What You Need To Know About ACLS Certification

Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) is a very important aspect in the medical world. Most healthcare providers are required to have an ACLS certification or ACLS recertification to show that they have the knowledge and experience needed to handle various emergency situations. To receive ACLS certification, health providers must take an ACLS course and ultimately pass an ACLS exam that is accepted by their providers. Each year, thousands of people in the medical community enroll in an ACLS class hoping to pass their exams. If you are in this lot, don’t fret. Passing an ACLS exam is easy. It is not something that you should stress about. However, this does not mean that the exam should be taken lightly. No! You have to prepare and ensure that you have what it takes to pass. This piece will give you some study tips and test-taking strategies that you can apply to ensure you are fully prepared for an ACLS exam. Let’s starts with the ACLS study guide.

Review Case Scenarios

Your ACLS course will cover a few case scenarios that you may encounter in your career. It’s, therefore, important to ensure you continue researching, testing, and analyzing all updates related to ACLS to ensure you have what is required to handle any emergency situation that you may encounter. You should also take your time and learn about all the technological updates expected to improve the efficiency of ACLS. In addition to having the skills to identify the symptoms present for a specific scenario, learning and understanding treatment procedures is crucial. You can’t tell which particular scenario will be on your exam, so it’s important to review several case scenarios to ensure you that are fully prepared.

Memorize The Algorithms

Make sure you spend most of your ACLS exam prep time studying various algorithms associated with the course. The algorithms are simply flowcharts of procedures that you should learn and follow when handling a specific emergency. Most people memorize these algorithms and forget them after an exam. Don’t be one of them! The algorithms are critical and can be the difference between life and death. It is, therefore, crucial to ensure you know them inside and out. We all have different learning styles and techniques, so you should choose the technique that works best for you. Here are the algorithms you should memorize.

• PEA
• V-Fib
• V-Tach
• Asystole
• Bradycardia
• Tachycardia

Know The Medications And Doses

Besides memorizing the algorithms, being able to identify the medications and doses associated with certain situations will also help you pass your ACLS exam. Once again, don’t just memorize the medications and doses to pass your exam. Make sure you understand them inside and out. Know the correct medications and doses that correspond to certain emergency situations. Remember that any mistake you make in an emergency situation may be fatal.
When learning about the medications and doses, make sure you study them in a manner that suits your learning technique. You can use mnemonic devices to memorize the medications and doses. This technique is popular among test-takers because it triggers quick memory abilities that can be very useful when taking an ACLS exam. Having quick memory abilities can also be very helpful in emergency situations. For instance, test makers use the “Pacing Always Ends Danger” mnemonic device to recall possible treatments for various forms of Bradycardia.

Make Sure You Remember Your H’s And T’s

When it comes to memorizing the algorithms, remembering the H’s and T’s can help you understand the algorithm concept in its entirety. The H’s and T’s refer all the possible causes that may be present in your patient. They are as follows:
H’s

• Hypovolemia
• Hypoxia
• Hydrogen Ion (Acidosis)
• Hypothermia
• Hyper or Hypokalemia

T’s

Understand Basic ECGs

Understanding and reacting to ECGs can be very helpful if you want to pass your ACLS exam. Most test-takers have enough experience when it comes to ECGs. However, if you are not familiar with ECGs, there are several methods you can apply to improve your understanding. ESG stimulators and online videos can help you improve your ECGs knowledge. If you know nothing about ECGs, then we recommend you take an ECG course before you go for the ACLS course.

Don’t Rely Too Much On Practice Tests And ACLS Pretest

It’s true that  ACLS practice tests and ACLS pretest answers will help you recognize and understand common question structures. However, you should note that they carry little significance in ACLS exams. They won’t prepare you for different situations that may come up in your exam.

Test-Taking Tips

Now that you know how to prepare, here are the test-taking tips.

Relax

Ensuring that you are relaxed is probably the most important thing when taking your exam. If you followed the study tips mentioned above, you will be fine. Stay calm and trust that you are fully prepared for anything that comes your way.

Go For The Easier Questions First

Trying to deal with hard questions first will only lead to time wastage. Tackling the easy questions first will help you manage your time. If you don’t know the answer, move on to the next question.

Read The Questions Carefully

There’s a lot to write and remember when it comes to ACLS exams, but don’t be overwhelmed. Take your time and read the questions correctly. Ensure you understand each question before answering it and moving on. Reread your answer to see if you have responded to the question fully. Remember that even the slightest misinterpretation can make you fail.

Want To Enrol In An ACLS Class?

Ensure you conduct research online and offline to identify the best ACLS class. A simple Google search like “ACLS classes near me” can be helpful if you want to know if there are ACLS class near you. You can also go for online certificate programs and get an ACLS certification online. However, you should be careful when it comes to online certifications. To be safe, go for an evidence-based and well-structured program.
Read more about how to get your ACLS certification online here.