Help - taking ACLS for the first time

gradRN2007, BSN, RN · Sep 25, 2008

Hi

I just took ACLS and passed yesterday. So stressful but codes are stressful.

I didn't spend any money because I am working as a new grad RN (1.5y) and the hospital paid for me to go to class. I am glad that I have a year of RN experience on a cardiac floor before I went. OMG, the pretest i took the first time was a 75% looking at the book, then i went to barnes and noble studied 6 hrs (just like nursing school) went home studied more and took the test with notes and got an 87%..they didn't even look at my test

I missed one question on the written and they really help you with the megacode. It was different though because we were with the same group of 4 both days and then when testing came everyone ws in a group of 3, that was totally different than what we had been doing but it was okay.

I came away with pulse or no pulse and stable or unstable (symtomatic or asymptomatic), stable do meds if a pulse and unstable with a pulse probably have to defib. know your 6 h"S and 5 t's and know that they only think you can do in the t's is the 3 needles, pneumothorax, tampanode and fluids.

good luck and i am sure you will do fine, there was a great nurse in our group from illinois who was traveling to her first assignment in florida and on friday they said where is your acls, she never needed it so they gave her a book and sent her to the class. she missed 5, changed an answer so has to take the written again. now that was a lot of stress, she never had to look at ekgs, blocks etc....in labor and delivery!

so if you are traveling then i would get my acls, never know when you need it

best of luck hope this helped