Getting trained in Advanced Cardiac Life Support is very important to healthcare providers. If you are a professional who works in a hospital or a similar area, it is likely that you will be required to have ALS certification. Certification makes sure that you have met all the standards set by the city you are working in when giving CPR under the ALS guidelines. ACLS is only focused on adult victims while the other ALS program – PALS – focuses on children.
ACLS in the clinical setting
Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) is an advanced program under the ALS – Advnced Life Support – guidelines from the American Heart Association. ALS programs differ from Basic Life Support programs because they are tailored specially for healthcare providers and professionals. In order to enrol in any of the ALS programs students need to have BLS certification as well as a passing grade on the pre-test practical and written examinations.
While BLS lessons teach trainees to handle one-person rescue situations (two-person for BLS for HCPs), ALS teaches trainees how to perform CPR in the clinical setting. Clinical set ups include any place with complete rescue equipment and medications, primarily in hospitals. ACLS teaches its trainees how to perform CPR on adult victims in these kinds of settings, as well as how to use a variety of medical equipment such as AEDs, bag valve masks, endrotracheal tubes, and medication used during a “code”. Code is medical lingo used to describe a patient experiencing cardiac arrest.
ACLS during training
The program curriculum for ACLS is focused on the following: the latest BLS and ALS guidelines, performing CPR in a clinical setting, medical equipment, and pharmacology for adults. The ACLS program we offer is completed over two days, having a total of 16 class hours. To qualify for ACLS training, students need to have a valid BLS for HCPs credential. They would also need to pass a practical and written exam before being accepted into the program. Because this is a program for healthcare providers only, the skills test and written exam given after all lessons and training are finished are mandatory.
Credentials
Once a program is completed and the final exams are passed, students are awarded completion cards or certificates. They are valid for two years only, after which they can be renewed through re-certification classes. ACLS has an available re-certification class that is 5 to 6 hours long. Expired certification means that you have to retake the entire 16-hour program again in order to receive a new certificate. If you plan on renewing your credentials, remember to sign up early, before the expiration date.
Enrolment
Signing up is quite easy with our providers. The provider pages have an online application form students can use to sign up for training. Even requests made through the telephone, e-mail, or in person are highly encouraged by our staff. You can’t find friendlier staff who are dedicated to providing quality service.