This Initial Provider course is designed to teach the knowledge and skills required to implement the American Heart Association’s ACLS treatment guidelines in the learner’s practice setting and improve the outcomes for adult patients with cardiac arrest and other cardiopulmonary emergencies.

Target Audience

The participant in this course is a currently active healthcare provider based in a practice setting that requires ACLS knowledge and skills as a condition of employment. The class is targeted to first time providers and providers who do not routinely use ACLS in their practice setting as a part of their job duties.

Prerequisites

Providers enrolling in the ACLS provider course must be proficient in the following:

• Performing BLS CPR skills using 2010 AHA Guidelines for CPR and ECC
• Reading and interpreting ECGs
• Understanding ACLS drugs
• Performing the BLS Survey and the ACLS Survey

Providers that have taken ACLS before may register for the ACLS Update Course instead.  The participants will be required to self assess their level of knowledge and skills by logging onto the American Heart Association web site (www.heart.org/eccstudent using the password “compression”) prior to registration.

Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, the student will:

• Recognize and initiate early management of periarrest conditions that may result in cardiac arrest or complicate resuscitation outcome
• Demonstrate proficiency in providing BLS care, including prioritizing chest compressions and integrating use of an automated external defibrillator (AED)
• Recognize and manage respiratory arrest
• Recognize and Manage cardiac arrest until termination of resuscitation or transfer of care, including immediate post-cardiac arrest care
• Recognize and initiate early management of acute coronary syndromes (ACS), including appropriate disposition
• Recognize and initiate early management of stroke, including appropriate disposition
•  Demonstrate effective communication as a member or leader of a resuscitation team and recognize the impact of team dynamics on overall team performance

The course fee is $250 for 12 Contact Hours and includes the Nursing Unlimited Homestudy Guide and ACLS Provider Manual from Nursing Unlimited’s Library (which is to be returned at the end of class, or may be purchased for $30).

Please remember to include $5.00 for shipping and handling.

A current BLS for Healthcare Providers card is no longer a prerequisite for entry into the ACLS program; the AHA requires “BLS SKILLS”.  However, if your BLS card has expired or is about to expire and you wish to renew, we still offer BLS certification within the ACLS course for a discounted price of $25.