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The American Heart Association (AHA) has been associated with advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) since the first ACLS guidelines were published in 1974. Advanced cardiac life support is taught in ACLS certification classes or online. The certification – a requirement for many physicians, nurses, and emergency personnel – is valid for two years. Advanced cardiac life support renewal classes are abbreviated ACLS courses, and anyone with ACLS recertification must take a renewal class after two years. If the student passes the written test and performs well on the skills test, she/he is recertified.
The official AHA ACLS renewal classes can be taken partly online or in a traditional classroom-based setting. If you must have AHA approved ACLS, then you can visit the AHA website at heart.org to checkout their local classes. But regardless of where you take your ACLS recertification, it is a wise choice to pick an ACLS class that is based on the AHA guidelines.
Advanced cardiac life support certification is required for health care professionals working in many acute care settings, and many employers require that the ACLS certification be based on the latest AHA guidelines.
The American Heart Association has become synonymous with ACLS. The AHA publishes ACLS revisions and the latest ACLS guidelines in the journal Circulation.
An AHA ACLS renewal is essentially an abbreviated ACLS class. The material has been learned by the student before. But ACLS protocols and guidelines change, albeit infrequently, so a refresher class is a guarantee that students will be taught the most up-to-date information.
Prior certification in ACLS is definitely an advantage for any student recertifying - but prior cert is simply an advantage. It is certainly not a guarantee of passing the written exam and performing well on the skills test. Both the ACLS content and the hands-on proficiencies are complex. One way to increase your retention of this difficult material – and increase your chances of successfully recertifying – is to take an online review program. It will help you strengthen in the following areas:
Feedback: You can certainly get feedback in a traditional classroom setting. But the feedback you can get from an online instructor is available at your convenience. Also, you can focus on one content area of ACLS for as long as you need; the time is unlimited.
Form: Lectures and printed material are not the optimal learning tools for all students. Web-based is a very viable alternative.
Function: Convenience, equivalent cost, and elimination of travel time to a classroom-based course are other advantages of an online class.
The goal of ACLS recertification is to pass and to have a solid command of the material. Online ACLS training is an excellent way to reach that goal.
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