Launched in 1999, Resuscitation Council UK’s Newborn Life Support course teaches the knowledge and skills to:

  • approach the management of a newborn infant requiring assistance during the first 10-20 minutes in a competent manner;
  • understand the processes underlying apnoea, bradycardia and poor condition at birth;
  • initiate resuscitation of the newborn infant;
  • deliver practical airway management and ventilatory support. 

Who is the course for?

The NLS course is designed for any healthcare professional involved in the delivery and care of the newborn infant. This includes both junior and senior medical and nursing staff, midwives, paramedics and resuscitation officers.

All applicants must hold a professional healthcare qualification or be in training for a professional healthcare qualification.

Unlike many of our other courses, there is no NLS recertification course. The NLS course is appropriate for first-time Candidates as well as those looking to renew their NLS certification.

The Resuscitation Council UK (RCUK) Newborn Life Support (NLS) course is relevant to healthcare professionals, including foundation and specialist trainees, nursing staff and allied health professionals.

This curriculum map has been produced by the RCUK to illustrate the potential key capabilities that may be achieved when undertaking or instructing on an NLS course. 

  indicates a capability highly likely to be achieved and ( ) indicates a capability that might be achieved by attending or instructing on the relevant RCUK course. Any capability achieved during a RCUK course will need to be accompanied by appropriate supporting evidence, and this responsibility lies with the individual. 

This list is not exhaustive and other capabilities may be achieved based upon individual experiences. 

Please click on the relevant curriculum or training programme to download how the RCUK NLS course may support the acquisition of key capabilities within specialist learning objectives for career or training progression. 

Royal College of Paediatric and Child Health (RCPCH) Progress+ 

2023 RCPCH Curriculum 

2018 RCPCH curriculum

BAPM Advanced Neonatal Nurse Practitioner Capabilities Framework

This is a one-day course and will take place in a Course Centre. There are many Course Centres across the UK.

We use our evidence-based guidelines and cutting-edge research to create our courses. Courses are then delivered by members of our dedicated and highly skilled Instructor base. This guarantees that our courses are uniform, and the content remains the same across all our Course Centres.

Pre-course preparation:

Candidates receive their NLS manual one month before the start of the course. Candidates should prepare for the course by reading the manual and completing the online pre-course MCQ (multiple-choice question) paper.


Programme:

This course consists of lectures, practical skills stations and teaching simulations.

Download the full programme

Assessment and certification:

NLS is assessed based on the completion of an MCQ paper, and an airway test that will allow Candidates to demonstrate the core skills in airway management that are covered on the course.

Successful Candidates receive a Resuscitation Council UK NLS provider certificate, which is valid for four years.

This course is recognised as continuing professional development (CPD) by the Medical, Dental and Nursing Royal Colleges and Health Care Professional Council. Please contact your registering body for further information. 

The first step is to find a Course Centre near you. Below, you’ll find an area where you can search for local courses and find out how to get in touch with the organiser.

Course fees are decided locally by the Course Centre; Resuscitation Council UK only charges the Course Centre £26 per Candidate registration and £16 per NLS manual.
 
Courses often book quickly, so we would advise planning your attendance well in advance of when you want to train.

Advanced Life Support [ALS] course:

If you are a healthcare professional who would be expected to apply the skills taught as part of your clinical duties, or to teach them on a regular basis, you are eligible to participate on the ALS course. Appropriate applicants include doctors, nurses working in critical care areas (e.g. ED, CCU, ICU, HDU, operating theatres, acute medical admissions units), paramedics, ICU outreach teams or in the resuscitation/medical emergency team.


All applicants must hold a current clinical appointment and professional healthcare qualification or be in training for a professional healthcare qualification.


Medical students, student nurses and other healthcare providers not covered in the groups above should be encouraged to complete the Immediate Life Support [ILS] course. Those with a particular interest in resuscitation should then consider attending an ALS provider course, where appropriate. Medical students in their final year of training can be accepted as candidates on an ALS course if this is an established local arrangement


Advanced Resuscitation of Newborn Infant [ARNI] course:

You are eligible for the ARNI course if you hold a current RCUK Newborn Life Support provider certificate and are involved in care of the pre-term and sick newborn infants in a role more advanced than that of first responder. Candidates include specialist medical staff (ST3 level and above or about to commence a 2nd tier role), neonatal nurses with a qualification in the specialty or Advanced Neonatal Nurse Practitioners. You may also be eligible for the ARNI course if you are an experienced paramedic working extensively with newborn transfer teams, a resuscitation officer with a significant regular newborn workload or an anaesthetist with a newborn or PICU practice.


European Paediatric Advanced Life Support [EPALS] course:

If you are a healthcare professional who would be expected to apply the skills taught as part of your clinical duties, or to teach them on a regular basis, you are eligible to undertake this course. Eligible participants include doctors, nurses or paramedics working in direct contact with children.


All applicants must hold a current clinical appointment and professional healthcare qualification or be in training for a professional healthcare qualification. Medical students, student nurses in their final year of training and other healthcare providers not covered in the groups above should be encouraged to complete the Paediatric Immediate Life Support [PILS] course. Those with a particular interest in the management of acute deterioration and resuscitation in children should then consider attending an EPALS provider course, where appropriate.


Medical students in their final year of training can be accepted as candidates on an EPALS course if this is an established local arrangement.


Focused Echocardiophay in Emergency Life Support [FEEL] course:

The FEEL course is intended for healthcare professionals who are involved in the care of the critically ill patient and does not require any previous echocardiography or ultrasound experience. FEEL is intended as an adjunct to the Advanced Life Support course and as such knowledge of the current ALS algorithm is required.


Generic Instructor Course [GIC]:

To attend a GIC course you must be recommend as having ‘Instructor Potential’ either on an RC (UK) course or one of the Advanced Life Support Group [ALSG] recognised courses e.g. APLS. Please follow the RC (UK) GIC link for further information.


Immediate Life Support [ILS] course:

If you are a doctor, medical student, nurse, nursing student, midwife, ODP, cardiac technician, resuscitation officer, healthcare provider (such as a physiotherapist, radiographer, occupational therapist), dental nurse, dentist, paramedic/ ambulance technician, healthcare assistant or nursing associates are eligible for this course. It may also be suitable for you if you are a fire service technician, police personnel prison officer or cabin crew.


Paediatric Immediate Life Support [PILS] course:

You are eligible to undergo the pILS course if you are a doctor, nurse, health visitor, school nurse, midwife, ODP, cardiac technician, resuscitation officer, medical student (final year), nursing student (final year), physiotherapist, dentist, dental nurse, ambulance technician/paramedic, healthcare assistant or nursing associate, occupational therapist, radiographer, fire service technician, police officer or cabin crew. The pILS course addresses the needs of staff who need more advanced skills than those taught during Basic Life Support [BLS], but who do not require the more comprehensive two-day European Paediatric Advanced Life Support [EPALS] course.


Newborn Life Support [NLS] course:

You are eligible for the NLS course if you are a healthcare professional who is regularly involved in the delivery and care of the newborn infant. This includes both junior and senior medical and nursing staff, midwives, paramedics and resuscitation officers. All applicants must hold a professional healthcare qualification or be in training for a professional healthcare qualification.

Category

Yes, CPD points are available according to the table below.  If you have any further queries regarding CPD points, please contact the Royal Colleges directly.


CPD points

Provider course 

Candidates 

Faculty 

ALS (two day course)

10

5 (max 10 in any one year)

e-ALS (one day course)

5

5 (max 10 in any one year)

ALS recertification (one day course)

5

5 (max 10 in any one year)

EPALS (2-day)

10

5 (max 10 in any one year)

NLS (one day course)

5

5 (max 10 in any one year)

ARNI (one day course)

10

5 (max 10 in any one year)

ILS (one day course)

5

5 (max 10 in any one year)

PILS (one day course

5

5 (max 10 in any one year)


For accreditation of other healthcare staff, please see ‘continuing professional development statement' in ‘related documents.’ 

Category

For more FAQs visit our online support system

Course Availability

You can book one of the many courses in the UK shown in the list below by contacting the Course Centre organiser. The cost for a Candidate place will vary based on the Course Centre.

Start date
GeoData » LatLong Pair
Within
miles of
Course centre town Course centre Start date Organiser Availability
Bury St Edmunds West Suffolk Hospital Thursday
4 Apr. '24
kevin brown
01284712538
resus@wsh.nhs.uk

Candidates: places available

Newcastle Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust Monday
8 Apr. '24
Cheryl List
NLSadmin@northumbria-healthcare.nhs.uk

Candidates: places available
Faculty: required

Bath Royal United Hospital NHS Trust Friday
12 Apr. '24
katy chisnall
01225821766
ruh-tr.ruhadvancedcourses@nhs.net

Candidates: places available

London A to E Training Solutions Ltd Monday
15 Apr. '24
A to E Training Solutions Ltd
admin@atoetrainingandsolutions.co.uk

Candidates: places available
Faculty: required

Blackburn East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust Wednesday
17 Apr. '24
Stuart Warburton
advancedlifesupportcourses@elht.nhs.uk

Candidates: course full
Faculty: required