The American Heart Association is the undisputed authority in the field of emergency cardiac care. Throughout the years, AHA has implemented many guidelines pertaining to the treatment as well as the resuscitation of the cardiac arrest victim. As a result, health-care providers across different disciplines of medicine have come to appreciate the benefits of the Advanced Cardiac Life Support provider course. However, there are many allied health-care providers who experience great difficulty when challenging the ACLS certification course. Therefore, I wanted to create this article to help those who will be attending the course for the first time.
To insure your successful completion of the program, it is imperative for you to interpret the electrocardiogram reading. The acronym for this term is EKG. There are many authors who offer books, CD's as well as DVDs on the topic of basic EKG interpretation. Many of these books are helpful when it comes to recognition of lethal arrhythmias, but few of them delve into the underlying cause of the cardiac disturbance. As an advanced health-care provider, it is of the utmost importance that you find the underlying cause in order to restore systemic circulation. Reviewing anatomy and physiology text books pertaining to the heart will greatly increase your knowledge and understanding in this area.
Pharmacology is an intricate part of the resuscitation of the cardiac arrest victim. There are many different classifications of medications that are used to treat the cardiac patient. One must posses the knowledge and understanding of the actions as well as reactions and the contradictions of each of these medications utilized in the ACLS course. With the Internet being on the forefront of information and technology, these required medications are located on the American Heart Association website.
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation is the most vital core component of the Advanced Cardiac Life Support course. Without excellent CPR prior to the administration of emergency cardiac medications and EKG recognition, the patient would suffer significant neurological deficits. As a result of poor CPR efforts, many patients will expire within approximately 6 to 10 minutes. The American Red Cross and the American Heart Association provide excellent courses to accelerate your knowledge and skills in this area known as Cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
Advanced airway intervention is top priority in treating the respiratory arrest patient. Tracheal Tubes, Combi-tubes, King Airways and Ora-pharyngeal devices aid in the ventilation of the patient who is not breathing. Medical universities as well as paramedic tech programs provide extensive education and training on the initiation and implementation of these advanced airway procedures and devices. To increase your knowledge and understanding, candidates for the ACLS course should practice these skills and have a thorough understanding prior to challenging the exam.
Intravenous administration of medications and fluids is the final process in the care of the cardiac arrest patient. I.V.s have been used many years dating back to the 1600s and so forth. Understanding fluid replenishment is of great benefit to those patients who no longer have cardiac output. It is no secret that volume replacement is of great benefit when performing CPR and the administration of advanced cardiac medications. As previously mentioned, these skill sets are usually taught in the universities as well as the local community college. Those who are currently working in the health-care field may receive training in I.V. drug administration at their place of employment.
As a final note, there are many other components with lesser emphasis than those mentioned above. You will be ultimately be responsible for each main section and sub-section of the ACLS core curriculum. There are many physicians, nurses and paramedics who elect to take a preparation course known as an ACLS Refresher class prior to the attendance of the certification course. Those of you who have been certified in the previous 24 months should be okay to attend the one day ACLS re-certification course.
To insure your successful completion of the program, it is imperative for you to interpret the electrocardiogram reading. The acronym for this term is EKG. There are many authors who offer books, CD's as well as DVDs on the topic of basic EKG interpretation. Many of these books are helpful when it comes to recognition of lethal arrhythmias, but few of them delve into the underlying cause of the cardiac disturbance. As an advanced health-care provider, it is of the utmost importance that you find the underlying cause in order to restore systemic circulation. Reviewing anatomy and physiology text books pertaining to the heart will greatly increase your knowledge and understanding in this area.
Pharmacology is an intricate part of the resuscitation of the cardiac arrest victim. There are many different classifications of medications that are used to treat the cardiac patient. One must posses the knowledge and understanding of the actions as well as reactions and the contradictions of each of these medications utilized in the ACLS course. With the Internet being on the forefront of information and technology, these required medications are located on the American Heart Association website.
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation is the most vital core component of the Advanced Cardiac Life Support course. Without excellent CPR prior to the administration of emergency cardiac medications and EKG recognition, the patient would suffer significant neurological deficits. As a result of poor CPR efforts, many patients will expire within approximately 6 to 10 minutes. The American Red Cross and the American Heart Association provide excellent courses to accelerate your knowledge and skills in this area known as Cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
Advanced airway intervention is top priority in treating the respiratory arrest patient. Tracheal Tubes, Combi-tubes, King Airways and Ora-pharyngeal devices aid in the ventilation of the patient who is not breathing. Medical universities as well as paramedic tech programs provide extensive education and training on the initiation and implementation of these advanced airway procedures and devices. To increase your knowledge and understanding, candidates for the ACLS course should practice these skills and have a thorough understanding prior to challenging the exam.
Intravenous administration of medications and fluids is the final process in the care of the cardiac arrest patient. I.V.s have been used many years dating back to the 1600s and so forth. Understanding fluid replenishment is of great benefit to those patients who no longer have cardiac output. It is no secret that volume replacement is of great benefit when performing CPR and the administration of advanced cardiac medications. As previously mentioned, these skill sets are usually taught in the universities as well as the local community college. Those who are currently working in the health-care field may receive training in I.V. drug administration at their place of employment.
As a final note, there are many other components with lesser emphasis than those mentioned above. You will be ultimately be responsible for each main section and sub-section of the ACLS core curriculum. There are many physicians, nurses and paramedics who elect to take a preparation course known as an ACLS Refresher class prior to the attendance of the certification course. Those of you who have been certified in the previous 24 months should be okay to attend the one day ACLS re-certification course.
No comments:
Post a Comment