The ALS provider course is designed for healthcare professionals who would be expected to apply the skills taught as part of their clinical duties, or to teach them on a regular basis. Appropriate participants include doctors, paramedics and nurses working in acute care areas (e.g. ED, CCU, ICU, HDU, operating theatres, acute medical admissions units) or on resuscitation /medical emergency/ICU outreach teams. All applicants must hold a professional healthcare qualification or be in training for a professional healthcare qualification. Medical students, nurses and other healthcare providers not covered in the groups above should be encouraged to complete the Immediate Life Support (ILS) course first. Those with a particular interest in resuscitation should then consider attending an ALS provider course, where appropriate.

The course is intended to provide training for multi-disciplinary healthcare professionals in the early recognition of the child in respiratory or circulatory failure and the development of the knowledge and core skills required to prevent further deterioration towards respiratory or cardiorespiratory arrest. EPALS is approved by the royal colleges of emergency medicine, paediatrics, anaesthesia and the association of paediatric anaesthetists (RCPCH, RCEM, RCA, APA) for training and revalidation for both consultants and junior grades in advanced paediatric resuscitation skills and management.