ACLS

[Dustdevil]

Yeah, you can still occasionally find centres that run an old skool ACLS class, with lots of instruction and educational content. They are the exception to the rule these days, though.

I dunno your situation, nr, but if you are already extremely well versed in cardiology and pharmacology, and are comfortable running a cardiac code in your sleep, then just study the protocols and take the first class you can find.

If any of that is not second nature to you, then make a lot of phone calls and try to find a class that is in depth, and not just a wham-bam card vendorl. Large teaching hospitals are usually your best bet for these.

Good luck!

[OVeractiveBrain]

Im sure its been said alot, but since this thread got bumped ill say it again.

The AHA doesnt care if its providers know why they are doing certain things. Thats why you have paramedic school or medical school. The LEADER knows why; hes had additional training and education.

What the AHA wants people to learn is how to perform. When the doctor says start a line and push epi, he doesnt care if the nurse/medic/resident knows why they are doing it, he doesnt even care what level they are, just that it gets done.

The AHA recognized that adults learn better by seeing, repeating, and doing. Its the "jane fonda" workout tapes revolutionized for health care. By learning things like drug doses, sequence, closed communication loops, and team practice, they can ensure that all providers can then go into their own environments and adapt the simple skills to their setting. Do you have a phillips monitor or a wall-mounted paddle defibrillator? Who cares, you know what to charge at, and people know to stay away when shocking. Does your epi come in a pink box, blue box, ampule, or fire extinguisher? Who cares, the nurse will know how to draw it up, and the providers will know how much to give.

The knowledge of how and why doesnt save people when faced with cardiac arrest. People working well as a team and doing what they need to does. Yes, there will be the MD some where in there who knows whats going on (sometimes not) but the point is really to get people to learn and use their skills.

Go to medic / DO / MD / APRN / nursing / advanced medical professional school if you want to learn more.

Personally, I hate not being educated. But the fundemental fact is that I can learn these things in other avenues. AHA teaches how to save lives in a code and recognize the signs and symptoms of stroke and ACS.

overactive