Mandatory Life-Support Certifications in the Gulf: Who Needs BLS/ACLS/PALS/ATLS and When (UAE, KSA, Qatar)

The four credentials (plain English)

• BLS (Basic Life Support): adult CPR/AED, choking, single-rescuer teamwork. Baseline for all clinicians.

• ACLS (Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support): adult arrest/ peri-arrest algorithms, airway, rhythm drugs, team leadership—expected in ED/ICU/OR and many inpatient units.

• PALS (Pediatric Advanced Life Support): paediatric arrest/ peri-arrest, dosing, scenarios—required where paediatric patients are seen (ED/paeds/urgent care).

• ATLS (Advanced Trauma Life Support): trauma primary/secondary survey, prioritisation—common for ED/trauma/acute care physicians; some hospitals extend to senior ED nurses.

Role & unit signals (what panels actually expect)

Doctors

• ED/ICU/OR/acute medicine: BLS + ACLS, often ATLS (ED/trauma).

• Paediatrics/ED mixed: BLS + PALS (+ ACLS if adults also seen).

• Anaesthesia/critical care: BLS + ACLS (plus airway competencies per privileging).

Nurses

• Inpatient wards: BLS (many require ACLS for step-down/telemetry/ICU).

• ED/ICU/OR: BLS + ACLS; PALS if paediatric exposure; site induction for defib/airway.

• Paediatrics: BLS + PALS minimum.

Physiotherapists

• Inpatient/ICU/respiratory work: BLS (many sites ask ACLS for ICU exposure and code-team support training).

• Outpatient/MSK only: BLS usually sufficient; verify per facility.

Acceptance of providers varies by hospital. Many accept AHA/ERC-aligned courses; confirm your facility’s list before booking.

Timing & renewal (planning signals, not guarantees)

• Book courses before arrival if possible; keep PDF cards ready.

• Plan to renew every 2 years (some sites run annual refreshers—treat as mandatory if your unit does).

• Align expiry months across cards to one renewal window (saves travel and downtime).

Clean evidence pack (copy/paste)

• Colour PDFs of certificates/cards with name as in passport.

• Course provider, issue/expiry dates, and training centre ID visible.

• If awaiting a course: attach booking confirmation and add a temporary start-of-shift buddy plan to your onboarding notes (some sites allow orientation to proceed with proof of scheduled training).

How to match credentials to privileges (the triangle)

1. Licence active (DHA/DOH/SCFHS/QCHP).

2. Insurance schedule active for your settings (hospital/clinic/home).

3. Privileges requested = unit scope; attach current life-support evidence.
   If any side is missing or expired, expect a narrower scope or a delayed start.

Common pitfalls—and calm fixes

• Expired on arrival → book renewal within 7–14 days; ask HR to stage orientation while you complete training.

• Name mismatch → request reissue from the training centre; mismatches slow HR/privileging.

• Wrong level for unit (e.g., no ACLS in ICU) → enrol immediately; request a temporary proctoring plan until certified.

• No paediatric cover in mixed ED → add PALS; keep dosing tools in your pocket guide.

Micro-audit for managers (10 minutes monthly)

• % staff with BLS/ACLS/PALS/ATLS in date (target ≥95%).

• Expiry heatmap (next 90 days) sent to roster lead.

• New hires with proof on file before privileging.

• One mock code/month per unit, with debrief and one change adopted.

Ready checklists

Candidate (before travel)

• BLS current (PDF saved)

• ACLS booked or current if ICU/ED/OR/step-down

• PALS booked/current if paediatric exposure

• ATLS booked/current if ED/trauma physician

• Filenames: Surname_Name_ACLS_YYYYMM.pdf etc.

Manager/HR

• Accepted provider list shared (AHA/ERC-aligned)

• Expiry tracker started at offer stage

• Orientation includes defib/airway device familiarisation

• Privileging pack includes life-support PDFs

Short FAQs