Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS)
Medical interventions used to treat victims of respiratory and/or cardiac emergencies and stroke, including invasive techniques such as intubation and administration of drugs.

American Heart Association, Inc. (AHA)
AHA, Inc., and AHA National Center refer to the American Heart Association, Inc., a not-for-profit corporation that establishes guidelines for emergency cardiovascular care and training. The AHA owns the American Heart Association name, heart-and-torch logo, and slogan ("Learn and Live").

Automated External Defibrillator (AED)
A device that has been shown in the medical literature to dramatically increase the potential for reduction of disability and death from cardiovascular emergencies. An AED rapidly analyzes the electrical activity of the victim’s heart to determine if a shock is needed.

Basic Life Support (BLS)
Noninvasive assessments and interventions used to treat victims of respiratory and/or cardiovascular emergencies and stroke. This term has become synonymous with cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and can include automated external defibrillation.

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
Generally refers to noninvasive assessments and interventions used to treat victims of cardiovascular and/or respiratory emergencies and stroke. This term is synonymous with BLS.

Corporate Training Center
A closed-loop training network center that provides grassroots ECC training to its employees within a corporate network. Training may take place in multiple states.

Course Director (ACLS and PALS only)
An AHA instructor responsible for course content, scheduling, registration, faculty assignments, and all other preparations and conduct of an AHA training course. Course directors are assigned by TCs.

Course Survey
A tool provided to students that allows them to evaluate an Instructor's performance and provide general feedback on the course.

Course Examination
An AHA document used to measure course participants’ understanding of the information presented in a course.

Course-Monitoring Review
The portion of the TC review conducted by RF members during actual courses taught by the TC or a Training Site.

Discipline
Any of the ECC programs: ACLS, BLS or PALS.

ECC Committee
AHA volunteers nominated by their peers and appointed by the AHA to be responsible for the ECC program. This group exists at the national and regional levels.

Emergency Cardiovascular Care (ECC)
All aspects of assessment and treatment of victims of respiratory and/or cardiac emergencies and stroke, including basic and advanced life support interventions.

ECC Regional Faculty (RF) Member
An AHA ACLS or PALS Instructor or a BLS instructor trainer who, because of exemplary service to the ECC program, has been appointed by the Regional ECC Committee to the Regional Faculty. RF members are appointed at the sole discretion of the AHA. They serve as a primary resource for quality assurance in the ECC program. (Formerly Affiliate Faculty.)

Healthcare Provider
Persons who provide healthcare as part of their job responsibilities. In the purest sense, healthcare providers work for emergency medical services, hospitals, medical clinics, etc., but a child care worker or employee in any business who is required to provide emergency care may be deemed a healthcare provider in his or her employment setting.

Initial Course
The first AHA ECC course a student attends in a particular program or discipline.

Instructor
An individual who has received provider and instructor training through the AHA and who is qualified to teach Provider Courses to other individuals. Instructor status is not synonymous with volunteer status.

Instructor Potential
This term is used to describe an ECC Provider who has shown demonstrated exceptional ability in the evaluation of Provider skills and has achieved a high score on the written examination. This Provider has shown leadership ability.

Instructor Trainer
An individual who has received AHA BLS Provider and Instructor training and is qualified to teach BLS Instructor Courses. (BLS designation only.)

Lead Instructor
An AHA Instructor who acts as course manager and who will be on-site at all times during the course. The Lead Instructor is responsible for logistics and quality assurance during the course.

Military Training Network (MTN)
An organization that teaches military and civilian personnel on military bases worldwide. The MTN has signed an agreement with the AHA and teaches courses according to AHA guidelines.

Modules
Course segments focused on specific interventions or procedures.

MRTC
Multi Regional Training Center

National Faculty (NF) Member
A volunteer ECC Instructor who is a current member of the Regional ECC Committee. Each region has one NF member for each AHA ECC discipline (program): ACLS, BLS and PALS. NF members are recommended by the Regional ECC Committee and appointed by PROAD. They are responsible for communication between the National ECC Committee and the Regional ECC Committee.

National Training Center (NTC)
Delivers AHA training within the United States and its territories. The delivery of this training is accomplished by establishing a national network of TCs or Training Sites. The National Training Center signs an agreement with the AHA and is responsible for the quality of all training the NTC delivers.

Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS)
Advanced medical assessment and interventions used to treat pediatric (child) victims of respiratory and/or cardiovascular emergencies and stroke, including invasive techniques such as intubation and drug administration.

Primary TC
The TC with which an ECC Instructor is aligned. The primary TC provides administrative and ECC course support to the Instructor. The primary TC maintains all of the Instructor's files. Instructors can align with a Primary TC for each discipline they are authorized to teach.

Provider
An individual who successfully completes an AHA Provider course in ACLS, BLS or PALS.

Quality Assurance Policy
The TC’s written policy for its training sites and instructors regarding quality control.

Region
An AHA term that describes a designated section of the country.

Regional Faculty (RF) Member
An AHA ACLS or PALS instructor or a BLS instructor trainer who, because of exemplary service to the ECC program, has been appointed by the Regional ECC Committee to the Regional Faculty. RF members are appointed at the sole discretion of the AHA. They serve as a primary resource for quality assurance in the ECC Program. (Formerly Affiliate Faculty.)

Renewal Course
Any course in a particular program or discipline attended by a student after the initial course.

Specialty Faculty
A non-AHA instructor assigned by an AHA course director or lead instructor to teach a specific part of an ACLS or PALS course. These individuals must be informed before the course about AHA science, policies and procedures. Specialty faculty cannot participate in evaluation of students' skills.

TC
Training Center.

TC Agreement
A letter of agreement signed by an ECC Training Center and the AHA that enables the TC to develop and administer an ECC Training Network and teach AHA ECC courses. TCs may purchase and distribute ECC training materials and course cards according to AHA guidelines.

TC Coordinator
A member of the TC staff designated by the TC to manage the ECC program in accordance with the agreement between the center and the AHA. The TC coordinator serves as a contact person with the AHA. As of July 1, 2002 the TC coordinator must hold instructor status in at least one AHA discipline (BLS, ACLS or PALS)

TC Coordinator Forums
Regionally organized sessions to update TC coordinators on ECC program changes. The sessions permit an exchange of ideas and best practices between the coordinators. The Regional ECC Training Network determines the frequency of these sessions.

TC Coordinator Orientation
An orientation conducted by regional ECC staff or RF for new TC coordinators.

TC Faculty
The Training Center faculty is responsible for the quality assurance and educational process of the TC. All TCs should have at least one TC faculty member in each discipline the TC teaches. The TC faculty member must be a lead instructor in the TC.

Training Center (TC)
An organization that signs an agreement with the AHA to develop and maintain ECC Training Networks in one or more of the following ECC disciplines (programs): ACLS, BLS and PALS.

Training Site
A person or organization authorized by a TC to teach AHA ECC courses. The TC is directly responsible for the quality of the AHA courses taught by their Training Sites.

Volunteer
In the ECC Program the term AHA volunteer refers to a person who provides specific services as defined in the job description for his or her designated AHA role.

Written Examination
A required component of a course for which a completion card is issued. The written examination is used to evaluate the student’s knowledge.