Question for RNs or EMTs: How long does ACLS certification take and how difficul!
Question: Question for RNs or EMTs: How long does ACLS certification take and how difficult is it!?
Hello!. I am a registered Nurse who is looking at applying to a cardiac floor!. It says that it requires you to become ACLS certified within 6 months!. Is this a reasonable amount of time!? is it very difficult!? I only have 2 years of med-surge experience!. DO hospitals provide the training or will I have to pay for the course or pay for the test!? does anyone out there know!?Www@Answer-Health@Com
Answers:
our hospital offered the 2 day class and testing!.!.!.no charge, 10 CEUs!.!.!.some of the nurses were experienced from ICU and ED, some were new grads!.!.!.everyone passedWww@Answer-Health@Com
ACLS is a 2-day course!. As a paramedic, I was very comfortable with the information, as ACLS is a large part of what we do!. We were not allowed to use the book/cheat sheets on the tests, but the doctors and RNs at the time were!.
Now that I am an RN I find some of my peers struggle, while others do great, it really depends on how long you have been out of school and how up to date you are with the general ACLS protocols!. If you have only been out of school for 2 years, you should be pretty on the ball!.
The cert is pretty easy to maintain!. You need a 4-hour renewal class every 2 years, which pretty much updates you on the changes and you take a test (which has almost always been the same, except for the changes)!.
6 months is totally reasonable, and your hospital should pay for and offer the class!. The only way I can see you having to pay for it is if you are unable to complete the classes offered at your institution!. Every hospital I know of offers the class for their nurses and docs!.
Don't sweat it, ACLS is pretty cool stuff!. Good luck, and I am sure you will do great!.
The first poster is referring to becoming an actual EMT, not ACLS certified--they are totally different!. ACLS is offered by the American Heart Association, and is uniform course no matter where you take it!. This is not the case with EMT courses!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
Now that I am an RN I find some of my peers struggle, while others do great, it really depends on how long you have been out of school and how up to date you are with the general ACLS protocols!. If you have only been out of school for 2 years, you should be pretty on the ball!.
The cert is pretty easy to maintain!. You need a 4-hour renewal class every 2 years, which pretty much updates you on the changes and you take a test (which has almost always been the same, except for the changes)!.
6 months is totally reasonable, and your hospital should pay for and offer the class!. The only way I can see you having to pay for it is if you are unable to complete the classes offered at your institution!. Every hospital I know of offers the class for their nurses and docs!.
Don't sweat it, ACLS is pretty cool stuff!. Good luck, and I am sure you will do great!.
The first poster is referring to becoming an actual EMT, not ACLS certified--they are totally different!. ACLS is offered by the American Heart Association, and is uniform course no matter where you take it!. This is not the case with EMT courses!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
I am a registered EMT-B!. The class ran from Sept!.-Dec!. it was $500!.00 but was going up next class!. It included the book!. I also became CPR certified in the class!. The National Registry Test was $75!.00 and the State Practicals (for CT) was $30!.00!. If you fail you have to pay the full amount again!. I passed both on the first try but I was the only one in my class who did!. Most people take the National Registry test more then once!. Seeing you are a RN you have a medical backround so it may be easier for you, I didn't have a problem but most of my classmates did very poorly!. Good Luck!Www@Answer-Health@Com