Online ACLS certification?

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Has anyone done the online ACLS certification? There are some places offering 100% certification online...I need to get mine and every hospital w/in an hour of me classes are full until summer or they do not let non-employees take them. One of the nurse educators I spoke to suggested online certification, telling me other nurses have done this where they can study, take the exam and get their card w/o having to go to 2 days of class or do 1/2 online and 1/2 in person. She said this is eventually the way it CPR, ACLS and PALS may end up going for those who have taken the classes at least once to save facilities money and nurses time. I just don't know....

Specializes in Peds/Neo CCT,Flight, ER, Hem/Onc.
I did not understand FlyScot's comment either.

There WAS a post from someone other than the OP that was two posts above mine. It was someone advertising for their company that is NOT AHA certified although they implied that they were legit. They got busted not the OP and their post was removed which makes mine not congruent with the conversation. Mine was not directed at the OP and if you look at post #10 you will see that I clarified this. Sheesh people, give me a break.

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These opinionated people don't know what they are talking about. There is one reason providers need ACLS, PALS, or BLS and that one reason is JCAHO. JCAHO requires providers in a facility to have ACLS, PALS, or BLS to accredit the facility and thus receive Medicade and Medicare reimbursement.

They don't require it to be from any specific organization and they don't require that it is accompanied by a live skills test. And lets be honest; the 5 minute live skills test is worthless!!! Real ACLS, PALS, and BLS hands-on skills are learned with real life experience!

Most facilities will accept online ACLS. those facilities that don't, require the course specifically from the AHA because they are ignorant with how it all works. You shouldn't be surprised by now that your manager may make arbitrary rules because they don't care to research what is really needed or required. I have used https://www.acls-pals-bls.com/ for years to recertify without any problems.

Cheers

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Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.
These opinionated people don't know what they are talking about. There is one reason providers need ACLS, PALS, or BLS and that one reason is JCAHO. JCAHO requires providers in a facility to have ACLS, PALS, or BLS to accredit the facility and thus receive Medicade and Medicare reimbursement.

They don't require it to be from any specific organization and they don't require that it is accompanied by a live skills test. And lets be honest; the 5 minute live skills test is worthless!!! Real ACLS, PALS, and BLS hands-on skills are learned with real life experience!

Most facilities will accept online ACLS. those facilities that don't, require the course specifically from the AHA because they are ignorant with how it all works. You shouldn't be surprised by now that your manager may make arbitrary rules because they don't care to research what is really needed or required. I have used https://www.acls-pals-bls.com/ for years to recertify without any problems.

Cheers

Anywhere I've gone to school or worked required ACLS, BLS, etc from AHA. I would also like a refresher every two years if I haven't had to use my BLS. I have never been to a 5 minute BLS class & I don't think it's pointless. All the education we do as nurses is important.

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Specializes in Peds/Neo CCT,Flight, ER, Hem/Onc.
These opinionated people don't know what they are talking about. There is one reason providers need ACLS, PALS, or BLS and that one reason is JCAHO. JCAHO requires providers in a facility to have ACLS, PALS, or BLS to accredit the facility and thus receive Medicade and Medicare reimbursement.

They don't require it to be from any specific organization and they don't require that it is accompanied by a live skills test. And lets be honest; the 5 minute live skills test is worthless!!! Real ACLS, PALS, and BLS hands-on skills are learned with real life experience!

Most facilities will accept online ACLS. those facilities that don't, require the course specifically from the AHA because they are ignorant with how it all works. You shouldn't be surprised by now that your manager may make arbitrary rules because they don't care to research what is really needed or required. I have used https://www.acls-pals-bls.com/ for years to recertify without any problems.

Cheers

Yeah, actually we do know what we are talking about. I have been ACLS certified since before JCAHO was even a blip on the radar. Let me see. You just signed up and have made one post on an ancient topic with a link to one of the non-AHA websites. Let's do the math.

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I've worked for a couple facilities that only offers online ACLS via Healthstream. It is AHA certified. Once you pass the online parts 1-3, you then have to go before an instructor and demonstrate chest compression and giving breathes. The online was more challenging than the classroom in my opinion. On the brightside, I retained more info.

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

Don't do it online if it's your first time. It's a skill you want to do in person. ACLS is not easy and it shouldn't be.

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Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.
I've worked for a couple facilities that only offers online ACLS via Healthstream. It is AHA certified. Once you pass the online parts 1-3, you then have to go before an instructor and demonstrate chest compression and giving breathes. The online was more challenging than the classroom in my opinion. On the brightside, I retained more info.

That's not a fully online class it's a hybrid. Theory online with in person skills demonstration. There are websites that skip the skills demonstration and claim validity

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Specializes in Critical Care and ED.

A lot of hospitals won't accept anything other than AHA. I know mine doesn't. I did do an online one once in a pinch, but if you need it to work in your unit I would go with the official AHA one. I couldn't get a class at my hospital either a few years ago, so I got online to another hospital and signed up for theirs. You can also contact your local EMTs and see if they offer any classes anywhere else. The official AHA one I did at another hospital was run by EMTs and Paramedics and was the best one I've done. I recerted early this year at my own hospital because the classes are so sporadic and I didn't want to lapse. This is the one thing I'm really up on keeping tabs on. I can't afford to let it lapse.

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Specializes in Palliative, Onc, Med-Surg, Home Hospice.
These opinionated people don't know what they are talking about. There is one reason providers need ACLS, PALS, or BLS and that one reason is JCAHO. JCAHO requires providers in a facility to have ACLS, PALS, or BLS to accredit the facility and thus receive Medicade and Medicare reimbursement.

They don't require it to be from any specific organization and they don't require that it is accompanied by a live skills test. And lets be honest; the 5 minute live skills test is worthless!!! Real ACLS, PALS, and BLS hands-on skills are learned with real life experience!

Most facilities will accept online ACLS. those facilities that don't, require the course specifically from the AHA because they are ignorant with how it all works. You shouldn't be surprised by now that your manager may make arbitrary rules because they don't care to research what is really needed or required. I have used https://www.acls-pals-bls.com/ for years to recertify without any problems.

Cheers

TJC can't make the rules, they can only make recommendations. CMS makes the rules.

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Specializes in Peds Critical Care, Dialysis, General.

My new facility has the Healthstream BLS, PALS and ACLS computer courses. I loved it! I think I learned more than I would have in a class. It was frustrating at times, but the computer showed me where I went wrong and had links to course material so I could read, make notes and reflect. I then went and did the basic skills. The megacode scenarios on the computer were rougher than actual class ever was!

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More and more hospitals are no longer the go-to source for AHA classes. It's becoming a privatized business, and there are a lot of "entrepreneurial training centers". Doing a quick search for the class name and city (eg acls classes knoxville) will pull those companies up.

I would caution you from taking an online only class. Yes, your current employer may except it, but things change. I've seen employers who for years excepted the online courses and then they made a policy change that specifically required AHA classes. At that point your time and money is lost. Also, you never know where life will take you. If you decide to pick up a part time job or change jobs all together, the other employer may not accept online certifications.

Your safest bet is to get the most recognized certification which is AHA. They do have the online AHA courses, and then you can find an instructor to do the skills session which is super easy. You just show up and do Adult CPR, basic airway management, and the megacode (which is optional if the instructor chooses to do that).

This website talks about everything you would need to know about ACLS certifications, the different formats, and what to look for in a training company.

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