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So before we really get into the depth of this course, I thought that it was extremely important to talk about something called the philosophy of ACLS. Ten, fifteen, twenty years ago when I first started in my EMS career, ACLS training and certification was actually more of an inservice, or almost a technical skill acquisition certification training. For instance, in an example. If we were going to intubate a patient, we would actually have to prove that we could intubate the dummy and be able to use the proper techniques and the proper tools to do so. If we were going to start an IV, then we needed to actually show that we could start an IV. It is extremely important for you to understand that ACLS training and certification today is not about skill acquisition. It is about learning and understanding the signs and symptoms of emergent cardiovascular problems that require advanced cardiac life support care to stabilize the patient and save a life if at all possible. I know as a practitioner, and as an educator, that some of us are not as polished in our skills as we need to be. And yet ACLS certification and recertification, for some of us, may mean that at any given time we might be called into the team leader role. And that's why we built the system so that each of you could pretend, at some point, to be the team leader. In fact, to pass this course you must fulfill your obligations as a team leader and be able to orchestrate a code and run it well. Though I understand that in the organization that you work, you may never be put in that position. I want to strongly encourage you to receive this education and practice these different scenarios in a way where you could say to yourself, if for some reason I might be the team leader, at any given time, that you would have a confidence and understanding of not only the cognitive skills, but the tactile skills, to be able to make a difference in the patient's life, in a positive way. And I challenge all of us, that if there are particular skills that we are not comfortable with, but we may be called upon to use at any given time. The onus is on us as professionals to seek out that type of ongoing education, and that continued education to practice, and sharpen our skills in those areas that we feel most weak, I encourage you to take advantage of this self-paced training program to become the very best ACLS provider you can be.
Before we get into the depth of the ProACLS course, it's important to go over the philosophies of ACLS, which is the subject of this important lesson. And at the end of the lesson, we'll provide you with a Word about the optimization of ACLS.
If you look back 10 or 20 years, ACLS training and certification has changed significantly. Two decades ago, it was more about the technical aspects of acquiring the skills necessary for certification and training.
A couple examples of this:
If you were learning about intubating a patient, you'd be expected to show or prove that you could actually perform this skill on a dummy or mannequin. You'd have to demonstrate the proper use of the techniques involved. And you'd have to show that you could properly use the appropriate tools to get the job done successfully.
If you were learning about starting an IV, you would have been expected to demonstrate that you could actually start an IV on a mannequin.
However, these days, it's important to point out that advanced cardiovascular life support training and certification is NOT about the technical aspect of the job or the skills acquisition part of the job.
Today, ACLS training is more about learning and understanding all the signs and symptoms of emergent cardiovascular problems that require advanced cardiovascular life support care, in order to help stabilize the patient and possibly save a person's life.
Pro Tip #1: So, in a sentence, ACLS training and certification has gone from techniques to greater understanding. Knowing that upfront will serve you well as you progress through your ACLS course.
Having said that, though, it's probably fair to assume that not all of you are as polished when it comes to your advanced cardiovascular life support skills as you need to be, or as you want to be. And yet, the situation may exist for some of you where you could be called upon to assume the team leader role in a cardiovascular emergency one day.
For this reason, we have built this ACLS certification course, or re-certification for some, so that each of you can pretend at some point to assume those all-important team leader responsibilities and that role in general.
In fact, to pass your ProACLS course, you must fulfill the obligations and demonstrate the responsibilities of a team leader. You will be expected to show that you can sufficiently orchestrate and execute a code and perform it as well as can be expected.
However, we also understand that in your particular role and organization, you may never be put into that type of position. But since none of us can predict the future, and since these skills can potentially be vital at some point, we encourage you to receive this education and training in the most serious way.
Our hope and expectation is that you will practice the different scenarios in a way, regardless of the chances of you being put into one of these positions, in which you can say to yourself – if for some reason I'm ever called upon to be a team leader, I'll have the confidence and understanding of not only the cognitive skills, but also the tactile skills. And ultimately be able to make a difference in a patient's life in a positive way.
Which is why we have this challenge for you: If there are any skills that you do not feel comfortable with but maybe one day you'll be called upon to use, take the onus upon yourself. Be the best healthcare professional you can be and seek out the additional education and practice that you need. And sharpen any skills you feel deficient in.
Take advantage of this self-paced ACLS training program. And become the best ACLS provider that you can be. After all, you never know when you'll be called upon to execute those life-saving skills.
CPR is defined as a series of lifesaving actions that can improve the chances of survival after cardiac arrest. And while the optimal approach to CPR can vary, depending on the rescuer, the patient, and whatever resources are available, the fundamental challenge remains how to achieve early and effective CPR.
One way to maximize the effectiveness of CPR, and thus improve patient survival rates, is by limiting chest compression interruptions.
ACLS is best optimized when a team leader can effectively integrate high-quality CPR with minimal interruptions of high-quality compressions with advanced life support strategies, such as defibrillation, medication therapy, and advanced airways.
The importance of minimizing these interruptions in chest compressions cannot be overstated. For instance, studies have shown that reducing the interval between pausing chest compressions and shock delivery can increase the predicted shock success.
Which is why interruptions in compressions should only be limited to those critical interventions, such as interruptions for rhythm analysis, shock delivery, intubation, and so forth. And even then, those interruptions should always be minimized to 10 seconds or less.