Important Information On Acls Houston Residents Need To Know

By Tamika Quinn


If they consider undertaking training in acls Houston residents need to be well informed beforehand to know what is required of them. Advanced Cardiac Life Support or ACLS is a set of clinical interventions done to resuscitate a patient who has had a stroke, cardiac or pulmonary arrest. The aim of this intervention is to prevent deterioration and to restore normal cardiac and pulmonary function.

Advanced cardiac life support training is highly recommended for healthcare professionals who are often faced with emergency situations requiring them to manage cardiovascular emergencies. Personnel most likely to benefit include those who offer emergency response, those in emergency medicine, intensive care units and critical care units.

The students are expected to gain basic life skills that include effective chest compression, the use of bag and mask, airway management, effective communication as members of a team or team leaders. They should be able to recognise and manage respiratory and cardiac arrest promptly. Related conditions such as symptomatic bradycardia that occur around the time of cardiac arrest should also be recognised and treated early.

The recommended duration for the initial provider course is 10 to 12 hours. Within this time period, a participant is taught various skills, gets an opportunity to practise by themselves and is tested by the trainers. Recertification of previously trained persons takes five to six hours. One instructor should handle a maximum of 6 students using 2 manikins. If a classroom-based approach is to be used, video images are used to demonstrate the various skills.

Several stations, each with a specific skill to be picked, are set up. The student is confronted with a clinical scenario likely to be faced in real life in each of these stations. They are expected to respond by applying the skills and knowledge gained from the training. Active participation through role playing ensures that skills are reinforced. If a classroom approach is being used, the important skills are played on video. Learners get a chance to interact in groups and to give feedback to their trainers.

Once the course has been completed successfully, the participant is issued with a course completion card. To get this card, students need to demonstrate skills competency in the required stations, they have to pass the CPR and AED skills and should also be skilled in bag and mask ventilation. An additional requirement is that they must pass a Megacode test as well as a written test. The card is valid for two years beyond which a renewal course must be undertaken.

To remain updated with the most current protocols, qualified persons are advised to attend continuous medical education courses. The American Heart Association, AHA, offer a number of these courses on a regular basis. AHA is accredited by the CECBEMS, Continuing Education Coordinating Board for Emergency Medical Services to offer these courses. There are other providers whose charges vary although some suggestions on pricing are made by the AHA.

There are two types of acls Houston residents can enrol in. These are the HeartCode ACLS and the ACLS experienced provider. Whichever of these two one chooses, the important thing to remember is that extensive knowledge and hands-on practice is needed to master either of them. After a review of guidelines done by the AHA in 2010, Basic Life Support, BLS, is currently recognised as a key component of ACLS and individuals intending to be trained in ACLS will be well advised to have prior training in BLS.




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