shadowstewie
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Being an EMT-Basic, would a certification in ACLS be a good idea or no? It seems like it would.
Advanced Cardiac Life Support certification
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Shishkabob
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NEver hurts to have more knowledge, but chances are you won't understand why we do what we do, and you won't be able to use what you learn unless you're working as a tech or something similar.
You'd probably just be that much quicker in knowing what to get for your medic.
You'd probably just be that much quicker in knowing what to get for your medic.
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No. ACLS requires that you are competent in and able to manually defibrillate, administer various medications, start an intravenous / intraosseous line, insert a supraglottic or endotracheal airway and that you have an advanced understanding of cardiac physiology/pharmacology.
None of these anybody who is taught to the 1994 DOT EMT-Basic NSC is able to say they can do.
While seperate from the employment/medical director relationship the American Heart Association will give you an ACLS card for a couple hundred bucks but you can't use any of it on your job so I don't really see the point.
If you don't feel you have enough knowledge to assist an ALS provider you work with then you need to approach your clinical standards people about this.
None of these anybody who is taught to the 1994 DOT EMT-Basic NSC is able to say they can do.
While seperate from the employment/medical director relationship the American Heart Association will give you an ACLS card for a couple hundred bucks but you can't use any of it on your job so I don't really see the point.
If you don't feel you have enough knowledge to assist an ALS provider you work with then you need to approach your clinical standards people about this.
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ACLS itself? Probably not, at least at the EMT-B level. While knowledge is never a bad thing, you need to weigh the cost/benefit for your level of provider. It would give you a good head's up in knowing what to retrieve for a medic when running a code, but that's about it. Frankly, I'd rather spend the money on a PHTLS combined provider course. Much of the initial interventions done in trauma is BLS level stuff. This course is good in that it allows EMT-B's and EMT-P's to learn the material and learn to work together, from the same playbook, without having to learn it while on-scene. It also gets the EMT-B a good head's up in terms of what the medic will need once transport is intitiated, and can therefore, get stuff out ahead of time.
The "Golden Hour" is a myth, but the basic rationale behind it works. Get the Trauma Patient to a Surgeon. Don't play on-scene.
The "Golden Hour" is a myth, but the basic rationale behind it works. Get the Trauma Patient to a Surgeon. Don't play on-scene.
I would say anything will improve your knowledge TAKE IT. do look you will use it or no.
may be you need it in futer,you do not know.
so, I think it is good ieda.
I would say anything will improve your knowledge TAKE IT. do look you will use it or no.
may be you need it in futer,you do not know.
so, I think it is good ieda.
The ACLS class is not intended for the beginner. It is now slimmed down to an overview of drugs and principles of advanced cardiac life support of which one should already be familiar with. There is not time for teaching or spoon feeding the concept to someone who has not had some knowledge of the meds and procedures.
daedalus
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No, it is a complete waste of money. The certification is understood by most medics and nurses as merely a card to keep current to stay employed. It teaches guidelines that assume an advanced understanding of cardiac physiology and pharmacology, and all procedures done in ACLS are not at the EMT scope of practice.
I know an EMT basic at my work who has an ACLS card and thinks she is special because she was able to regurgitate which drugs to push in a megacode. It was as simple as asking her what the mechanism of action of amiodarone was to knock her off her pedestal.
I know an EMT basic at my work who has an ACLS card and thinks she is special because she was able to regurgitate which drugs to push in a megacode. It was as simple as asking her what the mechanism of action of amiodarone was to knock her off her pedestal.
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I disagree with all of those saying no. I know of several institutions that offer an ACLS for the EMT-Basic course that go significantly slower than the traditional course. They offer an ACLS course that takes an entire semester of classes to complete. I firmly believe that it's never bad to have additional knowledge and skills.
daedalus
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Why not spend that semester doing paramedic school or pre reqs to paramedic school than? I cannot possibly see how teaching ACLS takes a semester. It is a class that teaches guidelines for cardiac arrest and AMI management. If the entire end point of a few months of education was to be able to understand these guidelines, than it is a wasted semester. I would much rather have completed a real pharmacology class.
Why spend a semester learning about something you cannot do? Just to assist your medic partner?
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It's the 2 day courses that I believe are not all that valuble to the EMT-B. It's just too much to go over in that amount of time to really grasp what's being taught. Do it over a longer period of time and take the time to teach the material... then it becomes a wonderful thing... if little used... for the EMT-B. That kind of course would put the student WAY ahead of the game in future education as a medic, nurse, or whatever.
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I spent four years of my life learning Spanish, though I can't remember the last time I used it. Was it a waste? Education is never a waste. Many of those who take the semester-long course are actually healthcare providers who need the course for their career. It is quite common to require EMT-Basics to have ACLS in order to be ER techs.
JPINFV
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As someone who has gone through the ACLS for the EMT-Basic book, that program is geared more towards teaching 'ALS assist' skills than teaching full on ACLS. It's not comparable.
Ridryder911
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As AHA ACLS Faculty; I can say that the course is NOT intended to teach anyone cardiac care. It is designed to familiarize those that already have the license and certifications to administer Advanced Cardiac Life Support according to the ECC/AHA Standards and recommendations.
It is NOT a certification course, and truthfully according to AHA specifications; one is supposed to have had successfully completed a course or certification of that level before enrolling into a AHA ACLS course.
Yes, education never hurts one but not understanding or even being able to go after the course to place into action what one learned; what has been gained?
Again, let's not give ill advice of not doing it the proper way. Go to school obtain the education and certification/license needed and attend ACLS to fully understand and comprehend what is being taught.
R/r 911
It is NOT a certification course, and truthfully according to AHA specifications; one is supposed to have had successfully completed a course or certification of that level before enrolling into a AHA ACLS course.
Yes, education never hurts one but not understanding or even being able to go after the course to place into action what one learned; what has been gained?
Again, let's not give ill advice of not doing it the proper way. Go to school obtain the education and certification/license needed and attend ACLS to fully understand and comprehend what is being taught.
R/r 911
daedalus
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The truth from rid/ryders keyboard.
MMiz, I do realize there is an exception for EMTs taking ACLS before becoming ER techs, however it does not change the fact that they are not going to be allowed in the ER to preform any of the procedures and truthfully the BLS for healthcare provider course is more than enough for an ER tech participating in codes, because they are restricted to bagging and compressions. However, for some reason hospital HR departments around here look favorably apon an EMT with ACLS for employment.
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Your ER techs get to bag? We have RRT's respond to ED codes for that
Seriously. An ACLS for EMT-B's or Paramedic Assist class isn't a bad thing to have, especially if you are in an environment where it is medic and basic staffing 1 transport unit. There are many things a BLS provider can do to assist ALS when appropriate.
BUT... that is different from a 2-day ACLS class. I can see little value in having that as a BLS provider.
OP - what, exactly, are you talking about?