ACLS Academy

Sometimes, it sounds like:
“I’m just tired.”
“Maybe it’s indigestion.”
“I’ll feel better after I rest.”

But subtle symptoms can signal something serious. High blood pressure may have no noticeable warning signs, while a heart attack may present as fatigue, shortness of breath, nausea, or discomfort in the back, jaw, or chest.

This World Heart Day, take a closer look at the symptoms that are easy to dismiss, the solutions that can save lives, and the systems that help people respond quickly.

The World Heart Federation’s message is clear: Don’t Miss a Beat.

Our latest blog explores three essential parts of the response:
❤️ Symptoms
❤️ Solutions
❤️ Systems

Because recognizing the unexpected signs may be the first lifesaving action.

Read the full article to discover the warning signs that can make a heart emergency easy to miss—and learn what to do when the symptoms are not what you expect. https://www.aclsacademy.com/blog/not-every-heart-emergency-looks-the-way-you-expect

The first minutes after birth require a specialized kind of preparedness.

A newborn emergency is not simply a pediatric emergency involving a smaller patient. The physiology, priorities, equipment, and sequence of care are different, with effective ventilation often at the center of the response.

Our Neonatal Resuscitation Program® course helps healthcare professionals build the knowledge and hands-on skills needed for newborn emergencies, including:

👶 Who should take NRP
👶 Essentials versus Advanced curricula
👶 Skills taught through simulation
👶 Communication and delivery room teamwork
👶 The current Ninth Edition curriculum

Prepare for the first critical minutes after birth with ACLS Academy.

🫀 Knowing your cholesterol number is important. Understanding what it means for your individual risk is where prevention truly begins.

📊 The landmark 2026 ACC/AHA dyslipidemia guideline brings back specific LDL cholesterol goals, introduces the PREVENT risk calculator, recommends that every adult have an Lp(a) test at least once, and encourages earlier action to reduce lifelong cardiovascular risk.

🧪 This National Cholesterol Education Month, take a closer look at the numbers, tests, and treatment goals reshaping cholesterol care.

📖 Read our latest blog to learn what has changed. https://www.aclsacademy.com/blog/cholesterol-care-has-changed-inside-the-landmark-2026-guidelines

🌟 A Nation of Lifesavers grows from the ground up! 🌟

What happens when two high school students decide their community should know how to save a life?

Lauren and Evan Li founded Heart for Care and helped bring free CPR and AED certification to approximately 50 students in Newton. ❤️

With support from ACLS Academy founders Dr. Shelley Lynch and Chad Lynch, along with fellow ACLS Academy instructors, their idea became hands-on training—and a growing network of young lifesavers.

Because preparedness does not start in an emergency. It starts when someone chooses to act before one happens.

Lauren and Evan are helping make CPR education more accessible, empowering their peers to respond with confidence, and showing what youth leadership can do for an entire community. 🙌

Stroke care changed in 2026.

The new AHA/ASA guidelines expand treatment possibilities for certain patients, endorse tenecteplase alongside alteplase, broaden thrombectomy eligibility, refine EMS destination decisions, and introduce the first detailed guidance for pediatric acute ischemic stroke.

But new evidence can only improve outcomes when healthcare professionals are prepared to recognize stroke, communicate clearly, and act within an organized system.

Our latest blog explores the major guideline updates and the practical assessment and response skills developed through Advanced Stroke Life Support® training.

Read the full article and discover how stroke care is moving faster. https://www.aclsacademy.com/blog/stroke-care-in-2026-new-guidelines-and-the-skills-behind-a-faster-response

You're already taking the class...

Why not earn Continuing Education credits at the same time?

When renewing your BLS, ACLS, PALS, or PEARS certification, choosing the right training provider can make all the difference.

At ACLS Academy, eligible courses are approved by the American Nurses Association of Massachusetts (ANA-MA) for Continuing Education credits, allowing many healthcare professionals to renew their certification while earning valuable CE credits during the same course.

It's one class.

Two professional benefits.

Flossing isn’t just about fresh breath—it might literally be saving your heart valves. 🦷❤️

In a massive Mayo Clinic study of more than 266,000 patients, researchers used AI-enabled ECGs to uncover a shocking truth: neglecting routine, preventive dental care is linked to a 90% higher risk of Aortic Stenosis (a life-threatening stiffening of the heart’s main valve).

Swollen, bleeding gums allow aggressive oral bacteria (P. gingivalis) to escape into your bloodstream. Once they reach the heart, they trigger a chronic inflammatory cascade that tricks your valve tissue into calcifying—almost like bone.

For critical care providers and emergency staff, this connection is a massive deal. Severe, undiagnosed aortic stenosis severely limits cardiac output, completely changing how a patient tolerates advanced resuscitation (ACLS) algorithms. 🚑🚨

It's time to break down the barrier between oral health and systemic medicine.

Every healthcare provider can save a life.

Great instructors multiply that impact.

The confidence you build in one student today may influence how they respond during tomorrow's cardiac arrest.

Or the CPR they perform years from now.

Or the patient they help save because someone took the time to teach them well.

If you've ever thought about becoming an American Heart Association Instructor, perhaps this is your sign.

❤️

"Good enough" training isn’t enough when a patient’s life is on the line. But that doesn’t mean your certification classes have to be a high-stress nightmare! 🙅‍♀️🚑

At ACLS Academy, we do things differently. Founded by critical care NP Dr. Shelley Lynch and retired USCG veteran Chad Lynch, we are an AHA-aligned All-Star Award training center designed by bedside clinicians, for bedside clinicians.

Whether we’re on the outfield grass at Fenway Park training hundreds of community members or teaching advanced clinical workflows in our Quincy, Bridgewater, or Newton Centre labs, our focus is on replacing test anxiety with pure confidence. ✨

Read our latest blog: Beyond the Algorithms: Why Greater Boston Clinicians Rate ACLS Academy "6 Out of 5 Stars." ⭐️

Get the real scoop on our bedside-first teaching, our founding story, and how we can help you practice at the absolute top of your license.

Read the full blog: https://www.aclsacademy.com/blog/beyond-the-algorithms-why-greater-boston-clinicians-rate-acls-academy-6-out-of-5-stars

Life

It's one of the most common questions new nursing graduates ask.

The answer isn't the same for everyone.

If you're planning to work in the ICU, Emergency Department, or another high-acuity specialty, earning your ACLS certification before you start interviewing may help you stand out. For others, waiting until your employer provides training may be the right choice.

In our latest blog, we break down:
✅ When BLS should be your first priority
✅ When ACLS makes sense before you're hired
✅ Whether PALS is worth pursuing early
✅ How to choose the certification path that aligns with your career goals

Whether you're preparing for your first nursing position or planning your next professional move, we're here to help you make an informed decision.

Read the full blog: https://www.aclsacademy.com/blog/should-you-get-acls-before-your-first-nursing-job