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

[KibbsRNstudent]

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]

[HJBeans]

Nurse_Ben said:

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

I agree. I hope a nurse knows what she is certified in. ACLS is serious stuff.

[KacyLynnRN]

HJ Beans & Nurse Ben... right there with you!! I thought I was losing my mind for a minute!!

:) Kacy

[Paramedicated]

HUm............

I would hope an RN or even a first year student would know what and AED is....

Heprin, anyone..

[BBFRN, BSN, PhD]

Yep- BLS & ACLS are 2 totally different things, and since current BLS certification is required to take the ACLS, they can't be given concurrently. Plus, in my facility you also have to be Telemetry certified prior to taking the ACLS course. If your card says both, then it isn't AHA approved, and probably won't be accepted by your future employer.

I have heard that some RN programs are including ACLS cert. in their curriculum prior to allowing students to do critical care clinicals, but I'm pretty sure they have to pass advanced cardio first (I hope).

I agree with Suzanne- if you've taken the ACLS training, you know...lol. It's an entirely different experience, and includes way more than just the AED training.

[justjenny]

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

What you have is BLS. It is one step up from the basic CPR course and is designed for students and "medical professionals"

I asked the RNs running my BLS class if it were possible for me to take the ACLS before becoming an RN and they gave me the strangest look!

Typically, RNs and above and Paramedics are ACLS trained (not quite sure about BCLS) ACLS is NOT a simple course (that is my understanding) and is typically paid for by the employer (as other members stated)

HTH ?

Jenny

ADN Dec 2005

[Katnip, RN]

It's strange, though. A new grad I worked with said her card also said ACLS, even though she knew full well she only had BLS.

Anyway. ACLS is waaaay beyond BLS. You need to really know your cardiac rythms and what actions and drugs to give for each. Very intensive. Very nerve-wracking just preparing for your first one.

I haven't even been through ACLS yet. Was going to get it at my old job, but left before the exam. But I did start studying and I had nightmares about it. So did the others who were taking it. From what I understand, the reality of the course isn't near as bad as the nightmares. I hope. I will be scheduled to be taking it soon for my new job in ED. Along with PALS and NRP.

[BBFRN, BSN, PhD]

Nah- not as bad as the nightmares...lol. You can do as many practice runs in the different kinds of code situations as you feel you need before you check off. They want you to pass, and are supportive. I juse re-certed last week and had to "run" the PEA mega code twice before I felt comfortable enough to check off on it. Most of it is nervousness at being in the spotlight in front of your peers...lol. For some reason that can be more nerve-wracking than being involved in a real code (at least for me). The written post-test isn't so hard after doing the practice codes, because you have a visual in your head.

[HJBeans]

I think once you actually experience the code, it is a different story. You can study, know all of the stuff, but it's during the real codes you learn.

The thing about ACLS as opposed to BLS (to the original poster) is in ACLS you learn what drug to push (Atropine &/or Epi, Lidocaine etc...) There is NO WAY a student should be certified to push any of these drugs unsupervised. You need to know what to push. You follow protocol. There are no orders. You just have to know.

Also, it involves looking at the monitor and YOU deciding "does he/she need to be defibrilated or not?" The machine does not tell you "shock advised" Then you control how many joules you are going to shock them with.

[BBFRN, BSN, PhD]

ACLS cert. doesn't give allow them to give the drugs unsupervised- they still have to adhere to the guidelines of practice restrictions. For example, I got my first ACLS certification as an LPN. I still was bound by licensure not to push those meds. And before you think it's scary for an LPN to be ACLS certified- I was the only nurse on my floor to have that certification (not 1 RN had it). How scary is that for a trauma 1 floor with telemetry beds? I couldn't push the meds, but I caught more codes early on than I can count on both hands- and most weren't my patients. I had to use what I learned many times to help other nurses interpret what was going on, and there were things I could do within my scope of practice to help, so it was beneficial for me to have it. I think that's why it's a good thing for student nurses to have ACLS certification. They may not be able to push the meds, but they might have a clearer understanding of what's going on when a pt starts showing signs of an impending code situation.

[HJBeans]

lgflamini said:

I got my first ACLS certification as an LPN.

That's good to know. Honestly, I didn't know they could be certified. The last hospital I worked at (Cleveland Clinic Weston) didn't use LPN's in that hospital and that's where I took my latest recert. In my initial ACLS class I don't recall whether there were LPN's or not.