ACLS victory

[neutropeniaboy]

Okay, ACED the exam and did well during the simulated code.

Awesome!

Of course, I'll probably crap my pants when the real thing comes along...

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[DrQuinn]

Glad you aced the exam. I'm an MS4 and took the ACLS this past weekend just to refresh myself on it (I want to do EM, so its pretty important that I know it), not to mention that they revised it recently. I think its a lot easier now than before. Just remember amiodarone.

Did you see one of the first episodes of Scrubs? How the brand new interns heard the Code Blue, and ran to the code, but halfway remembered that if they were the first ones there, they would have to run it... so they ran into the closet, and there were other interns there? Hah.
Q

 

[Whisker Barrel Cortex]

I am also now certified in ACLS! We didn't take it in med school so this was my first time going through it. Pretty cool stuff. I just hope I'll remember it in the stress of a real code.

 

[southerndoc]

Try drilling each other in it every once in a while. We did that on the ambulances and it was always fresh in our brain. After a few codes it'll come second nature to you. There isn't much to ACLS. Most people freak out about it being super hard, but it's not. It's very easy with exception to that very complicated tachycardia algorithm. Why must the AHA do such things to us?

 

[checkthisout]

Any tips for the soon to be takers?

What should I focus my studying on?

Algorithms? Rythmn strips? Drugs?

Any help is appreciated!

Getting closer and need to study!

Thanks

 

[midwest girl]

Hey...if you check out ACLS.net, there are a lot of mnemonics you can use to help with memorizing the algorithms.

 

[Voxel]

Hey, I got ACLS certified the other day as well. I aced the exam and did well on the code. Except I got asked by a int med PGY-3 some specific questions about pericardiocentesis, which I answered correctly, but surpised me non the less. I want to see that scrubs episode. Hopefully it will come on re-runs during the summer. Knock on wood. I start night float on monday. Woohoo!

 

[checkthisout]

Congrats on all of you whom aced the exam!

Did you use the ACLS Provider Manual to study from? Is this enough? More than enough?

Thanks

 

[Fanconi]

Congrats, all. I'm about to take it myself (and hope to hell I never have to use it). Heheheh.

<img src="http://www.geocities.com/metalmedicine/Fanconiw.jpg" alt=" - " />

 

[NuMD97]

OK, I'll play, too. I finished recertifying in ACLS this afternoon. NOW I know WHY we all didn't understand each other when we were talking about the AHA manual! They revamped the WHOLE text. I didn't know until yesterday when I got the new edition. Sorry, but excluding the chapter on rhythms strips is a BIG mistake (it's excluded in the new edition, and clearly takes up a whole chapter in the previous edition). As someone already noted in here who teaches ACLS, the major differences are amiodarone and vasopressin. Everything else is pretty much as it was before.

As to the question what to study for this exam: know the algorithms. Practice writing them on a white board until you can do them in your sleep. Know the most common rhythms that you would find in a code situation: Stable/Unstable VTach, Vfib, Heart Blocks, Afib, Aflutter, Torsades. Know what happens after you treat the particular rhythm and a new one appears. When they show you the practice rhythms have the instructor show you the ones that are "look-alikes" so you can see it "up close and personal" and catch on to the differences between them.

The AHA manual is enough for this purpose. You sweat when you have to run a code in a real situation. But, as they say, when that happens, take your own pulse first.

Good luck.

Nu

 

[Goofy]

Gang,

ACLS is really nothing to fret about. The most important part of the course is knowing how to use the defibrillator safely. CYA is you know what I mean. The algorithms are important, but as an intern, you will undoubtedly have backup in code situations. It's during the actual codes that your education will really happen, as you learn much better during the real thing.

Good luck

K.P.