ALS timer
An ALS timer that follows the RCUK algorithm with you
More than a stopwatch — this ALS timer arms the next drug, counts the shocks, and prompts the next rhythm check at the right minute. Built around the Resuscitation Council UK adult and paediatric ALS algorithms.
What you get
- Algorithm-aware promptsAdrenaline due at 3–5 min intervals, amiodarone armed after the 3rd shock then again after the 5th. Reversible-cause prompts appear during PEA or asystole.
- Shock counter wired to drug scheduleEach shock increments the count and adjusts what the drug panel offers next. Misclicks are reversible from the event log without resetting the timer.
- Adult and paediatric dosingAdult 1 mg / 300 mg / 150 mg defaults; paediatric switches to 10 mcg/kg, 5 mg/kg and 4 J/kg once a weight is entered.
- Tied to RCUK and ERC guidanceDefaults follow current Resuscitation Council UK and ERC ALS guidelines. Local variations (drug, energy) can be overridden per case.
Why the timer is built around the algorithm, not the clock
An arrest is not a stopwatch problem. The decisions that change outcome — when to give the next dose of adrenaline, whether amiodarone is due, what the rhythm at the next check might be — are all driven by the ALS algorithm, not by raw elapsed seconds.
This timer encodes that algorithm. The clock is there because the algorithm needs it, but the surface the team interacts with is shock count, drug due, and rhythm-check prompt. The arithmetic that the scribe used to do on a paper template is done by the app.
Where the defaults come from
All defaults are taken directly from the current Resuscitation Council UK adult ALS algorithm and the European Resuscitation Council 2021 guidelines: 2-minute cycles, single biphasic shocks at 150–200 J for adults, adrenaline 1 mg IV/IO every 3–5 minutes, amiodarone 300 mg after the 3rd shock and 150 mg after the 5th.
Paediatric defaults follow the corresponding PLS pathway: weight-based adrenaline at 10 mcg/kg (capped at the adult 1 mg dose), amiodarone at 5 mg/kg (capped at 300 mg), and energy at 4 J/kg.
Handling the awkward parts of the algorithm
Rhythm switches mid-arrest (VF to PEA and back) are common in real life and a frequent source of scribing errors. The timer treats rhythm as a logged event rather than a mode lock, so the team can flip back and forth without losing shock count or drug history.
Reversible causes (the 4 Hs and 4 Ts) surface as a tick-list during the rhythm check pause. They are not algorithmic in the same way, but they belong in the same workflow — and they belong in the final PDF, so the debrief can review what was and was not considered.
Frequently asked
- Which version of the ALS algorithm does it follow?
- The current Resuscitation Council UK adult ALS algorithm: 30:2 or continuous compressions with an advanced airway, 2-minute cycles between rhythm checks, single shocks for VF/pVT, adrenaline 1 mg every 3–5 minutes after the second shock for shockable rhythms or as soon as access is available for non-shockable, and amiodarone 300 mg after the 3rd shock with a further 150 mg after the 5th.
- What does the drug timer actually do?
- It tracks the interval since the last dose of adrenaline and shows when the next dose is due. Amiodarone is offered after the 3rd shock and again after the 5th, never twice. Magnesium and calcium are not auto-scheduled because they are case-specific.
- Does the shock counter advance the algorithm?
- Yes. Logging a shock increments the count and arms the amiodarone prompt at the correct shock number. Tapping it by mistake can be undone from the event log without losing the timer state.
- How does it handle PEA or asystole?
- Non-shockable rhythms suppress the amiodarone prompt and surface the reversible-cause checklist (4 Hs and 4 Ts) instead. Adrenaline is offered as soon as IV/IO access is recorded.
- Can it be used for paediatric ALS?
- Yes. Switch to paediatric mode and enter a weight. Adrenaline becomes 10 mcg/kg (max 1 mg), amiodarone 5 mg/kg (max 300 mg), and shock energy 4 J/kg. Cycle length and overall flow follow the PLS algorithm.
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.