acls

Specialties Ob/Gyn

Published

we currently do walking epidurals in l&d, our director now wants us all to have acls to care for epidurals in l&d (note we do not recover our own c/s)

we all have nrp, many of us have cerification in inpatient ob, and many of us do an extraordinary amount of committee work for our department. we are opposed to this additional certification. do any of you have acls just for the purpose of monitoring your labor pt who has had an epidural placed?

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

There IS a way around traditional ACLS I think, for OB nurses. AWHONN (I think) is putting together skills that are specific to the OB arena. I visit perinatal archives website and this was discussed there. I have ACLS myself, cause we circulate csectoin and tubal surgeries and do our own PACU-type recoveries on these people. I don't find this objectionable; the hospital pays for it and I learned a lot. granted, I use just about NONE of it and most does NOT apply, hence the need for an OB-specific skills class. But anyhow, I wish you luck. If you want to know how to get the the perinatal archive area, let me know. LOTS OF VALUABLE INTERCHANGES THERE FROM NURSES WHO PRACTICE OB WORLD WIDE!

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I think ACLS is a good idea for L&D nurses. While it may not happen often a patient does code on OB and L&D units. and one must be prepared for it.

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Specializes in OB.

I have avoided ACLS for years for 1 major reason - in the little (very) rural hospitals I worked before becoming a traveler, the person with ACLS was the one floated to ride in the back of the ambulance to transport pts. to other facilities. I'm talking about 130 miles on reservation roads in the middle of the night! I did it for my ob transports, but didn't want to get roped into it with grandpas.

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

Mark, whenever we call a code on OB (it has happened twice on the one floor I work on), a code team responds and shoves you out of they way and takes over. All we have time to do basically is the ABC's and BAM there is the code team. WE wind up being gophers and recording...hey you know what? That works just fine for me. And in the unfortunate event it happens in OR, we have anesthesia to run it...we know where the stuff is in the cart......... I just believe we don't use the skill enough to claim we are "ACLS TRAINED"!!!!

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I'm all for the ACLS training. In the hosp I worked at in CA, it was required of all L&D RNs, not required here in WA, but I believe it's heading that direction. We had a patient that had an MI during a section recently.

I would agree that the code team takes over, but I think more training is better, right!? (We do recover our sections.) I would hate to be in front of a jury being asked WHY I wasn't ACLS certified. JMO. LB

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

I am all for ACLS too.....as you can see. But I don't use it enuf to ever say I am SKILLED really... and I don't have time to dig out my pocketbook of algorithms to see what the HECK to do in a specific case.....it is kinda frightening to me to know I have ACLS cert. but don't even consider myself CLOSE to competent in ACLS! so, how useful am I in a true CODE BLUE? GEE, not too sure beyond doing BASIC EKG, ABCs and manning the crash cart. That kinda unnerves me. I bet FEW L and D nurses are truly competent in ACLS.....

...that is all I am saying. We circulate and recover our own sections, too, which is why ACLS is required where I work. where in wa do you live, lyla? I mean, area?:)

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Specializes in Everything except surgery.

Debbie there are several sites online, and programs that pose different scenarios, to help you keep fresh with algorhythms. If you're interested I can post a few..:). I have been ACLS cert for a while now...and out of the ICU also for a few years. But I do get cardiac pts, and you never know. I have seen code team running to a code, and go to the wrong floor several floors down...even wrong bldg even..:o

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

please do, brownie. thanks..I agree, you never know. But if you DO NOT USE A SKILL, it is DAMN hard to be competent in it. That is what worries me about ACLS.......I have NO way of knowing for sure how well I would do needing it...I hope to God well enough to help the patient survive til one more competent comes to take over for me! That is being HONEST!

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Specializes in Everything except surgery.

And I totally admire you for saying that Debbie. :) Here is a simulator course...that is pretty good.

http://www.anesoft.com/DEMO/acls/acls.html

Here is also some software...that you can download the demos...and their quite good. Check for the correct platform before downloading...as some of them may not be for your operating system. Most are Win95-98

http://www.madsci.com/quiklook.htm

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

THANKS! i will try them out!

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Originally posted by Lyla B

I'm all for the ACLS training. In the hosp I worked at in CA, it was required of all L&D RNs, not required here in WA, but I believe it's heading that direction. We had a patient that had an MI during a section recently.

I would agree that the code team takes over, but I think more training is better, right!? (We do recover our sections.) I would hate to be in front of a jury being asked WHY I wasn't ACLS certified. JMO. LB

I dunno. I'd rather be in front of a jury saying such certification is not a requirement and that I did perform duties within standards of care (BLS) rather than saying that I'm certified but didn't know what the heck to do because I never use the "skill".

Gail

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