ACLS Certification or Recertification

How to get ACLS Certification or Recertification

ACLS Certification is required by health care providers working in acute care settings and also by providers of emergency services.
The majority of hospitals and emergency services require that this certification be accredited by the American Heart Association (AHA).

Don’t be fooled by Non-AHA imitations.

There are a number of ways to obtain AHA accredited ACLS certification. Below is a breakdown of what is required and how it can be obtained. Also included are some cautions about online certification.

Attend a local class

1. The safest way to obtain AHA ACLS certification is by attending a class in your local area. Many hospitals provide the course at a discount to their employees. You can also check your yellow pages for education facilities that provide BLS, ACLS, and first aid training. Cost for the class usually ranges from $ 150-200.
   Ask your education department about opportunities for fee reimbursement or fee assistance.
2. When looking for a course in your local area, you should make sure to ask if the certification is AHA accredited since nearly all hospitals and emergency services require AHA accredited ACLS certification.

AHA certification always requires hands-on Megacode testing.

Online Certification:

1. You should be very cautious about online certification. There are quite a number of websites that offer “ACLS Certification” but are not AHA accredited. Some may even say “approved by AHA certified physicians” or “AHA physicians recommend this course”. Beware of these sites. Most hospitals and health care facilities will not recognize these certifications.
2. There are several online courses that are AHA accredited and they will say so right up front. They want you to know they are accredited and they will always make that clear.
3. AHA does offer an online CD driven course called “HeartCode ACLS Anywhere”
   This is the American Heart Association self-directed learning program. The cost of the CD is $120 and includes CME/CE credits. There are two parts to the program . Part 1 is the CD-based learning component that allows users to work through the ACLS curriculum at their own pace. Part 2 is the hands-on skills evaluation session usually costs around $50.

Conclusion

ACLS certification is a great way to expand your knowledge base as a health care professional, and it will help prepare you to be ready to perform advanced resuscitation in the health care setting. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me.

ACLS-Algorithms.com is here to provide you with the best web-based ACLS training available. Try the Megacode Simulator or watch a video about the new 2010 ACLS guidelines for pulseless arrest algorithm.