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ACLS classes: the next step in your CPR training development

Manual for the CPR Seattle ACLS class CPR Seattle offers several levels of CPR training.

Our Heartsaver classes are intended for the lay rescuer - those whose occupations may put them in situations where they may need to offer aid to a victim. This can include coaches, massage therapists, acupuncturists, day care workers, construction workers, etc. The next level of training, BLS/CPR for Healthcare Providers, is required for those that work in healthcare professions. This includes nurses, physicians, EMT trainees, dental hygienists, some physical therapists, basically those who work in a hospital setting. And then, beyond all that, we have the ACLS class, which stands for Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support. This class is appropriate for those healthcare professionals who are required to supervise or participate in the treatment of cardiovascular emergencies as a normal part of their job description. It emphasizes team performance and communication as an integral part of emergency and post-emergency care. Advanced airway management and relevant pharmacology are also learned during this intensive course. Group scenarios are used for practice and testing, and each student is given a chance to practice both directing and participating in relevant, case-based examples. Management of acute coronary syndromes and stroke are included in the training as well. The ACLS course employs learning stations and lots of hands-on practice in order to ensure each student gets the experience and the feedback they need to develop and perfect their ACLS skills. The class encourages discussion and dialogue between all students in order to develop the team dynamics necessary for successful treatment of patients.Successful course completion requires demonstration of skills competency in all learning stations, passing the CPR and AED skills test, bag-mask ventilation skills test, a Megacode test and a written test.  Students will then be eligible to receive an American Heart Association ACLS course completion card, valid for two years.

The ACLS training itself has several options for students, depending on their experience level.

Students new to the concepts and skills, or those who have not been exposed to them for a period of time, enroll in the ACLS - Initial Provider course (often just referred to as ACLS). At CPR Seattle, this course runs approximately 12-14 hours over two class sessions on two consecutive days. For those who have already completed an ACLS course, but just need a refresher and renewed certification, there is the ACLS Renewal course, which runs 6-7 hours.  A new level of ACLS training introduced in 2013 is the ACLS for Experienced Providers course, which is intended for those highly experienced and proficient healthcare providers who consistently direct and lead emergency treatment for patients. Students taking this class learn the very latest guidelines, based on 2010 AHA Guidelines for CPR and ECC, the 2013 American College of Cardiology Foundation (ACCF)/AHA Guidelines for the Management of ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction, and the 2012 ACCF/AHA Focused Update of the Guideline for the Management of Patients With Unstable Angina/Non–ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction. Currently CPR Seattle does not offer this advanced course.

Many of our BLS students will eventually complete the ACLS course as their careers develop or to prepare for additional training. We encourage those interested persons to contact CPR Seattle at any time for more details on the ACLS programs, and for information on the preparatory work that the class entails.


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Published on November 25, 2013