Should OR RN's be ACLS/PALS certified?

[sharann]

Ok, remembering that I work PACU my question occurs because out hospital has determined that it is unecessary for the OR nurses to take ACLS etc, except for BLS(basic life support) since there is an anesthesiologist in the room. This is purely a cost cutting matter we believe. Whats up in your neck of the woods? We are a 290 bed acute care facility averaging 15 cases(give or take) a day.

Thanks,

[jwk]

Oh my God....O.R. nurses that do not need A.C.L.S????????????????? NUTS!!! TOTALLY NUTS!!!!!!

Why is it nuts? There are plenty of hospitals where it is NOT required for OR nurses.

[R.T.]

We have 26 OR rooms, and nurses are not required to be ACLS or PALS certified in the OR. The hospital pays .10 an hour for each certification, and we do about 3 IV conscious sedation cases a year. The nurses who are ACLS or PALS certified do not feel comfortable in that role because of the lack of use. We have CRNA'a and Anesthesiologists present on typically 99.9% of cases. I am now the Clinical Manager for the OR and when I was ACLS certified, always felt uncomfortable when assigned to give IV conscious sedation. I usually did 1 case a year and did not have time to sit with the CRNA or MD and watch and learn to be confortable in that role. I do not require my nurses to put their licenses on the line when we have staff (CRNA's) who are trained and use that skill everyday.

[cwazycwissyRN, RN]

Our hospital does not require ACLS/PALS for OR nurses. However, if you want to be able to administer conscious sedation then you must have ACLS. Personally I consider it a professional responsibility to keep up my certifications, even if the chances of my having to use any of my knowledge are (thank God) slim to none, because of the presence of MDAs and CRNAs in the rooms. Just because you "don't have to" do something doesn't mean you shouldn't do it anyway.

Ellen

To the original question. Yes.

Do I agree with the above post? Yes,

Been a nurse for 14 years, worked ER,OR, SCU and MS...were there drugs and treatments on this years ACLS that I had changed and or that I had not heard of......................YES

Times change, advances are made........to be aware or not to be...that is the question :)

[Sarah, RNBScN]

Our OR is small we are a district hospital. Our OR staff do not even start IV's. They are BCL only. The anesthetist does it all. We only have 3-4 rooms running a day. We only provide general surgery, ob/gyn, dentals, ortho and some uro. We do not have card/thoracic surgeon nor steady urologist or ENT.

I feel that as a RN regardless of where you work, you should have ACLS. I like many of you on the board have worked many areas and most codes will go smoothly if you have people around that know what to do.

JMO

Sarah

[sharann, BSN, RN]

Ok, how about the OR open heart team nurses out there. Are you expected to have ACLS or is it the same as regular OR nurses?

[spidermonkey]

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