Nursing faculty/ACLS certified?

[lynswim]

Should nursing instructors be ACLS certified? We are having this discussion where I work (ADN program). My thoughts are that ACLS is not necessary to teach; however, I can't find any data either for or against this. Any help/input appreciated!

Thanks :)

[VickyRN, MSN, DNP, RN]

It's an intriguing thought, but never had this come up before. What would be the rationale for requiring nursing instructors to be ACLS certified? In what capacity would they be expected to use this certification at a clinical site? Generally when a code or near code is called in a clinical area, the students and nursing faculty are expected to get out of the way to make room for the flock of residents, rapid response team, facility nurses, respiratory therapist, etc., to work on the patient.

[llg, PhD, RN]

My thoughts exactly. Why would they need it? They are not going to be running codes anywhere.

If they are teaching the content related to codes, then maybe that particular teacher might want to be ACLS certified -- not for the certifcation for practice reasons, but to be sure they have the up do date information to teach students. But that would only be reasonable for the specific instructors teaching the content about codes -- not every faculty member.

It would make no sense for the peds person or the fundamentals person or the person teaching classes such as theory or research (in BSN programs).

[lkwashington]

Maybe the OP saying ACLS in general not just at a clinical site but at the school they are teaching. I am ACLS certified this is just because I still work in the hospital clinical setting. To work as a nursing instructor you should be atleast BLS certified just in case someone at nursing school goes into an emergent episode.

[llg, PhD, RN]

But why would they need it at school (unless they are teaching that content)? They are not going to be doing more than BCLS if there is an emergency in the school environment.

Faculty have enough hoops to jump through without adding a requirement for this content that they will not use.

[lkwashington]

But why would they need it at school (unless they are teaching that content)? They are not going to be doing more than BCLS if there is an emergency in the school environment.

Faculty have enough hoops to jump through without adding a requirement for this content that they will not use.

I can tell you first hand. Im a nursing instructor. When I was hired one of the first things they ask along with my proof of my licensure was my BLS certification. The school I am instructor at also have atleast 3 instructor that teaches BLS to the students who are not certified. I remember when I started school it was one of the requirements.

You are telling me if a patient crashes in a room and the only people in the room is the student nurse and instructor. You would just call a code, stand back and watch, and the two people can just intiate basic CPR til the other healtcare providers come and take over. The first 9 seconds or less is viable to patient survival.

In my opinion if a instructor who is going to be in the clinical setting of a acute care facility needs to be able BLS certified.

[lkwashington]

I total agree with all post above stating about ACLS certification. It could a requirement for their school and they must have their own reasons. It is someting to think about. There are too many things changing in the healthcare field today. This maybe somehting we need to keep in mind.

[llg, PhD, RN]

I can tell you first hand. Im a nursing instructor. When I was hired one of the first things they ask along with my proof of my licensure was my BLS certification. The school I am instructor at also have atleast 3 instructor that teaches BLS to the students who are not certified. I remember when I started school it was one of the requirements.

You are telling me if a patient crashes in a room and the only people in the room is the student nurse and instructor. You would just call a code, stand back and watch, and the two people can just intiate basic CPR til the other healtcare providers come and take over. The first 9 seconds or less is viable to patient survival.

In my opinion if a instructor who is going to be in the clinical setting of a acute care facility needs to be able BLS certified.

No ... I'm saying that they would use their BCLS skills to begin the code. The code team would then arrive, the crash cart, etc. and the staff of that hospital would run the code -- NOT the nursing instructor who does not work at that hospital. I don't want someone who is a relative stranger to that environment and staff to be in the thick of such an event. The instructor should get out of the way and allow the facility's regular team to handle it. All the instructor should do is initiate CPR and call the code.

I am all for instructors having BCLS ... but I see no need for ACLS because any codes should be run by the hospital staff, not by an "outsider" who does not work for that facility.

If there are SOME instructors who teach resuscitation content and/or who work in clincal areas where they would be expected to actively participate in a code, then I have no objection to them being ACLS certified. But there is no need for 100% of faculty members to be ACLS certified. It is not needed by many nurses and/or for many instructors. We don't even teach it at my (children's) hospital. We teach PALS to our staff.

[dorimar, BSN, RN]

I think it would depend in what area you teach. I teach critical care and am ACLS certified. I actually teach a little ACLS in the critical care nursing course although if they are going to work in the critical care setting (and sometimes telemetry) they will have to take a real course & get certified. I believe if you are doing a clinical in ED or critical care you should be ACLS certified, because this is knowledge required to work in those settings and after all, you are teaching them basic practice in those settings. I also think if you are teaching critical care nursing in the classroom you should be ACLS certified. I do not think that it should be a requirement for teaching any other area (fundamentals, MS, etc.)

[epinephRN]

Instructors should maintain certifications and credentialing in their areas of expertise and teaching. Anything else is a waste of money and time. As mentioned before, how is requiring ACLS for a NICU nurse any more reasonable than requiring all faculty to have STABLE and NRP, including those who teach about the care of adults only? This doesn't make sense to me.

As others have mentioned, BLS is a necessity. Other than that, instructors should consider certifications and credentialing appropriate to their specialty.

[qhilldogs]

I agree that you need to be certified in the area you teach. I am 100% pro certification if you are working/teaching in an area you may need to use the skills. I am a PCCN nurse ACLS certified and teach an acute care facility as well as work part time there. If i did not work there I would think twice about PCCN but not ACLS. You (faculty) need to set the example for the students.