BLS(basic life support) course certification

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sam1

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These past few days have been very busy.Got a position finally, now the next thing. If the program does not offer the BLS course, then where do I do the course? Who should I contact? Do we require to do the BLS course certification prior to pediatrics residency?😕
 
sam1 said:
These past few days have been very busy.Got a position finally, now the next thing. If the program does not offer the BLS course, then where do I do the course? Who should I contact? Do we require to do the BLS course certification prior to pediatrics residency?😕
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The American Heart Association website should have a list of courses in your area. But don't most residencies require ACLS rather than BLS?

http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3011764
 
I think ACLS is a requirement and sometimes they require PALS as well. I would think in peds you will have to take both.
 
Don't forget neonatal resuscitation program (NRP) if you have to work in NICU
I did a google search for the American Heart Association, would contact program to see what they might cover. I think it will be quite expensive to pay for BLS, ACLS, PALS, and NRP; but if you have to.
 
You have to have a current BLS certificate in order to take ACLS due to major changes in CPR administration (per AHA).
 
Most ACLS courses have BLS included within the ACLS course. I was in the same boat b/c my med school forgot about getting my class BLS certified. I called my program and they told me that BLS was included in ACLS (which is now on a CD that you can purchase from the AHA).
 
BLS IS included in ACLS...you do not have to take a separate course.

To the OP, check with your residency program and see if they are offering courses during orientation; generally, as noted above, Peds residents are required to have both ACLS and PALS, if not NICU cert as well.
 
Kimberli Cox said:
BLS IS included in ACLS...you do not have to take a separate course.
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I thought this was true, but since I didn't get a separate card I wasn't allowed to use it for the nursing registry I signed up with (earning some extra cash before starting residency this summer). I don't know if they are just idiots or what. On the other hand, all the ACLS courses I have seen require a current BLS card in order to register (and I don't recall them going over any of the BLS type stuff in the ACLS class I took-but that was through the military, so maybe it's different.)
 
dpmd said:
I thought this was true, but since I didn't get a separate card I wasn't allowed to use it for the nursing registry I signed up with (earning some extra cash before starting residency this summer). I don't know if they are just idiots or what. On the other hand, all the ACLS courses I have seen require a current BLS card in order to register (and I don't recall them going over any of the BLS type stuff in the ACLS class I took-but that was through the military, so maybe it's different.)
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Maybe they're stricter nowadays, or my training programs were not as anal. I hadn't taken BLS since high school/college (for lifeguarding) and have taken ACLS 3 times since medical school - not once was I asked to show a BLS card (and even if I could find it, it would have expired about 20 years ago! 😀 )

I'll just be quiet since it sounds like there are different procedures and it may not be the same everywhere. I'll bet though if you take the course through your residency program they aren't as strict.
 
It's b/c the CPR protocol has changed in regards to number of compressions for 1-rescuer and AED use (30-to 2, and no stacked shocks). They want you to have practiced more before taking ACLS
 
Folks, thanks for the input. I found out that BLS certification is no longer part of ACLS.One should get both of these certified seperately. In the hospital where I am scheduled to take the BLS course, they charge 25 $. approx. 3
hours course for BLS.🙂



ACLS is a 2 day course.

I had 1 question though....do pediatric residents require ACLS certification, I was wonderig cos we do PALS.....😕
 
FYI - You can not even take a recert class for BLS since so much has changed in the last year or so. Ugggggggg.....
 
c.bear said:
FYI - You can not even take a recert class for BLS since so much has changed in the last year or so. Ugggggggg.....
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Depends on who the instructor is. I found several that were willing to do a recert (shorter class, less money) for me since they knew they wouldn't have to spend much time on the background stuff. The new stuff isn't that difficult, and it doesn't take very long to explain that you need to minimize time without compressions and the new ratios are 30:2 for everyone (but with and advanced airway you just shoot for 100 compressions per minute and don't stop for ventilations). It's not really a big deal in the hospital setting, where I have never seen someone counting during a code.
 
When I took it last year, my residency program (hospital) offered ACLS but asked us to get our BLS certification on our own before starting residency. There are a couple ways you can do it:

1) Get it renewed online by taking an online quiz if you are still in possession of your OLD BLS certification card, costs about $20. Obviously the cheapest and most efficient use of what free time you have left.

2) Go to the American Heart Association website and sign up for a local course. You need the "provider" course, not just the layman's course.

3) The Red Cross also has an equivalent course -- it's not called BLS but it's the same thing -- that our hospital accepted. I forget what it's called. The location or the price may be slightly different, so if the AHA's BLS course is not at a good time, location or price for you, try this one.
 
The secretary of our residency program seems to think its ok for me to be without ACLS certification until I'm one month into my surgical internship, at which point, a free ACLS course will be offered.

Somehow, I feel like I should be certified BEFORE starting my surgical internship, not 1 month AFTER starting it.

Thoughts/comments/advice ? ? ?



jennyboo said:
When I took it last year, my residency program (hospital) offered ACLS but asked us to get our BLS certification on our own before starting residency. There are a couple ways you can do it:

1) Get it renewed online by taking an online quiz if you are still in possession of your OLD BLS certification card, costs about $20. Obviously the cheapest and most efficient use of what free time you have left.

2) Go to the American Heart Association website and sign up for a local course. You need the "provider" course, not just the layman's course.

3) The Red Cross also has an equivalent course -- it's not called BLS but it's the same thing -- that our hospital accepted. I forget what it's called. The location or the price may be slightly different, so if the AHA's BLS course is not at a good time, location or price for you, try this one.
Click to expand...
 
Purpose said:
The secretary of our residency program seems to think its ok for me to be without ACLS certification until I'm one month into my surgical internship, at which point, a free ACLS course will be offered.

Somehow, I feel like I should be certified BEFORE starting my surgical internship, not 1 month AFTER starting it.

Thoughts/comments/advice ? ? ?
Click to expand...
Do what your program wants.
 
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