ACLS and PALS online courses - important

Specialties CRNA

Published

I recall a thread in the not too distant past that mentioned the availability of online ACLS and PALS re-certification courses. While browsing online, I came across this piece of information that is available at http://www.acls.net/

ACLS.net Advisory

ALCS.net has received numerous inquiries about totally web-based Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) certification courses. ACLS.net strongly advises against such courses. Teaching ACLS and PALS involves intensive, person-to-person interaction, and hands-on practice in the use of lifesaving equipment.

Additionally, these courses are not approved by the American Heart Association and you will not be issued an American Heart Association ACLS/PALS card after completing such online courses.

(Source: http://www.wataugamc.org/doc/tc/lifeline.pdf)

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I used the aclsonline.org site to recertify both PALS and ACLS. It was a great experience and a fantastic option for the experienced provider. I was finished with both courses in a few hours (not including a couple of hours reviewing the Guidelines 2000 and the new PALS handbook).

The online courses are fully approved for CE credit from the AANA. While I certainly understand the "no online courses" stance of the AHA for the majority of healthcare personnel, I also understand that ACLS/PALS classes are revenue and publicity generators for the AHA. Could it be that their motive is not solely altruistic?

As CRNAs and SRNAs, we darn well better be able to diagnose a dysrhythmia (and you are not taught dysrhythmia interpretation in a modern ACLS/PALS class anyhow). And, as for the ABCs, don't we practice those hands-on skills every day? We may not fire up the defib monthly, but we have the professional responsibility of knowing how to use the equipment in our OR.

It's up to us to stay current on the recommendations for ACLS and PALS. If we have the self-motivation (and skill sets) to update our knowledge in self-guided study, why not? A few hours with the Guidelines 2000 and the PALS algorithms was far more revealing than 16 hours of generic, watered-down, classroom-based, "everybody passes as long as you attend" ACLS and PALS.

Just the other side of the fence - not at all directed to the OP....

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Athlein1

I agree with your argument 100%, as this these are the things that we deal with on a daily basis. My biggest concern is that the AHA does not recognize it as certification, which led me to question the validity of taking such courses. Has anyone had any problems?

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Specializes in Nurse Practitioner/CRNA Pain Mgmt.

I have renewed my ACLS/PALS online once. I have not had any problems with any of my previous employers questioning it's validity. They are accepted by the AANA & AACN.

Cheers.

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Athlein1

I agree with your argument 100%, as this these are the things that we deal with on a daily basis. My biggest concern is that the AHA does not recognize it as certification, which led me to question the validity of taking such courses. Has anyone had any problems?

I think the main problem would be if your employer/facility specifies the AHA ACLS or PALS courses. Mine does, so I'll have to go through the motions. Fortunately for us, we just do the written test and mega-code. In and out in less than an hour, unless we have to wait in line for our turn.

I used to teach ACLS and it was a really big deal many years ago. We did NOT pass everyone who came through, AHA required a physician medical director for each course, and it was a two-day ordeal that I finally got tired of. Of course it was really funny watching the EMT's sail through because they studied their butts off and watching the docs fail because they already thought they knew it all. And PALS? Great class, enjoyed taking it, but it was a joke for the pediatricians. They got so confused at the algorithms that their first step on a pulseless non-breathing child was to check capillary refill.:rotfl:

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I have heard that the Kaiser system here in California does NOT accept the non-AHA cards. A shame.

Gracie

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omg!!!!!!!!!!!!!! my daughter has to have 2 fillings and they are going to sedate her with demerol and vistaril. i grilled the pedia-dentist ("are you pals cert.? is there a crash cart in the office...etc. etc." -- you get the idea)..... and now i read that the pediatricians got all tripped up on the pals class ---- yikes... did not need to read this right now:nono: .

quick.... jwk - tell me something the drs did right to erase the bad memory -- lie if you must .........:chuckle

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omg!!!!!!!!!!!!!! my daughter has to have 2 fillings and they are going to sedate her with demerol and vistaril. i grilled the pedia-dentist ("are you pals cert.? is there a crash cart in the office...etc. etc." -- you get the idea)..... and now i read that the pediatricians got all tripped up on the pals class ---- yikes... did not need to read this right now:nono: .

quick.... jwk - tell me something the drs did right to erase the bad memory -- lie if you must .........:chuckle

it wasn't all of them - just a couple that got flustered. i find that docs in general do poorly on these types of standardized courses. they already think they know it all, and don't want to take the time to learn another way of doing things.

if your daughter has sedation in the dentist's office, make sure they're using a pulse ox and some o2. and who is monitoring your child? if it's the dentist doing the fillings, that's not the answer you want to hear.

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FYI for all -

If you must get an AHA ACLS card, here is a link. I did not know about this option when I renewed online with the course approved by the AANA. Have a look. It might fill the needs of those whose employers or schools require the ""AHA official stamp of approval" :rolleyes: .

For what it's worth, I haven't had anyone question my cards. For better or worse, they look just like the AHA cards, minus the logo on the upper right hand corner.

www.cprassociate.com

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omg!!!!!!!!!!!!!! my daughter has to have 2 fillings and they are going to sedate her with demerol and vistaril. i grilled the pedia-dentist ("are you pals cert.? is there a crash cart in the office...etc. etc." -- you get the idea)..... and now i read that the pediatricians got all tripped up on the pals class ---- yikes... did not need to read this right now:nono: .

quick.... jwk - tell me something the drs did right to erase the bad memory -- lie if you must .........:chuckle

vistaril? never heard that one. how about some versed? didn't they used to think phenergan et al potentiated pain meds, and discovered it was bs?

pulse ox and o2 sound good. i remember when i got my wisdom teeth out as a college student it was conscious sedation by the oral surgeon. everything was fine except puking afterward in the car. i think i'd insist on someone besides the dentist to monitor me if i had to do it again.

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JWK - sent you a PM......

thanks - Chrisitne

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Just wondering if anyone knows how the "mini-code" component of ACLS and PALS is fulfilled by renewing online. I have heard that is the main problem......you still have to get that done somehow. I don't know for sure that it is a problem but I did hear that somewhere.

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