IV Therapy/Blood Withdrawal or ACLS/EKG Cert?

nrsang97, BSN, RN · Aug 4, 2012

Hi, I'm having a hard time deciding whether to take an IV Therapy/Blood Withdrawal class or get ACLS/EKG certification. What are the pros and cons of each? Also, which would look better on a resume?
If you please check the websites below and tell me what you think.
IV Therapy
ACLS/EKG
Thanks.
P.S., I'm currently a BSN Student.

I would take ACLS.

caliotter3 · Aug 4, 2012

Both. What types of jobs are next in line for your job hunting efforts? I would take ACLS first because IV certification is not required for an RN. That course is mainly intended for LPNs that are required to have those skills for a specific job.

mszs0ngz · Aug 5, 2012

Thanks for both your replies. I think I'm gonna do both :)

Good Morning, Gil · Aug 5, 2012

ACLS/EKG cert can be used in any bedside nursing job, and is especially helpful if you're one of the few on your unit that has it.

IV therapy wouldn't be especially helpful; you get proficient doing IV's on the job, not by taking a course. Personally, I wouldn't spend the money on it. I would invest the money into the ACLS course (ACLS is not cheap), and look into attending free continuing ed courses that are in your nursing area of interest.

mszs0ngz · Aug 8, 2012

Thanks for your response. Very helpful!

bubblejet50 · Aug 8, 2012

I took acls. I found it was very useful to have and a lot of jobs prefer that cert

Sherri Birdsall · Oct 16, 2013

What Caliotter3 and Good Morning were saying was more accurate around 3 years ago, however, with the current job market currently inundated with qualified professionals and a limited number of positions open, things have changed. Resumes are now only being considered when there is every certification under the sun on them, including Iv Therapy and Blood Withdrawal, ACLS, and EKG.

The IV Therapy and Blood Withdrawal course is a must have for new hires, even if the position sought is not specific to IV Therapy. Hospitals consider certified employees a good way to reduce liability in the workplace. The IV and Blood Withdrawal certifications do not expire, as long as your license remains current, so that may be something to consider as well.

The ACLS course used to be provided by the employer once an applicant was hired, for free. This was an expensive option for employers and has been dropped by many hospitals. The Benefit of the EKG course is the certification does not expire, and may be more cost effective to take sooner rather than later. The ACLS you may wish to take if the position expressly states it is necessary for the position since it expires every 2 years.

The provider you linked to above allows students to retake classes at a later date in case a student wants to brush up on their skills and keep current. It is an option I haven't seen at any other provider. They also apply discounts when registering for multiple classes. Hope that helps!