What Is Advanced Cardiac Life Support?
Advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) is a set of medical treatments and clinical interventions meant to provide urgent care to patients suffering from life threatening ailments such as stroke, cardiac arrest, or other emergencies.
Nurses and other medical professionals can become certified in this discipline. They will learn how to implement these treatments and interventions themselves in the case of an emergency.
ACLS requires you to manage your airways, insert and manage IVs, understand complex emergency treatments and interventions, Basic Life Support (BLS), cardiopulmonary resuscitation, manual defibrillator training, automated electronic defibrillator (AED) and use advanced medical technology.
They also learn how to use electrocardiograms, properly manage someone’s airways, and emergency pharmacology.
Only qualified and trained medical professionals and healthcare providers can implement ACLS in emergency situations. These medical professionals include pharmacists, dentists, pediatricians, obstetricians, physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners, paramedics, emergency medical technicians (EMTs), and respiratory therapists.
The American Heart Association and International Liaison Committee On Resuscitation updates the standards and guidelines to ACLS every five years. Each update looks implement new aspects of life support and update the treatment methods as it related to emergency heart issues.
See also Nursing conversions
What Is Advanced Cardiac Life Support Certification?
The American Heart Association also runs certification programs for medical professionals who want or need to learn ACLS. They have online programs that are equipped with hands on and textbook training as well.
These programs are constantly being updated and advanced to include the newest methods in cardiac treatment. For those who want to get certified, the best way is to go through The American Heart Foundation. There are many programs that are credited through this organization.
This will ensure you provided with sufficient training and resources throughout the program. Hospitals and other healthcare organizations specifically look for ACLS programs that are accredited through The American Heart Association when looking for new employees.