichever comes first
Topics:  Adult & Pediatric Advanced Cardiac Management

This CE activity is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Pre-Hospital Continuing Education for a total of 2 Paramedic CEH.

Are you in need of a few hours to round out your Paramedic or AEMT recertification? This individual NCCP course will meet those needs and is offered several times a month with a varying schedule.

Want to see when classes are offered, click here DistanceCME Course Calendar

Topics covered in this Live NCCP L13

  • Adult & Pediatric Advanced Cardiac Management (2hr)

If you need more than a few hours, this bundle is perfect for your continuing education: Live 30 Hour NCCP + Anytime.  You’ll complete your NCCR requirements and also gain access to our Anytime EMS CEU Package, offering over 100 on-demand learning modules with CEUs.

Course Overview
Cardiac arrest remains one of the most time-sensitive emergencies encountered by EMS providers, requiring rapid recognition, decisive intervention, and seamless team coordination. While the principles of resuscitation may appear straightforward, successful outcomes depend upon consistently delivering evidence-based care while adapting to the unique physiology of both adult and pediatric patients.
This course provides a comprehensive review of advanced cardiac management using the most current 2025 American Heart Association Guidelines for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care. Learners will examine the complete continuum of cardiac arrest, from early recognition of patient deterioration through post–cardiac arrest management and recovery. Throughout the course, emphasis is placed on understanding why interventions are performed—not simply memorizing algorithms—allowing providers to apply sound clinical judgment during high-acuity emergencies.

A major theme throughout the course is understanding the fundamental differences between adult and pediatric cardiac arrest. Adult arrests most commonly originate from primary cardiac disease and lethal dysrhythmias, whereas pediatric arrests typically result from progressive respiratory failure or shock. Recognizing these differing pathophysiologic processes allows providers to prioritize interventions appropriately and improve patient outcomes.

Adult Cardiac Arrest Management
The adult portion of the course reviews the complete Adult Chain of Survival and reinforces the importance of early recognition, rapid activation of the emergency response system, high-quality CPR, prompt defibrillation, advanced life support, post–cardiac arrest care, and long-term recovery.
Learners will review adult Basic Life Support and Advanced Life Support priorities, including compression quality, ventilation strategies, AED utilization, rhythm recognition, synchronized cardioversion, defibrillation, vascular access, medication administration, and evidence-based management of shockable and non-shockable rhythms. Special attention is given to minimizing interruptions in CPR, recognizing unstable patients, and integrating advanced monitoring tools without compromising compression quality.
The course also explores newer recommendations involving point-of-care ultrasound, end-tidal carbon dioxide monitoring, termination of resuscitation criteria, advanced defibrillation strategies, mechanical CPR devices, and post–cardiac arrest management while reinforcing that high-quality CPR remains the single greatest predictor of successful resuscitation.

Pediatric Cardiac Arrest Management
The pediatric section focuses on the unique physiology of infants and children and how those differences influence assessment and resuscitation priorities. Learners will review pediatric age classifications, respiratory causes of cardiac arrest, airway obstruction, ventilation strategies, pediatric CPR techniques, foreign-body airway management, and current recommendations for both Basic and Advanced Life Support. Special emphasis is placed on recognizing respiratory compromise before progression to cardiac arrest, appropriate ventilation rates, pediatric compression techniques, early epinephrine administration, pediatric defibrillation, vascular access, hemodynamic monitoring, temperature management, and neurologically focused post–cardiac arrest care. Learners will also review updates to pediatric airway management, tracheostomy emergencies, and current recommendations for supraventricular tachycardia management.

High-Quality Resuscitation
Throughout the course, learners repeatedly return to the principles of high-quality CPR. Proper compression rate and depth, full chest recoil, minimizing interruptions, avoiding excessive ventilation, and maintaining excellent team communication remain the foundation upon which all advanced interventions are built. The course reinforces that medications, advanced airways, cardiac monitoring, and sophisticated technology cannot compensate for poor CPR performance. Providers will examine how seemingly small improvements in compression quality, ventilation technique, rhythm recognition, and coordinated teamwork can significantly improve both survival and neurological outcomes.

Clinical Decision-Making
Rather than simply teaching algorithms, this course emphasizes clinical reasoning during resuscitation. Learners will strengthen their ability to identify unstable patients, differentiate shockable from non-shockable rhythms, recognize reversible causes of cardiac arrest, determine appropriate treatment priorities, and understand when advanced interventions are likely to improve patient outcomes.
The course also explores modern concepts including Crew Resource Management, coordinated team resuscitation, physiologic monitoring during CPR, and post–cardiac arrest optimization. By understanding the rationale behind current recommendations, providers will be better prepared to adapt evidence-based guidelines to real-world patient care.

Who Should Take This Course?
This course is primarily designed for AEMTs and Paramedics responsible for advanced cardiac assessment, resuscitation, airway management, medication administration, cardiac rhythm interpretation, and management of critically ill adult and pediatric patients. The material also remains understandable and valuable for EMTs seeking to strengthen their understanding of current CPR guidelines, cardiac arrest management, team resuscitation, and evidence-based emergency cardiovascular care.