What is an ACLS & a BCLS certification? Is it the CPR training...

Nurses General Nursing

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That you get before you take clinicals? I am just not sure. I have seen that ACLS and BCLS are required for certain positions in hospitals and I do not know what it is. I did get my CPR thing done a few months ago and I and certified in that. Is that what this all is?

(The following ACLS AND BCLS videos added by staff to help readers.)

ACLS Video Review
[video=youtube_share;4QIzIQyJWgU]

BCLS Orientation for the American Heart Association Certification Class
[video=youtube_share;tjmeLsYCD0M]
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Basic cardiac life support and advanced cardiac life support......the cpr cert is way more simple. Usually the hospital you are emplyed at will pay for these trainings.

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Nurse_Ben said:
Basic cardiac life support and advanced cardiac life support......the cpr cert is way more simple. Usually the hospital you are emplyed at will pay for these trainings.

Thanks! I checked my card and I am ACLS and BCLS certified. I took the 9 hour course at a hospital and I juts never relaized what I had taken. Cool! I am ACSL and BCLS certified! lol

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Are you sure?! You might want to check again. BCLS is cpr for medical professionals. ACLS is a whole other story!! I dont know that students can even take ACLS. It involves reading rythms (V-tach, V-fib, etc ). Once you have ACLS certification - you can pretty much "run" the code if a MD isnt present. You would know if you had taken an ACLS class - it is much harder than cpr or bcls. Ask one of your instructors.

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Specializes in Med/Surg.

Wow! ACLS ceritifed after one 9 hour course? BCLS only took one day, but the ACLS took me 30+ hours (4 8-hr.days) in the classroom and an exam to get ACLS certified.

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KibbsRNstudent said:
Thanks! I checked my card and I am ACLS and BCLS certified. I took the 9 hour course at a hospital and I juts never relaized what I had taken. Cool! I am ACSL and BCLS certified! lol

Right there you are wrong. Each certification has its own card. ACLS has its own card and will say Advanced Cardiac Life Support, BCLSA will say Basic Life Support. ACLS is a full two day class for those taking it for the first time, and you would not be taking it as a brand new student since you would have to know all of your cardiac drugs as well as EKG rhythms and dysrhthmias.

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KibbsRNstudent said:
Thanks! I checked my card and I am ACLS and BCLS certified. I took the 9 hour course at a hospital and I juts never relaized what I had taken. Cool! I am ACSL and BCLS certified! lol

Right there you are wrong. Each certification has its own card. ACLS has its own card and will say Advanced Cardiac Life Support, BCLSA will say Basic Life Support. ACLS is a full two day class for those taking it for the first time, and you would not be taking it as a brand new student since you would have to know all of your cardiac drugs as well as EKG rhythms and the abnormals.

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ok. Maybe it was only a BCLS. But I know i was able to learn the whole thing includin using the "dummy" machines that can shock a heart back into rhythum (sp)in a public place like an airport or school. It was pretty involved but I guess it was not the ACLS. But I am sure we had to do the BCLS beofre we are allowed to take clinicals this fall

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KibbsRNstudent said:
ok. Maybe it was only a BCLS. But I know i was able to learn the whole thing includin using the "dummy" machines that can shock a heart back into rhythum (sp)in a public place like an airport or school. It was pretty involved but I guess it was not the ACLS. But I am sure we had to do the BCLS beofre we are allowed to take clinicals this fall

You had a CPR class, using the automatic defibrillator is included. They also teach that to non-medical personnel. Read what your card says, exactly, that came from the American Heart Assosication. What you learned is definitely not the "whole thing." Just the tip of the iceburg. You have al lot of learning yet to go.

This is entirely different from ACLS................I can promise you that.........

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suzanne4 said:
You had a CPR class, using the automatic defibrillator is included. They also teach that to non-medical personnel. Read what your card says, exactly, that came from the American Heart Assosication. What you learned is definitely not the "whole thing." Just the tip of the iceburg. You have al lot of learning yet to go.

This is entirely different from ACLS................I can promise you that.........

Mine is a BCLS. I called to confirm. The hospital that paid for it told me this. I took this with other doctors at a hospital. I did have an exam and it says BCLS on the certification. Promise.

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KibbsRNstudent said:
Mine is a BCLS. I called to confirm. The hospital that paid for it told me this. I took this with other doctors at a hospital. I did have an exam and it says BCLS on the certification. Promise.

Just making sure that you read the card, remember you were the one that said that you also took ACLS. You said that your card said that you were ACLS certified.

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are you in school still? please tell me you're not a nurse. this thread is starting to scare me.

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