Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS)

This class is accredited by the American Heart Association and results in a two-year American Heart Association certification.

Through the ACLS course, providers will enhance their skills in the treatment of the adult victim of a cardiac arrest or other cardiopulmonary emergencies. ACLS emphasizes the importance of basic life support CPR to patient survival; the integration of effective basic life support with advanced cardiovascular life support interventions; and the importance of effective team interaction and communication during resuscitation.

ACLS is based on simulated clinical scenarios that encourage active, hands-on participation through learning stations where students will practice essential skills individually, as part of a team, and as team leader.

Description per American Heart Association website, retrieved from http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3011972

Topics Included

• Recognizing and initiating early management of peri-arrest conditions
• Managing cardiac arrest
• Identifying and treating ischemic chest pain and acute coronary syndromes
• Recognizing other life-threatening clinical situations (such as stroke) and providing initial care
• ACLS algorithms
• Effective resuscitation team dynamics

Description per American Heart Association website, retrieved from http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3011972

Scope of Practice Disclaimer

We welcome students of RN programs, EMT-Basics and LPNs in our ALS level courses. We recognize that many EMTs and LPNs will become Paramedics and RNs one day. Please be aware that this class will NOT license or certify you to exceed your current scope of practice. It is your responsibility to understand your scope of practice and contact your medical director, training officer / nurse educator or regulatory agency (EMS division, Board of Nursing) if you have questions.

Textbook

You must obtain the textbook for pre course study. As we they are available for less from amazon.com or other sources, or can be borrowed from a medical library, we do not include the text in the cost of the class. The text must be the most current American Heart Association ACLS Provider Manual, ISBN: 0874934966. This book is commonly available at Red Rocks Community College Bookstore, Amazon.com and other sources.

Pre-course Requirements

Prior to the start of your class, you MUST complete the precourse exercises on the CD included in the book with a score of 90% or better. This includes having knowledge of EKG recognition and pharmacology.

• You must bring your printed precourse test with you to the class.
• If your precourse scores are below 80% in any category or below 90% overall, please review the areas of concern and retake the entire test.
• If your book did not include the CD, please contact us immediately so we can forward this to you.
• If you do not complete the precourse exercises with the minimum required score, you will not be able to receive a certificate of completion.

You can combine the American Heart Association's Heartcode ACLS Part 1 option with a skills session to obtain ACLS certification. The AHA offers part 1 on-line at http://www.onlineaha.org. The AHA charges a separate fee for the on-line material. Following completion of the on-line section, print out the verification and register for a recertification class

Cost, Length and Schedules:

* Session length can vary due to participant experience and other factors.