When you’re in the medical field, your education doesn’t stop when you graduate from college. We’ll explain what ACLS certification is, what you’ll learn, and who needs this certification. We’ll also cover how you become ACLS certified, previous education you need, and when you should complete this coursework.
ACLS stands for advanced cardiovascular life support. It’s a cardiovascular emergency certification that particular types of nurses and other medical professionals are required to obtain as part of their continuing education.
An ACLS course builds upon the CPR procedures and other things you learned about in your BLS (basic life support) course. Anyone who takes ACLS certification training should have already learned BLS skills. They should also have completed training in vascular access, airway management, basic ECG rhythm interpretation, and adult resuscitation drugs. Even so, you may be able to get away with obtaining your BLS at the same time you earn your ACLS.
During ACLS certification training, you’ll learn more about pharmacology. You’ll learn about the early signs of cardiac emergencies, post-cardiac arrest care, how to handle acute coronary syndromes, and how to handle strokes. You’ll learn about ACLS algorithms for life-threatening emergencies, resuscitation medications and dosage, airway devices and management, and BLS and ACLS surveys. You’ll also learn about team dynamics and effective communication.
Because ACLS certification coursework builds on previous medical coursework, it is not something that the general public should attempt to tackle and complete as one-off training. ACLS training is geared toward medical professionals who would use cardiorespiratory knowledge on the job daily. These would include physicians, physicians assistants, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, CRNAs, paramedics, EMTs, dentists, and other healthcare professionals.
There are various places that offer ACLS certification training. The first place you should inquire is your employer. You could also see what hospitals or other healthcare facilities offer in-person ACLS classes. A third alternative is self-paced online training. No matter where you get your ACLS certification, you’ll need to renew it every two years.
Regarding training deadlines, you should have your BLS certification before you get your ACLS certification. All certifications should be obtained before starting a new job. Online training options let you work at your own pace.
To recap, advanced cardiovascular life support (ACLS) certification training is part of a series of training required for professionals working in emergency rooms or critical care facilities. The ACLS coursework builds on BLS and other required coursework and should therefore not be attempted by the general public as a one-off course. Several places offer ACLS certification training, including convenient online sources.