Certification tests your knowledge. A real code tests your recall under stress — and those are two very different things.
These 10 numbers are the ones that show up in every algorithm, every scenario, every debrief. Drill them until they're automatic. Cover the right column. Say each number out loud. Be wrong a few times. That's the only way they get into long-term memory.
"Knowing what to do and being able to do it under pressure are two different skills. One comes from reading. The other comes from repetition."
Chest compression rate
Compressions per minute. Too slow doesn't perfuse. Too fast doesn't refill. Stay in this range.
Compression depth
For adults. At least 2 inches but no more than 2.4 inches. Depth matters as much as rate.
Initial defibrillation energy
For biphasic defibrillators when device-specific dose is unknown. Always check your device.
Epinephrine interval
Every 3 to 5 minutes. Not every 2. Not every 10. Know this interval cold.
Epinephrine dose
IV or IO for cardiac arrest. Always 1mg. Not 0.5. Not 2. Every time.
Amiodarone first dose
For refractory V-Fib / pulseless V-Tach. Second dose is 150mg if needed.
Max pulse check time
If you haven't confirmed a pulse in 10 seconds, resume compressions immediately.
Atropine dose
For symptomatic bradycardia. Repeat every 3–5 min. Maximum total dose: 3mg.
Amiodarone loading infusion
Over 10 minutes for V-Tach with pulse. Know the dose and the rate.
Door-to-CT stroke target
AHA benchmark for stroke alerts. This is your clock the moment the patient arrives.
How to use this list
Don't just read it once and move on. The goal is immediate, effortless recall — the kind that happens automatically when a team leader calls for epi and you're drawing it up under pressure.
Method 1 — Cover and recall. Cover the number column. Read the label. Say the number out loud before uncovering. The act of retrieval — not the act of reading — is what builds memory.
Method 2 — Simulator practice. In the ACLSMED Mega Code Simulator, these numbers have real consequences. Administer epi at 2 minutes instead of 3, the simulator flags it. Push amiodarone before the third shock in V-Fib, the scenario branches accordingly. Passive memorization becomes active recall fast.
Method 3 — Teach it. Explain each number to a colleague as if they're learning it for the first time. Teaching is the most efficient encoding strategy known — it forces you to identify what you actually don't know yet.
The numbers are simple. The execution under pressure is the hard part. That's what the simulator is for.
Put these numbers to the test
Run the V-Fib Mega Code in the ACLSMED Clinical Suite — every number on this list will come up. See which ones are truly automatic and which ones you still have to think about.
Launch the Simulator →