CarePoint Blog — acls
What To Expect At Your ACLS Skills Session
WHAT IS A SKILLS SESSION?
For anyone seeking ACLS certification through the American Heart Association's Heartcode Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (online-based) course, the ACLS Skills Session is an opportunity to practice and test yourself on the applicable hands-on skills with one of our helpful CarePoint instructors. Heartcode ACLS course is considered a blended learing course, and consists of a 3-part process to certification.
- Part 1 - eLearning and simulation on any internet-connected computer
- Part 2 - In-person skills practice
- Part 3 - In-person skills testing
Before attending your Skills Session, you should have completed Part 1 of the the 3-part process. Upon completion, be sure to print your Certificate of Completion and bring it with you to turn in to your instructor.
Upon Arrival...
When your Skills Session begins, you'll be greeted by one of our friendly AHA instructors. You'll then be asked to turn in your Part 1 Certificate of Completion.
We're focused on your understanding and success, so this point will be a great opportunity to ask questions or review the information you've already covered. Your instructor will ask if there was any aspect of the course for which you have questions. Take this opportunity to address any topics that may not be clear
Skills Practice and Testing
The skills involved in your ACLS check-off will focus on your BLS interventions. Your instructor will work with you to make sure you're comfortable performing the following skills:
- Chest compressions
- Pocket-mask ventilations
- Bag-mask ventilations
- Use of the AED (defibrillator)
You will be presented with an "in-hospital" adult BLS scenario so you can practice these skills in sequence. Following this opportunity to practice, your instructor will then test your skills by asking you to perform the scenario without any assistance or intervention from the instructor.
Once the adult check-off is complete, your instructor will also assess your ability to identify respiratory arrest and provide rescue breaths with a bag-mask device.
Shhhhhhhhh...don't tell anyone (just kidding), but we've included the appropriate check-off sheets to assist you in preparing for a successful check-off:
Upon successful completion of your ACLS Skills Session, you will have earned your 2-year American Heart Association Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support certification. At CarePoint Resources, our hope is that this information aides you in preparing for a smooth and confident check-off experience!
- Randy Boone
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