ALS scribe
An ALS scribing tool for course candidates and instructors
A practice and debrief tool aimed at people preparing for, sitting, or teaching the Resuscitation Council UK Advanced Life Support course. Algorithm-aware prompts during the scenario; a replayable timeline and PDF for the debrief afterwards.
What you get
- Aligned with the RCUK ALS course manualCycle length, drug intervals, shock energies and amiodarone trigger points match the current RCUK adult ALS algorithm.
- CAStest-ready timeline exportRun during a simulated arrest and the PDF becomes the debrief document — when adrenaline was given, when amiodarone was due, what rhythm was called at each check.
- Scribe role practice without instructor timeCandidates can rehearse the scribe role solo before the course. The interface is the same one they'll use during the live test.
- Outcome and reflection captureMark ROSC, transfer, or termination. The summary line drives the debrief conversation and goes into your personal study record.
Why the scribe role catches ALS candidates out
On the RCUK ALS course most of the practical time is spent leading or treating, not scribing. The scribe role often appears for the first time in the CAStest scenario — and the candidate then discovers that they have never actually tracked an arrest in real time before. The mental arithmetic, the drug intervals, the shock count and the rhythm log all land at once.
Practising with an algorithm-aware tool before the course removes that surprise. By the time the candidate sits the test they have already done a dozen scribed scenarios at the kitchen table, and the buttons feel familiar. The cognitive cost of scribing drops, and the candidate has more capacity left over for the parts of the test the examiners are actually marking.
How instructors use it during CAStest and CASTeach
Instructors run the timer at the foot of the bed during a scenario. At debrief they project the timeline and walk the candidate through what happened: 'adrenaline was due here, you gave it here'; 'this was the third shock, amiodarone should have been considered now'; 'rhythm at this check was PEA, you treated it as VF — why?'.
Because the exported PDF carries the full timeline, the same debrief can be revisited a week later, shared with the candidate by email, or used as evidence of progress across multiple scenarios in a course.
What the app deliberately does not do
It does not score the candidate. CAStest marking is structured around behaviours and clinical decisions that no app can fairly grade, and pretending otherwise would be a disservice. The export is a factual timeline; the judgment about whether the candidate met the standard stays with the instructor.
It also does not invent dosing. Defaults are taken from the published RCUK and ERC ALS algorithms. Local variations (e.g. centre-specific energy levels or post-ROSC pathways) can be overridden per case, but the baseline is what the course manual says.
Frequently asked
- Will this help me pass the RCUK ALS course?
- It helps with the scribe role specifically, which candidates often see for the first time on the course. Practising with an algorithm-aware tool means you arrive knowing when adrenaline is due, when amiodarone is offered, and how the cycle clock relates to the rhythm check.
- Can instructors use it in CAStest and CASTeach scenarios?
- Yes. Run the timer during a CAStest scenario and use the exported PDF to drive the debrief. The timeline shows exactly when the candidate gave each drug, called each rhythm, and considered reversible causes.
- Does it match the RCUK ALS course manual?
- Defaults follow the current RCUK adult ALS algorithm: 2-minute cycles, 1 mg adrenaline every 3–5 minutes, 300 mg amiodarone after the 3rd shock and 150 mg after the 5th, biphasic shocks at 150–200 J. Paediatric mode mirrors the EPALS / PLS dosing.
- Can I save practice sessions to review later?
- Yes. Sign in to save sessions to your own account. The replay shows the full timeline with the same view the team leader had — useful for individual study before the test.
CPR Scribe runs in the browser, installs to your home screen, and works offline. No account needed to start — sign in only if you want to save records.