Advanced Cardiac Life Support – or ACLS – is employed when a patient experiences a medical emergency, such as a cardiac arrest. Those who are trained in ACLS will have the skills necessary to stabilize a patient until they received more specific medical care. This article outlines what happens during ACLS training.
ACLS courses are usually offered to doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals working in a healthcare environment. There are a number of college courses that specialize in this training, with an emphasis on teaching the student the protocol for stabilizing a patient when they suffer a cardiac arrest or other medical emergencies.
This type of training will involve CPR and other life support techniques including first aid training. The student will learn how to stabilize a patient, assess their medical needs, monitor their circulation, and secure the airways. People who have this training are able to provide more interventions than those with basic medical care. As different countries have different guidelines when it comes to resuscitation, components of an ACLS course can differ around the world.
An ACLS course might be taken alongside Pediatric Advanced Life Support training (or PALS course). This is used by doctors, nurses, and medical professionals to provide emergency care for injured or ill children. Components of this course include resuscitation techniques, how to manage a respiratory emergency, and cardiac simulations.
Doctors and nurses that work in an emergency room will usually e trained in ACLS, and will quickly be able to identify what is wrong with a patient so that the right treatment can be offered. Guidelines often change, so those who have previously obtained ACLS training might be required to obtain a new certification as a result of these changes. This ensures that a medical professional can make the right decision about a patient’s health in an emergency situation.
