Accelerated ACLS/PALS/EKG??

[FoleyArtist]

any thoughts on accelerated courses specifically the ones above i listed... i had a friend take em... she seem to do ok she is also just an EMT-B...

www.hprovider.com

 

[VentMedic]

These are not "accelerated" courses for entry level. ACLS and PALS are certification classes to be taken by someone who already has some advanced medical training such as Paramedic, RN, RRT or RN. They are not meant to be introductory education classes for the EMT-B.

However, the EKG Monitor Tech certification course is a decent entry level introduction that could get you a job as a Monitor Tech in a hospital especially if you have Unit Clerk experience.

 

[FoleyArtist]

These are not "accelerated" courses for entry level. ACLS and PALS are certification classes to be taken by someone who already has some advanced medical training such as Paramedic, RN, RRT or RN. They are not meant to be introductory education classes for the EMT-B.

However, the EKG Monitor Tech certification course is a decent entry level introduction that could get you a job as a Monitor Tech in a hospital especially if you have Unit Clerk experience.

ok, the ekg was the main one i was interested in. i heard thats where to start before getting into ACLS and PALS.

thanks.

 

[Smash]

Please clarify...

What exactly do you mean by accelerated courses? Is it that you do them sooner than you "should" (and I use that term very loosely) i.e. That they are not part of your medic course or that they only take a day or 2 to do?

 

[VentMedic]

ok, the ekg was the main one i was interested in. i heard thats where to start before getting into ACLS and PALS.

thanks.

EKG is just one part. You should have solid knowledge of A&P especially for the cardiac system. Pharmacology, with knowledge of the medications, dosages and how to administer them, is also essential. For PALS, you should have a decent knowledge of various pediatric disease processes and intervention as well as strong pharmacology.

The EMT-B does not prepare one to take either ACLS or PALS.

 

[FoleyArtist]

What exactly do you mean by accelerated courses? Is it that you do them sooner than you "should" (and I use that term very loosely) i.e. That they are not part of your medic course or that they only take a day or 2 to do?

just to broaden my knowledge. i current work for a BLS and CCT company... i'm on a CCT shift. Its more for my yearning for knowledge to have in the back pocket, resume builder, and to help the nurse when we apply the ekg.

 

[VentMedic]

Have the nurse show you the basics of applying the electrodes as they pertain to the equipment you are using. You will not learn how to apply electrodes in ACLS since that is a skill that those taking the class should already know.

It is great that you do want to learn more but starting at the beginning rather than by learning piecemill information that may make little sense to you now would be more beneficial.

ACLS on an EMT-B resume will not make much sense either especially since most of it is out of the scope of practice for an EMT.

 

[MrBrown]

just to broaden my knowledge. i current work for a BLS and CCT company... i'm on a CCT shift. Its more for my yearning for knowledge to have in the back pocket, resume builder, and to help the nurse when we apply the ekg.

How much help can he or she need to apply sticky dots?

I know what you're saying but you'd be far better off taking a decent ECG course that teaches you cardiac anatomy and how to interpret 12 leads.

As has been said here ALCS/PALS are rather redundant at the basic level and I think the whole "___ALS" (what, we have just about every letter in the alphabet covered don't we?) themselves are quite redundant and would be better covered in CCE programs rather than a two day workshop.

 

[JPINFV]

How much help can he or she need to apply sticky dots?

It really depends. I'm going to preface this by saying that you could just as easily learn basic rhythms and ectopy (sinus, A-fib, a-flutter, v-fib, v-tach, PVCs, pacer spikes, etc) on the job. However, when I was involved with CCTs, if the patient wasn't on any drips I generally had the patient moved over, hooked up, and a 6 second strip printed before the RN finished getting report. Similarly, I can recall a specific fuster cluck transport of a patient with a poorly placed transvenous pacer (the pacer was on max amps to maintain capture) where I was a second set of eyes looking for loss of capture. Understanding the basics of 3 lead and electrical therapy is helpful, however something that can be picked up easily while on the job and with a little self study. Having a working knowledge of ECGs is essentially the difference between being an extra set of hands and just being in the way.

 

[daedalus]

ACLS and PALS assumes knowledge of anatomy, physiology (esp cardio phys), pharmacology, and the pathophysiology of pediatric disease and cardiac emergencies.