Advanced cardiopulmonary resuscitation training is a must for people who work in direct patient care, particularly nurses and similar medical professions. Ottawa First Aid has an Advanced Cardiac Life Support program available, along with a re-certification program for trainees who need to renew their ACLS certificates. Our business hours are from 8 AM to 5 PM; you can contact us via e-mail, telephone call, or in person during those hours. Our administrative staff will be very happy to help you.
The ACLS Certification
One of the most frequently asked questions regarding our ACLS program is about certification. All of Ottawa First Aid’s training programs are certification programs – that’s mean all student who complete training with passing grades on the exam are awarded CPR certificates. These credentials are valid all over Canada for three years and are renewable through an Ottawa First Aid re-certification class. The same rules apply for an ACLS training credential.
Advanced Cardiac Life Support Training
Ottawa First Aid’s ACLS program is a two-day program, the longest program offered by our provider. It runs for a total of 12 hours, with the re-certification program of 5 to 6 hours. The difference between basic and advanced CPR is the preparation of the students. Basic CPR courses train students to react to cardiac emergencies outside of a medical setting. Advanced CPR courses – specifically ACLS and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) – prepare students to manage cardiac emergencies in a medical setting, such as a hospital.
You can expect the following topics from an ACLS program:
- 2010 CPR and ECC (Emergency Cardiovascular Care) guidelines
- Chest compressions with a back board
- Ventilations with bag valve masks and for patients with advanced airways
- Defibrillation with automated and manual defibrillators
- Cardiac drugs used during resuscitation
- Common CPR guidelines in hospitals
- Introduction to the resuscitation or “code” team and team dynamics
In-hospital Cardiac Emergencies
When a victim of cardiac arrest suddenly gets an attack in public, there is a slim chance that the first responder who will attempt to manage his condition is a health care provider. In a hospital, the first responders are referred to as the “code” team, or formally the resuscitation team. In a ward, the first people to react are usually nurses who provide chest compressions and ventilations (with a bag valve mask) until a physician or the code team leader arrives.
The “code” is usually answered by first assessing the patient for a palpable and auscultated heart beat and regular breathing. If the patient has been found to be in cardiac arrest, 30 chest compressions are started immediately. After 30 c0mpressions, two rescue breaths with bag valve masks are given. A code usually lasts 20 minutes, after which with no revival that patient’s time of death is called. In a hospital, epinephrine is given every three minutes and pulse check is performed every two minutes as compressions and ventilations are given.
If you need an ACLS certificate, enroll at an ACLS program at Ottawa First Aid today. Our rates are incredibly cheap while maintaining the high quality of our training program.