Does ACLS or PALS Count Toward NCCAA CME Requirements for CAAs?
AuthorPatrick Flaherty CAA
Practicing CAA for 19 years
Reviewed
Published · Updated
Quick Facts
- ACLS and PALS may qualify as Category I when the course is approved by AAPA or ACCME and a formal CME certificate is submitted.
- Four hours maximum may be recognized for any single qualifying ACLS or PALS course.
- Up to eight hours together may be recognized for one qualifying ACLS course and one qualifying PALS course when actual participation supports four hours in each.
The answer is yes, but with important conditions regarding how many hours you receive and which category they fall under. To maintain your certification, you must register 50 hours of CME every two years, with at least 40 of those hours being Category I (anesthesia-specific).
Here is everything you need to know about using ACLS and PALS for your NCCAA submission.
ACLS and PALS as Category I (Anesthesia-Related) Credit
According to NCCAA guidelines, ACLS and PALS instruction is tabulated as anesthesia-related content. This means these hours are eligible to help fulfill your 40-hour Category I requirement rather than just counting as general Category II hours.
The Accreditation Requirement
For these courses to be eligible as anesthesia-related (Category I) content, the instructional course must be approved by:
- AAPA (American Academy of Physician Associates).
- ACCME (Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education).
To be eligible for registration, the practitioner must obtain and submit a formal certificate of CME credit awarded for the ACLS/PALS course.
The 4-Hour CME Credit Cap
It is a common misconception that a full-day certification course provides eight or more hours of credit for your NCCAA registration. The NCCAA applies this limit:
- Maximum credit: A maximum of four (4) hours of CME credit will be recognized for any single ACLS or PALS course.
- No exceptions: This four-hour cap applies regardless of the number of credits printed on your provider certificate.
- Actual participation: Claim only the hours actually spent in the CME activity, even when the certificate awards more credit.
Example: How to “Stack” Your Credits
While each individual course is capped at four hours, you can earn eligible credit for both types of certification within the same two-year cycle. If you spend at least four hours in each qualifying course:
- One ACLS course may provide up to four Category I credits.
- One PALS course may provide up to four Category I credits.
- Together, the two courses may provide up to eight anesthesia-related hours toward your 50-hour requirement.
How to Register Your Credits Through Your NCCAA Account
NCCAA currently provides CME submission and tracking through its web portal. To register your eligible ACLS or PALS hours:
- Open the NCCAA web portal and sign in with your existing account credentials.
- Upload your certificate of CME credit. Ensure it clearly shows the approving organization, either AAPA or ACCME.
- Enter the activity details and identify the credit as anesthesia-related.
- Enter only the hours actually spent in the activity, up to the four-hour maximum recognized for a single ACLS or PALS course.
Need More Category I Credits?
If you register four eligible hours for each of one ACLS course and one PALS course, you will still need 42 additional hours to complete your 50-hour cycle.
We offer NCCAA-accepted, self-paced Category I courses designed specifically for the needs of CAAs.
Our platform is an efficient way to work toward your requirements so you can stay focused on providing excellent patient care.