Blogs &#8211; orig

A healthy heart rate for an adult, according to specialists, is 60 to 100 beats per minute. This heart rate is the normal resting rate for an adult. If you are an athlete who participates in exercise more frequently, you could have a lower resting heart rate.

The typical resting heart rate for athletic individuals is 40 beats per minute. If you have a heart rate that is over 100 beats per minute, this is a sign of cardiac distress. Anything over 140 indicates the patient is at risk of having a heart attack.

How do I calculate my heart rate without equipment?

To help someone who is having heart problems, start with calculating their heart rate. You can do this without medical equipment. Find the person’s pulse, which can be detected by holding their wrist or feeling next to the person’s windpipe. Once you feel a heartbeat called the pulse, start counting the heartbeats.

Keep a count of how many beats there are in 15 seconds. Then multiply this number by 4 to get the average number of heartbeats per minute. This is a person’s heart rate. Of course, the heart rate will vary over five minutes. Therefore, it is a good idea to consider an average heart rate taken over a 10-minute span.

This average heart rate can provide a more accurate picture of overall heart health. Sometimes a patient will be anxious when getting their blood pressure taken, which can lead to an unexpected spike. Having an average rate of over 10 to 15 minutes will help reduce inaccurate readings.

What is a heart rate that is too low called?

doctor-checking-on-old-mans-heart-health-t When someone has a heart rate that is too low, this is lower than 60 beats per minute. Keep in mind, that if you are dealing with an athlete, they may have a lower heart rate. However, the general rule is any time a heart rate is less than 60, the person is suffering from bradycardia. The person may be exhibiting signs of a low heart rate. These symptoms include fainting spells, shortness of breath, and feeling dizzy when standing.

What do you call a heart rate that is too high?

A heart rate over 100 beats per minute is a sign of a high blood pressure rate. Having a high pulse rate is indicative of heart health problems. These include cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and high cholesterol. Here is when having heart-healthy tips on hand to share with a patient is most advantageous.

What are the signs of poor heart health?

Poor heart health starts with having a too low or too high heart rate. When your heart rate is not healthy, this means your heart is having a hard time beating properly. If you have a slow heart rate, the heart cannot pump fast or hard enough to keep up the pace of your blood vessels and cardiovascular system. If your heart is beating too fast, this is also a problem with the pace of your heart’s beats.

Generally, this is caused by constricted blood vessels and the use of stimulants, including caffeine and nicotine, which unnaturally increase heart rate. When the heart beats too fast and too hard, this causes unnatural wear-and-tear on the heart muscle and blood vessels going in and out of the organ.

Symptoms of poor heart health include sweating or not being able to sweat, leading to clammy skin. You may also have pale skin due to a lack of circulating blood. Additionally, if your heart is beating too fast, you may have red skin from too much blood flow. This is most commonly noted in a patient’s face or on their chest. As the heart is related to the blood and lungs, a lack of oxygen in the body may also be a sign of poor heart health.

How can I make my heart healthy?

ways-to-improve-heart-health-naturally-and-safely The heart is the most important organ in a person’s body. Without a heart, a patient is unable to live due to a lack of blood and oxygen pumping and being circulated throughout the body. Brain-dead patients are living on life support, for example, and patients get by every day without an arm or leg.

However, the heart is super vital to the health and wellbeing of any patient. Therefore, it is imperative that a patient makes heart-healthy choices if they want to improve their heart health and live a healthier life overall.

Heart Healthy Foods to Eat

What are the best foods to eat for heart health?
A patient’s diet is the best place to start with heart health. There are many foods you can eat that will improve heart health–and many foods that will lead to a decline in heart health. The best foods you can eat for heart health are:

Fatty fish containing Omega-3 fish oil
Fibrous green vegetables, namely lettuces and greens with vitamin K
Citrus fruits containing vitamin C
Beans for protein without saturated fats or cholesterol

If you are eating to improve heart health, focus on vitamins and minerals to aid in heart productivity.

What are the benefits of eating Omega-3 fish oil and fish products for heart health?

Omega-3 fish oils are sourced from fatty fish, such as salmon. This fish oil helps lubricate the blood vessels to assist in transporting blood cells and oxygen. According to MedlinePlus, “[Omega-3 fats] reduce triglycerides, a type of fat in your blood. They reduce the risk of developing an irregular heartbeat (arrhythmias). They slow the buildup of plaque, a substance comprising fat, cholesterol, and calcium, which hardens and blocks your arteries.”

How do fiber and fibrous foods help someone who has heart problems?

Fibrous foods that are green offer a double whammy. Fiber is necessary for the digestive system in that it helps push out debris and toxins caught in the digestive tract. Otherwise, these toxins can build up, especially in the case of bad cholesterol, and fill up the blood vessels. This can cause a heart attack due to blockages. Fiber reduces blockages by being undigested and used as a broom to sweep through the digestive tract.

What are vitamin K foods and how do these help the heart?

The use of vitamin K is important for thinning the blood. In fact, if your patient is suffering from blood clots and taking Warfarin to thin their blood, they may not be able to eat vitamin K-rich foods like spinach because it thins the blood too much. As such, eating vitamin K, which is found most abundantly in green foods, will naturally thin a patient’s blood. Vitamin K-rich foods reduce the risk of a blood clot related to a heart attack for patients who eat them.

How do vitamin C foods help patients with heart health and immunity?

Vitamin C is selected for patients who want to boost their heart health. This vitamin is more commonly associated with citrus fruits, such as lemons and oranges. When eating vitamin C, this substance improves cardiovascular health by increasing immunity against diseases and viruses.

If you have a patient with poor heart health, they are more susceptible to illnesses, such as upper respiratory tract infections or bronchitis. In this case, patients who take vitamin C supplements or simply eat more vitamin C-laden foods will naturally improve their ability to fight off illnesses that can jeopardize their heart health.

Exercises to Do for Heart Health

Exercise through regular physical activity is the next step in taking care of a patient’s heart health. But too much exercise can be dangerous for someone who is struggling with high blood pressure or a low heart rate. Here are some exercises to try to help one’s heart.

Is cardiovascular or aerobic exercise good for heart health?

Cardiovascular exercise is the most common exercise for someone who is improving their heart health. Cardiovascular exercises depend on aerobics to boost oxygen flow through the cardiovascular system. This is achieved by making the patient’s internal organs and vascular system work harder through exertion. Examples of aerobic exercises from Hopkins Medicine that are safe for the heart include:

Brisk walks
Jogging
Jumping rope
Playing pickleball
Swimming
Running

Commit to at least 20 minutes of exercise per day for at least five days a week for the best results. This will help you increase heart health and boost blood flow.

Changing Habits for Heart Health

Along with eating heart-healthy foods and exercising, patients can change other habits to improve heart health. Life changes can lead to a better quality of life that can increase the efficiency of the patient’s cardiovascular system. Here are a few habits worth changing for heart health.

Can quitting smoking help with heart health?

Yes, if you are smoking cigarettes or cigars, and you quit smoking these products, you can improve heart health. Smoking anything causes the lungs to constrict due to a lack of oxygen in the body. As the patient’s lungs fill up with cigarette smoke, this naturally reduces the amount of oxygen in the lungs. As a result, the patient will have a decreased lung capacity over time.

The way this works is best explained by Nemours, “With each heartbeat, the heart sends blood throughout our bodies, carrying oxygen to every cell. After delivering the oxygen, the blood returns to the heart. The heart then sends the blood to the lungs to pick up more oxygen.” Therefore, the circulatory system transports blood and oxygen throughout the body.
When the heart is not healthy, there is a decrease in blood and oxygen filtration. As a result, the body is unable to function at the optimal level of normal amounts of blood flow and oxygen. By not smoking, you are able to get back the oxygen taken from the carbon monoxide contained in the smoke.

Will working a sedentary job cause me to have poor heart health?

Yes, anyone working a sedentary job is more likely to have poor heart health. This has to do with the lack of oxygen circulating in the body. When a patient is sitting down for eight or 10 hours at a time with limited mobility and movement, the heart is unable to fully pump oxygen at a healthy rate. This is partly because the patient is not moving.
By sitting down at a computer desk, for example, the body is not moving to its full potential. Instead, it is as if the body is partially at rest or taking a nap. When working at a job involving sitting for long periods of time, the best way to improve heart health is with regular standing and walking breaks.

Also, consider using a treadmill or stand-up desk to help you do work without being sedentary. Otherwise, increasing exercise or taking more frequent breaks when doing sedentary work is a good alternative to the negative effects of this type of work setting.

How can my patients better manage stress to improve heart health?

A patient who is stressed out and overly excited on a regular basis might be suffering from related heart problems. The way this works is through an increased circulatory response in a state of heightened alert. When someone is stressed out, the blood pressure rate increases due to an increased need to pump blood through the body.

This is also associated with a flight-or-fight response when someone is in distress, such as if they are being attacked by a wild animal. If a patient is struggling with high-stress situations on a routine basis, they are pumping themselves full of adrenaline. This is good for a short-term response to a stressful situation. However, over the long term, having to be stressed out and running on high adrenaline leads to thyroid problems.

Cut down on stressful events or change one’s circumstances, such as one’s job or where one lives and commutes. This will decrease stress and can be an improvement to one’s heart health through a healthy lifestyle. In order to reduce stress on yourself as a health care professional, invest in the CPR Recertification for Life course offered by Advanced Medical Certification today.

How do you improve your heart health? Share your tips in the comments section below or join a discussion on our social media.

About Greta

Greta is a dedicated life saver and a distinguished expert in the field of medical content creation and editing. Her impressive array of certifications in ACLS, CPR, PALS, and BLS underscores her commitment to excellence in the medical field. With over four years of invaluable experience in medical education, Greta plays an indispensable role within the Advanced Medical Certification team, shaping the way healthcare professionals around the world acquire and apply vital knowledge.

Greta's profound expertise serves as the driving force behind the development and distribution of medical content that has significantly enhanced the capabilities of countless healthcare practitioners across the globe.

In addition to her medical qualifications, Greta holds a prestigious academic distinction in Marketing and Global Business from Vilnius University. Her academic journey has been enriched by immersive studies in Slovakia and Portugal during her time as an exchange student, providing her with a global perspective that complements her medical expertise.

Beyond her professional commitments, Greta possesses a genuine passion for global exploration, with a particular focus on immersing herself in diverse cultures and appreciating the intricacies of the natural world. While residing in Vilnius, Lithuania, she continues to make substantial contributions to the field of medical education, leaving an indelible mark on the sector.

Reach out to Greta at greta.kviklyte@advmedcert.com.

Keep reading

Medical personnel training to get ACLS certificate demonstrate an advanced cardiac life support procedure

What is advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) certification

BLS training dummy used by two medical personnel

What Does Basic Life Support (BLS) Stand For?

AMC F- Ambulance for BLS, ACLS, CPR emergency response

Learn More About BBP Certification

ACLS vs. ALS

Importance of Online Bloodborne Pathogens Training

by Greta Kviklyte

Life Saver, AMC

Co-authored by Kim Murray, RN, M.S.

posted on Aug 26, 2022, at 6:09 am

As you prepare for work in a field that involves human contact and needles, it pays to be precautious–extra precautious in fact. You want to avoid contracting life-threatening diseases like HIV/AIDS due to needlestick. Use our online training for bloodborne pathogens certification to provide safety and exposure control. Learn more about what bloodborne pathogens are and how to train in any industry for this kind of situation.

We offer Online Bloodborne Pathogens Certification

What are Bloodborne Pathogens

A bloodborne pathogen is a blood-based infectious disease that travels only in blood cells. The most likely source of being contracted by a bloodborne pathogen is through a needle that sticks to your skin. This could be by choice, as with intravenous drug use, or you could be stuck by a needle when working in a hospital or tattoo studio.

Either way, if the needle contains infectious microorganisms, you will be exposed to these, which are referred to as bloodborne pathogens. Protecting against needlestick injuries is an activity that is covered in the workplace by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

What are some of the most common bloodborne pathogens that you must be aware of in the workplace? “Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV) are three of the most common bloodborne pathogens from which health care workers are at risk. However, bloodborne pathogens are implicated in the transmission of more than 20 other pathogens,” according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). As you can see, these are not diseases to be taken lightly.

Protections for Workers Exposed to Blood

online-bloodborne-pathogens-training-for-healthcare-workers2 For those who are employed in occupations involving blood contact with the public, OSHA has set a bloodborne pathogens standard. This standard is published in the Code of Federal Regulations in Title 29 CFR 1910.1030. All the specific definitions regarding bloodborne pathogens are listed here for your convenience. This includes contaminated laundry and contaminated sharps, as well as decontamination and exposure incidents.

Learn more about the terms used to define bloodborne pathogens and techniques for controlling such encounters. For example, according to the regulations, parenteral refers to “piercing mucous membranes or the skin barrier through such events as needlesticks, human bites, cuts, and abrasions.” This will help you when reading documents and information regarding how to manage bloodborne pathogens.

Online Bloodborne Pathogens Training for Healthcare Workers

Prepare for online bloodborne pathogens training for healthcare workers today. Along with resources from OSHA and the CDC, you will need to receive customized training regarding your industry. If you work in healthcare, for instance, your team will need to have different types of documents and exposure control plans compared to someone working as an aesthetician. The healthcare industry works mainly with vaccinations and injections for the sake of treatments.

This involves medication, as well as health emergencies that may be life-threatening due to blood loss. When in an emergency, timing is everything. You have to be prepared to take on any healthcare incident, including those where patients may suffer from bloodborne diseases. Here is where it is key to determine the best route of prevention. Training provides such a barrier of safety against bloodborne pathogens.

About Online Bloodborne Pathogens Training

As you work in the healthcare industry, there are two main pathways of exposure you may be subjected to when it comes to bloodborne pathogens. This includes percutaneous injuries involving contact with a sharp object. The second method is through mucocutaneous exposure. According to the CDC, mucocutaneous exposure is the “contact of a mucous membrane or non-intact skin with blood, tissue, or other potentially infectious bodily fluids.”

While protective equipment, such as gloves or face masks, can provide a barrier against such contact, this is not always available or accessible for healthcare workers. Training for healthcare workers to ward against exposure to bloodborne pathogens starts with online bloodborne pathogens training. Earn continuing education credits to help you maintain healthcare training credentials with Advanced Medical Certification (AMC).

Earn a Bloodborne Pathogens Completion Certificate

AMC provides official and industry-recognized bloodborne pathogens training online. At your convenient scheduling, you are able to maintain knowledge and updated standards regarding bloodborne pathogen exposure. Save even more time and money with the selection of BBP Certification Online. After completing this online healthcare training, you receive an Advanced Medical Certification Bloodborne Pathogens Completion Certificate.

This certificate and training are in line with the Bloodborne Pathogens Standard in Title 29 of CFR 1910.1030. Learn everything you need to know about protecting the workplace and yourself, as well as others, from exposure to diseases and illnesses, contracted through blood and/or mucus exposure. This training provides healthcare workers with two credit hours that can be applied to renewal certifications in a variety of industries.

Why Should I Choose the BBP Certification Online

online-bloodborne-pathogens-training-for-healthcare-workers1 Whether you work as a pharmacy technician, patient care worker, or registered nurse, you will be able to use these credit hours toward renewing your state license. You can also apply these credits and this certificate to your application for a healthcare board exam. Continue to excel in learning about the latest in healthcare industry standards by earning your Bloodborne Pathogens Completion Certificate from AMC today.
Once you complete the training and pass the final examination, you receive an instant digital BBP Certificate. Print this for your records and documentation purposes, submit this to employers, or include it on your resume for future job searches.

Training for Tattoo Artists

Working as a tattoo artist exposes you to a variety of healthcare pathogens. As this is a needle and ink profession where the customer is poked with needles repeatedly to create a visual image, you are exposed to bloodborne pathogens on a regular basis. Whether or not the customer tells you they have a bloodborne pathogen, by sticking them with a needle, you put yourself at risk of exposure. In fact, most customers may not be aware they have contracted such a disease or illness that would put you at risk as well.

This is why you want to protect yourself and your customers from your own potential bloodborne pathogens. You may have contracted a disease through accidental needlesticks without even realizing it has happened due to a lack of medical symptoms. Here is where getting certified for bloodborne pathogens will ensure you are best protected in the workplace. Along with being OSHA compliant, you are going to learn about the federal regulations and industry standards for bloodborne pathogens as depicted by the CDC.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are the forerunners of healthcare and medical advice in the industry and the world at large. Take into account their research and recommendations for staying safe as someone in the tattoo industry. Whereas you may not feel compelled to maintain the health standards of the healthcare industry, you will change your mind once you complete the BBC Certification online.

Through online bloodborne pathogens certification, you also put your customers’ minds at rest. They can be sure you are going to provide them with a safe experience when tattooing. Challenge your work crew to also earn certification in bloodborne pathogens. This will increase the safety and health standards at the tattooing shop where you work. Through AMC, you can also add CPR training as a bundle offer.

Maintain CPR and First Aid Certification along with Bloodborne Pathogens Completion Certification at the same time and from the same place. This will help your team increase productivity and boost morale. You will also impress tattoo customers who will appreciate the extra caution for their health and wellness.

Protections for Piercing Providers

If you also provide piercing services, as are available at many tattoo parlors, you also want to invest in bloodborne pathogens training and certification. In this area of body mortification, seeing blood and mucus is a daily part of the job. It only makes sense for your health and safety, and the financial success of the shop, to be BBP certified.

Learn everything there is to know about maintaining safe standards when exposed to blood and mucus when piercing. There are bound to be bodily fluids that piercers are exposed to due to the nature of the job. Therefore, you want to be aware of any protections and precautions you can take to minimize the risk of exposure to bloodborne pathogens in this environment.

Protect yourself from contracting the hepatitis C virus due to piercing a client, all by learning how to stay safe in such a circumstance. There are ways to manage piercing procedures for patients who are suffering from bloodborne pathogens and related diseases. By learning about these practices and subsequent precautions you should take, you will be able to provide customers with more accessible services.

Training for Microblading Technicians (Aestheticians)

Another area in line with both tattooing and piercing is microblading. A microblading technician is a type of aesthetician who works with eyebrows. The use of microblading is a specific method of removing hair without waxing or tweezing. Cosmopolitan reports that “microblading is a semi-permanent form of cosmetic tattooing.”

Similar to dying your hair, semi-permanent pigment is added to the area of your eyebrows. This is applied using several microscopic needles that leave the appearance of fine hairs. Essentially, microblading offers a henna-like tattoo for your eyebrows as a form of semi-permanent makeup.

As a result of the use of needles, when working as an aesthetician who provides microblading services, you should take online bloodborne pathogens training. Get certified in bloodborne pathogens to prepare yourself for the workplace. Protect yourself and your customers from contracting serious diseases and illnesses through the use of BBP certification by AMC.

Learn how to prevent the spread of bloodborne pathogens in case someone starts hemorrhaging while microblading is being done. Additionally, have resources on hand to clean up any bodily fluids leaked on the job site. Understand the OSHA rules for compliance in this situation. Ensure everyone in the shop also knows what to do by posting these rules in the office.

FAQs for Online Bloodborne Pathogens Training

What Can I Expect in Online Bloodborne Pathogens Training?

When you register for online bloodborne pathogens training by Advanced Medical Certification, you receive access to an online portal. Here is where you train at your convenience on how to manage bloodborne pathogens. The training is conducted 100 percent online and can be accessed at any time day or night.

Will I be Eligible for Bloodborne Pathogens Training in Any Industry?

Yes, you will be able to take online bloodborne pathogens training from any industry that you work in, ranging from healthcare to beautician. There is no prerequisite when it comes to taking courses and certifications at AMC. However, each of the training courses and bundles must be paid for in order to start training.

Are Bloodborne Pathogen Training Bundles a Good Idea?

A bundle that includes bloodborne pathogen training certification with other training will help you save money. You are able to get more than one certification completed at one time and for a reduced rate. If you want to save money on certifications, then it is a good idea to bundle up when ordering courses and certifications from AMC. This will also save you time on determining if you need to learn about other skills, such as First Aid and CPR, in addition to bloodborne pathogens.

Do I Have to be a Certain Age to Complete Certification?

No, you do not have to be a certain age in order to complete certifications for bloodborne pathogens. This training is open to all ages and backgrounds, regardless of what industry you are studying or working in. Find out how to make more income through advanced certifications by getting BBP Certification while still in high school or college. You will be able to include this information on your resume and increase your chances of employment or advancing to a higher level at your workplace.

What is your experience with bloodborne pathogens training and how did it help in your workplace? Share your thoughts in the comments section below or in our Facebook discussion.

About Greta

Reach out to Greta at greta.kviklyte@advmedcert.com.

Keep reading

What is advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) certification

What Does Basic Life Support (BLS) Stand For?

Learn More About ACLS Certification

ACLS vs. ALS

Professional Prospects for Certified Medical Assistant

by Greta Kviklyte

Life Saver, AMC

Co-authored by Kim Murray, RN, M.S.

posted on Jul 24, 2022, at 9:18 am

Are you interested in a career as a certified medical assistant? The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the job outlook for medical assistants is rising 18 percent faster than the average job market. This is great news for you as it increases your odds of getting hired in the workforce once you have trained and received certification. There is a demand for 132,600 new certified medical assistants by 2030, and you could be one of the individuals who fill this need in the medical sector. Find out what it takes to become a certified medical assistant (CMA) in the US today.

We offer Online ACLS, PALS and BLS Certification and Renewal

What Does a Medical Assisting Professional Do

certified-medical-assistant-holding-a-clipboard To be a CMA in medical assisting, students must train to conduct a variety of hands-on skills that are involved with this occupation. Certified medical assistants work in the medical industry. Their skills are needed by upper-level medical professionals. The types of medical assisting skills that CMAs must utilize include:

Giving shots and injections
Measuring vitals
Conducting phlebotomy, which is drawing blood
Carrying out EKG or electrocardiography to check for heart conditions
Handling patient records
Customer service involving patients
Examining patients

This is an area of expertise that requires getting your hands dirty, often with blood. Therefore, it is super important that CMAs train in their field of expertise and receive certification, as well as state licensing. This is often the requirement in order for a medical assistant to work with patients. Medical assistants work alongside other medical professionals, including certified nursing assistants and medical technologists. These are the workers of the healthcare profession that are heavily involved with cleaning instruments, maintaining patient records, and monitoring patient health. However, a CMA is not someone who is in a leadership role in a medical office or during a surgical procedure. They take information from nurses, doctors, and other higher-level professionals.

How to Become a Certified Medical Assistant

The job of a certified medical assistant revolves around nurses, physicians, and surgeons. Medical assistants have skills that enable them to work in medical clinics, doctor’s offices, and hospitals. Becoming a certified medical assistant requires formal training. However, students can now take part in the CMA training for certification online, and in-person practicum training. This reduces the time it takes to pass the certification exam, which is necessary for getting hired as a certified medical assistant.

Steps to Being Hired as a CMA

Step 1: Get Trained in Medical Assisting

To be hired as a CMA for medical assisting, students start with formal training either online or in person. This training provides the tools necessary to take and pass one of the many CMA certification exams. Training costs anywhere from a few hundred dollars to $20,000 for a year of school tuition and board.

It depends on your circumstances and whether you choose to attend an online school or an on-campus program. Places to study to become a certified medical assistant include traditional colleges, as well as university workforce development centers, and third-party training centers.

How long will it take me to get certified as a medical assistant in medical assisting?

Most medical assistant training programs that lead to certification board exams take two years to complete. This varies, especially for students attending part-time online classes. However, it generally takes students about two years to get everything accomplished to attend the board exams.

The first year is for an online or campus-based training program for students interested in becoming medical assistants. The second year covers externships, clinical, and other in-person hands-on training experiences. Students are generally required to complete between 160 hours and 720 hours of in-person training based on their program.

Step 2: Pass a Certification Exam

There are several exams that students can take to become certified medical assistants. These exams include:

American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) and the CMA (AAMA) Exam
National Healthcareer Association and the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) Exam
National Center for Competency Testing (NCCT) Exam
National Association for Health Professionals and the NRCMA Certification Examination

The exam certification is necessary for individuals working towards professional status as a CMA. You also need to have proof of a CMA certification to be eligible for employment. To take these certification exams, students have to submit an application and pay a fee of about $125. The exams are multiple-choice tests done on a computer at a testing site.

What are the federal rules for certification as a CMA?

There are no federal rules regarding getting certified as a CMA. Instead, rules come down from state legislatures. Therefore, it is imperative that individuals confer with their state of employment regarding what is necessary for getting a job as a certified medical assistant.

For example, in Washington in the Northwest, there are state-specific rules for certified medical assistants. A CMA must have NCCT exam certification specifically in order to be eligible for employment in the state. In order to get state licensure as an MA-C, which is necessary to get hired, individuals have to do one of the following:

Graduate from an accredited school (ABHES) or program (CAAHEP)
Graduate from a college with at least 160 hours in a clinical externship or 720 clock hours of training
Complete an apprenticeship program
Have military training and experience

Check with local schools providing training and find out what certification exams are provided locally. This offers the best results in choosing the right exam for your state.

Step 3: Apply for a CMA Position

Now you are a CMA and you are ready to apply for a job in this field. Chances are you have already lined up a few options based on your clinical practicum as required by your training program and the certification exam board. Start sending out applications and lining up interviews with potential employers.

Check with your program provider to inquire about employment resources, such as free access to paid job boards and forums online. Attend job fairs in your community or in a city where you want to get hired. Consider relocating to a different city or state to find a job as a certified medical assistant, if necessary or desired.

Is a CMA the name for someone who works in medical assisting?

Yes, a CMA is the same as a medical assistant in most ways and this is a profession for someone working in medical assisting. However, becoming a certified medical assistant only takes one step beyond being trained as a medical assistant. A certified medical assistant has passed a certification exam to prove they are capable of working in this industry. Someone who goes to school and passes all of their training courses is a medical assistant–only becoming certified once they pass a certification exam.

What’s the difference between a CNA and a CMA?

A CMA is a certified medical assistant. A CNA is a certified nursing assistant. There are several minor differences. For instance, “ The first difference comes with time requirements to get your certification. A Certified Nursing Assistant Certification requires 76 hours of curriculum and training, while it only takes 40 hours to get a CMA Certification,” states Enroll at Quality.

A CNA works exclusively with registered nurses (RNs), while a medical assistant works with more types of medical staff. This includes phlebotomists, lab technicians, and surgeons, just to name a few. Certified medical assistants work with these types of medical professionals. However, they are under the direction of another professional and conduct activities when directed by them rather than taking the lead in a team. CNAs do not take the lead of an RN either, as these are both assistant positions.

Is medical assistant certification hard?

No, it is not difficult to get certified as a medical assistant. Students who graduate from a program that is approved by the certification board are already halfway to their goal. From this point, medical assistants take a single examination.

This exam is a multiple choice exam. The exams vary in length. For example, the AAMA exam has 200 questions and is in four parts. Each part is timed. Test takers have 40 minutes to complete each exam segment. These exams cost about $125 each to take, and CMAs must get recertified every 60 months.

However, if you are someone who is entirely new to the medical and healthcare professions, the training and certification for a medical assistant course could be hard. This depends on you as the student and how well you are able to digest the material and apply information.

Can a CMA draw blood?

Yes, but they don’t as this is the job of a phlebotomist. If a patient is receiving a blood transfusion or getting their blood work drawn up in a lab, the phlebotomist is the one pulling the plunger on the IV. However, a medical assistant is trained to draw blood and give injections as a skill. They are also legally allowed to conduct this practice if necessary. This is under a physician’s order or by the requirement of a registered nurse.

How do I get a medical assistant license in my state?

In each state, the process of getting a medical assistant license is different. The general procedure for licensure as a certified medical assistant involves checking with the state labor board. Here is where you will find out what is needed and where to apply for state licensing for certified medical assistant. Once you apply and receive a state license, this is when you are eligible to apply for a job in that state as a certified medical assistant. Congratulations! Job well done!

Who Should Train As a Certified Medical Assistant

certified-medical-assistant-in-operation-room Individuals who are interested in administrative jobs at hospitals or working in healthcare facilities should consider a career as a medical assistant. This is a generalized work area that is lower down on the totem pole of medical professionals. You do not have to spend 10 or 15 years of training in medicine or $300,000 on tuition costs. Instead, getting certified as a medical assistant takes about one year. Timewise, the road to becoming a medical assistant is a lot shorter than that of a medical doctor.

What are good qualities to have if I want to be a medical assistant?

The best qualities for someone interested in a career as a medical assistant are customer skills, patience with patients, and medical knowledge. You also must be able to see blood without fainting, as you might have to perform minor surgical procedures or give injections. Medical assistants must also be good with different types of settings. Some CMAs work in hospitals and medical centers, while others work in private offices and quiet laboratories.

Someone who wants to be a medical assistant should also be ready to deal with emergencies in a medical environment. Whether you are working in an actual emergency room or just a doctor’s office, there is almost always a high-stakes scenario at play. Patients are constantly coming and going with medical emergencies that may be life-threatening.

In terms of medical knowledge, medical assistants receive training for conducting basic tasks for patient care. This starts with taking vital signs and blood work and extends to physically examining patients. Medical assistants also write up patient reports. They must also maintain health records for patients according to HIPAA or the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996.

Advanced Medical Certification for Medical Assistants

At Advanced Medical Certification (AMC), there are online courses, certifications, and recertifications that can be completed online. These courses are 100 percent online. Most even have recertification for life as an optional choice. Consider taking one of the following courses to support your medical assistant certification:

ACLS training and certification
Bloodborne Pathogens training and certification
PALS Pediatric Advanced Life Support training and certification
BLS Basic Life Support training and certification
First Aid/CPR and AED Automated External Defibrillator training and certification

Each course at AMC is provided completely online for medical assistants. Those who successfully complete a course exam for certification receive proof of certification immediately. Printed cards are sent to certified medical assistants upon request.

Exams can be retaken an unlimited number of times, too! This is a great aspect of AMC certification as it frees you up to save money in case you bomb the exam the first time. Most exam providers do not give you unlimited retakes and you must reapply and repay the application fee, of more than $100, each time.

Advanced Medical Certification does not do this. Our goal is to provide students with the training materials and latest resources for certification as a medical assistant. This includes various training courses related to your occupation in the medical field.

Choose AMC and our extensive lineup of medical and healthcare profession certifications. Share your experience of becoming a certified medical assistant in the comments section or the Facebook discussion.

About Greta

Reach out to Greta at greta.kviklyte@advmedcert.com.

Keep reading

What is advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) certification

What Does Basic Life Support (BLS) Stand For?

ACLS vs. ALS

PALS Megacodes - What to Know About It

by Greta Kviklyte

Life Saver, AMC

Co-authored by Kim Murray, RN, M.S.

posted on Jun 21, 2022, at 9:03 am

When a child goes into cardiac arrest and needs emergency medical attention, someone with PALS training and PALS megacodes are best suited for saving their life. PALS or Pediatric Advanced Life Support is the best way to train for treating pediatric patients. Along with learning about the latest resuscitation tools, PALS Megacodes are also useful for teaching and preparing for real-life events. As a first responder or nurse, you have to get recertified with PALS every two years as part of your First Aid/CPR training. See what these PALS Megacodes are all about and find out what is new for PALS certification in 2022.

We offer Online PALS Certification and Renewal

Take our PALS Practice Test

What are PALS Megacodes

pals-megacodes-for-nurses PALS megacodes are training modules to help health care professionals practice before they put treatment modalities into action. As infants and children are less capable of saving themselves in a life-threatening situation, adult responders must be fully prepared to provide them with PALS and care.

Megacodes provide the most sustainable way to practice algorithms associated with PALS events. These training modules use field data and information to identify a metaphysical way of thinking about emergencies. All possible outlets and actions are on the table with megacode simulations. This allows for more fluid thinking on your feet when in the wake of a true emergency situation.

In addition, the study of megacodes ensures a professional is able to successfully pass the PALS skills portion of examinations. Adults working in the healthcare industry are required to take these exams every two years for recertification. By studying and maintaining PALS skills training today, you are one step closer to your goal of being CPR, AED, and First Aid certified for pediatric patients.

About PALS Scenarios

Within the context of PALS are scenario exercises that simulate real-life occurrences that PALS can treat. These include:

Tachycardia
Bradycardia
Ventricular fibrillation or V-fib
Ventricular tachycardia (VT)
Complex tachycardias
Respiratory distress focuses on choking and allergic reactions

Each of these six areas is the focus of sudden cardiac arrest for children. When working with life-saving techniques, it is paramount that you have the most up-to-date information and resources. Megacodes are part of this process for PALS training and practice.

Example of a PALS Megacode Scenario

An example of a scenario within PALS that you must simulate in order to get the correct answer would begin with a statement. For instance, a PALS megacode will include a statement explaining a medical emergency and instructions to access the ABCs.

What you have to do here is state what the first step is in managing this healthcare situation. Do you apply for an AED, access GCS, or initiate CPR? What you are doing when answering this simulation is putting yourself in a professional’s shoes. What would you do if this emergency were to arise? The answer to this theoretical question is A for Airway and the initiation of CPR.

That is the point of PALS Megacode training scenarios and their algorithms. These algorithms use a tree-like branching structure to map out insightful events and activities that might happen.

As a result of using the megacode scenarios, you gain information on Pediatric Advanced Life Support and other Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) throughout the simulation practice. Uses include studying for the PALS exam and other First Aid exams, as well as practicing for real-life experiences in the medical field. By keeping up with the latest PALS Megacodes updates, you are able to stay ahead of training and testing dates.

Review of PALS Megacodes Updates

pals-certification-for-nurses Now let’s take a close look at the most recent updates for the PALS megacodes. The International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR) makes megacode updates every five years like clockwork. The most recent year for ILCOR updates on PALS was 2020 and big changes have taken place regarding the initiation of CPR.

Two big changes are happening with when and how to perform chest compressions and breaths on pediatric patients during the use of PALS. In regard to the use of CPR, ILCOR recommends a more modern cycle for life-saving compressions. Now, infants and children receiving CPR get 20 to 30 breaths per minute.

This is much more efficient compared to the 12 to 20 breaths per minute that were previously the rule. Additionally, the infant receives “one breath every two to three seconds” rather than the old rule of “one breath every three to five seconds.” Receiving more breaths more frequently with pediatric CPR appears to be more effective at saving lives. As for the updates for chest compression, these rules now apply to the PALS algorithm:

Chest compressions are started when the pulse rate is less than 60 beats a minute.
For a patient without a pulse, 15 chest compressions are added to CPR breaths.
Chest compression is used with an AED or defibrillator as needed.

The new Pediatric Advanced Life Support practices that are updated and approved by the ILCOR come from extensive field research and data. The goal is to find out the missing areas of treatment and support for pediatric patients and make more effective PALS algorithms to support these key modalities. For the 2020 updates, the primary focus is on CPR for infants and improving the outcomes of removing blockages from airways.

Focus on Personalized Adaptive Algorithms

Other updates focus solely on the PALS megacodes and method of activities in testing. The 2020 Guidelines HeartCode program by AHA for Megacode activities replaced the gaming format and eSimulation. Instead of using the concept of gaming to teach PALS concepts and for testing purposes, megacode activities have been replaced.

Now you can anticipate the use of personalized adaptive algorithms, as well as Cognitive Assessment Activities (CAAs) instead of eSimulation. Personalized adaptive algorithms better understand how someone is performing during these timed evaluations. Using a personalized algorithm also increases the effectiveness of PALS examinations. Professionals are able to follow the exam questions that are adapted to their level of expertise as noted by answers on the exam.

As for the latest updates to the PALS algorithms, the algorithms for PALS 2021 include hands-on actions to take during life-saving measures for pediatric patients in these areas:

Cardiac arrest
Bradycardia
Tachycardia
Respiratory emergencies

Further explanation of these algorithms shows that they are based on diagrams that illustrate what to do if a child is suffering from a heart-related condition. For example, the pediatric cardiac arrest algorithm discusses how to treat a child who is also not breathing or does not have a pulse. Using these algorithms that resemble tree diagrams of information helps you to study and prepare for life-saving scenarios.

By training with PALS algorithms and resources that are up-to-date, you are better capable of maintaining proper safety when saving the lives of children and infants. You can also look at the pediatric BLS algorithm that has been updated for 2020.

What’s New With PALS Certification

Along with the latest updates on PALS megacodes, there are additional guidelines for PALS certification. This is different from the megacodes. Certification guidelines focus more on the use of specific techniques within the PALS algorithms. Nurse Cheung on YouTube provides information about PALS certification 2020 guideline updates from the American Heart Association (AHA).

From the 2015 to 2020 guidelines for early epinephrine administration for pediatric patients, there are stricter limitations. Rather than administering epinephrine at any time during a pediatric cardiac arrest, it is now reasonable to administer this drug initially within 5 minutes of chest compressions for a cardiac arrest. This is based on information about invasive blood pressure monitoring, which is conducted to assess CPR quality. According to the experienced nurses, “early administration of epinephrine has been shown to save lives.”

Additional updates to pediatric CPR and basic life support training via the AHA in 2020 also include:

Single rescuer CPR administration can now be done with three options–using two fingers or two thumbs or one hand for infant chest compression
Starting emergency response with a mobile device immediately
Perform a single round of CPR before leaving a child or infant to call for help

These are the highlights for pediatric CPR and AED for cardiac arrest using the PALS guidelines for 2020. There is another way you can stay on point with the latest updates. That is to sign up for the Advanced Medical Certification for Life for PALS Certification.

What is PALS Megacodes Scenario Simulations by AMC?

Several PALS Megacode Scenario Simulations are provided for professionals by the Advanced Medical Certification (AMC). These megacodes are timed and available now for anyone to try. The different types of scenario simulations include:

Respiratory distress
Bradycardia and asystole
Ventricular fibrillation
Sinus tachycardia and SVT

Along with a megacode simulation exercise and test questions for each of these topic areas, AMC also offers access to a free Pediatric Advanced Life Support Online Handbook. This free handbook covers these timely skills and topics:

PALS Megacodes
Welcome to PALS
PALS Medical Emergency Team
PALS Basic Life Support
Pediatric Advanced Life Support
Resuscitation Tools
Respiratory Distress/Failure
Bradycardia
Tachycardia
Shock
Cardiac Arrest
Pediatric Post-Resuscitation Care
PALS Essentials
PALS Skills Training
PALS Algorithms
Reviews

Along with practicing the megacode simulations, it is important to read and review this free manual. You gain invaluable insight and tips for practicing algorithms. The book also helps you develop a framework for correctly answering exam questions. As a result of the training and learning materials, as a professional conducting pediatric life support in the real world, you are more fully prepared to do your job successfully. Saving lives is essential to your work and requires hands-on skills and training.

What to Expect With AMC PALS Megacode Simulations

Each of the megacode training simulations starts in a multiple-choice format. You are given a question that is based on the information provided above in a text box. The box includes a blue highlighted statement of fact about the simulation. This will cover the who, what, why, when, and where of the simulation that you need to know to format a solution. Theoretically, this information is based on the PALS algorithms and is updated regularly. These algorithms are updated accordingly to meet guidelines for testing and the provision of medical services.

With each question, you receive a corrected answer along with a detailed written explanation of the choice. This information ensures you have the background knowledge and working fundamentals associated with the PALS algorithm to use in the real world. After all, that is what all of this training and preparation is for–to enable you as a healthcare professional to save the lives of infants and children.

Get PALS Certification For Life Online

The PALS certification at AMC is available online for professionals interested in signing up. The course includes PALS Provider certification for Life. This is a unique opportunity to maintain registration for pediatric advanced life support certification for the duration of your medical career. Through the Advanced Medical Certification offering, you are able to sign up once for PALS For Life and save a ton of money on future costs of training and examinations. Get the Timed PALS Megacode Scenario Simulations online and begin preparing for the upcoming exams today.

Try out these new megacode simulations now for free! You do not have to sign up or register to begin these training exercises. Buy PALS Recertification today and earn your PALS skills online at any time. The PALS Certified For Life Bundle is also available and will combine ACLS, PALS, and BLS certifications. Have you already tried it? Share your experience in the comments section below or in the Facebook discussion.

About Greta

Reach out to Greta at greta.kviklyte@advmedcert.com.

Keep reading

What is advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) certification

What Does Basic Life Support (BLS) Stand For?

ACLS vs. ALS

Childproofing a Swimming Pool to Avoid a Baby Choking

by Greta Kviklyte

Life Saver, AMC

Co-authored by Kim Murray, RN, M.S.

posted on May 29, 2022, at 4:56 am

Summer months lead to swimming pool season around the world. If you are a parent and owner of a pool, either in-ground or above ground, you want to childproof the entire area to avoid baby choking. Help save a child from drowning or other choking hazards in your swimming pool by using a variety of protective barriers and preventative measures.

These solutions are ideally suited for toddlers and kids who are not old enough to take care of themselves around water. Also, in the case of an emergency, be prepared to handle situations like a baby choking on water or pool toys.

We offer Online CPR and BLS Certification

Find out what kind of tools you need, along with infant CPR devices, to save a child in danger around a swimming pool.

Start With the Child

avoid-baby-choking-swim-with-arm-floaties Before you begin installing fencing or spending hundreds of dollars on wearable devices, consider who you are protecting here. If you are childproofing for an infant who is barely walking, then you can wait for the swimming lessons. However, if you have a five-year-old entering kindergarten, now is the perfect time to take them for their first year of swimming lessons.

The more comfortable a child is with the swimming pool, the safer they will be since panicking will be replaced by playtime. A child also needs to know how to react when in water, especially in an emergency. By learning how to swim and float early on, young swimmers are better suited for life in and around swimming pools.

Childproofing a Pool to avoid Baby Choking: Layers of Protection

There are several steps to childproofing a swimming pool, including an above-ground pool. Take a look at the fencing and gates you have put up around your pool area and around the swimming pool. Also, invest in alarms and wearable devices to improve the way you monitor your child and the swimming pool area at large.

These together can save lives and give you peace of mind and security about safely using your swimming pool. If you do have a baby choking and are required to provide CPR, you also want to have these necessary tools on hand:

Copy of the CRP Printed Handbook
CPR for Life certification
Infant CPR and Choking training
Automated external defibrillator (AED)
CPR mask for an infant

CPR, AED, and First Aid Certification Courses

You can train to become CPR certified to handle a baby choking right now. This is available for:

Basic Life Support Certification
Pediatric Advanced Life Support Certification
Advanced Cardiac Life Support Certification
CPR, AED and First Aid Infant, Child and Adult Certification

Learn exactly how to save a baby from choking on water or other choking hazards while swimming by using lifesaving skills to remove an airway obstruction. The Advanced Medical Certification courses are all Postgraduate Institute for Medicine accredited for Category 1 CME certifications.

AED Machines

An AED machine is a portable system that will shock a person back to life if they are suffering from cardiac arrest due to airway obstruction. If your child has been struck by lightning or shocked in an electrical storm while swimming, this is essential. Other reasons why you need an AED machine at your swimming pool include preventing someone from having a heart attack caused by overheating, overexertion, nearly drowning, etc.

The use of an AED machine often plays a role in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) efforts. If the individual appears to have no heartbeat or is lifeless, the AED machine might be the only way to get their heart pumping again. The AED machine transmits an electrical current to the victim, which then shocks the system. The hope is that this shock combined with the use of mouth-to-mouth CPR will bring the person back to life.

CPR Masks for a Baby Choking

The last preventative device that is part of any swimming pool CPR kit is the CPR mask for an infant. This might be the best tool you include in your equipment. Children have small mouths, and it is often difficult to make a good seal with an infant’s mouth when performing CPR on a baby choking.

This is where an infant CPR mask corrects positioning when conducting mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Choosing the infant size of a CPR mask to use on a baby choking is important when purchasing equipment to childproof a pool. You also want to have additional sizes of CPR masks for teens and adults, as well as for seniors. The mask is worn by the drowning victim.

Bag Valve Masks for CPR

Another type of mask you might want to invest in is called a bag valve mask or BVM. This is a resuscitation mask that features a bag to push air into the person’s lungs. You can use this instead of having to actively breathe into the victim’s lungs yourself. This could be a great addition to any CPR kit for a swimming pool.

Pool Cleanup and Storage

Take a look at how you manage pool cleanup after a swimming session. Do you have a place to store pool toys or do you leave these spread out everywhere? Keep them picked up and remove anything exciting from the swimming pool area. Otherwise, you risk having your child run out when you are not looking so they can get their favorite toy.

This also protects your pool liner from being torn due to haphazard items that find their way into the water. Consider having a separate storage shed or pool house constructed for storing pool toys and items. Also, at the end of every swimming session, conduct a routine cleanup. This covers:

Remove pool ladders
Cover the pool surface
Inspect rescue gear
Remove any toys or trash
Replace any drain covers
Lock gates and pool house doors
Turn off the pool lights

By doing these tasks after each swimming session, everyone in the household works together to “close the pool” and is fully aware that this is happening. No more swimming for the day once the pool is closed–which is a great way to keep younger nonverbal kids from running out to the pool “after hours.”

Fencing and Gates

Many barriers are the best way to keep your toddler from accidentally falling into the swimming pool. Start by erecting a perimeter fence that surrounds the entire pool area. This is often a requirement by city inspectors before a pool can pass a permit inspection. The fence must include a gate for entry, and there needs to be a safety latch and locking mechanism on the gate door.

Wooden fencing is the general choice for most pool owners, as the wood is more natural and easier to maintain for privacy purposes around a swimming pool. If you go with chain link fencing, everyone can still see you when they drive or walk by your swimming pool. You want to avoid this for security and safety after hours at your swimming pool.

Next, for your infant, install a barrier around the swimming pool’s perimeter. This will be a secondary fence that can be removed more easily once the child outgrows it. A barrier needs to be at least four feet tall to ensure that a toddler cannot easily make their way over it, according to Lowe’s, with gaps less than three inches wide between the slats.

With more than one fence, including a perimeter fence and pool fence, you create a corridor where your child can safely stay out of the pool. Choose a temporary barrier that can be removed when the smaller children are not present at the swimming pool, or as they grow older and you are no longer worried about them being a baby choking.

Security Cameras for Swimming Pools

Today, every household on any budget can devise a protection system for their pool thanks to the wonders of the Internet of Things (IoT) and video surveillance technology. Install several safety cameras that indicate movement in and around the pool when nobody is outside. These include video cameras with motion detection and the night vision to ensure the greatest level of security. Or go all out with a personal home security monitoring system to watch over any exits where your infant can accidentally get to the pool.

Door and window alarms are a must if you are a swimming pool owner. You can use something as simple as a weather-resistant HD security camera tool that connects to an app on your smartphone. Install security cameras around the windows and doorways, especially if you have a patio or back entrance from your house out to the pool area. This could be a lifesaver for parents of quiet or sneaky children who tend to wander and might end up in the pool alone.

Pool Alarms and Wearable Devices

avoid-baby-choking-kids-summer-swimming-with-floaters In the world of wearable devices and security alarms, swimming pool owners have it a lot easier these days. There are so many items to choose from, including pool alarms for:

Underwater motion detection
Floating motion detection
Infrared detection
Wearable motion detection
Pool fence intruder detection

In order to protect against a child falling into the pool when you are not watching this happen, install a variety of these pool alarms in your swimming pool.

Highlight: Safety Turtle 2.0 Pool Alarm for Kids

One super cute wearable water detector is the Safety Turtle 2.0 Pool Alarm. A child will need to wear a wristband that comes with a wearable water detector. This is useful when you are cleaning the pool or otherwise have a child with you near the pool area. Simply slip the cute turtle embellished stretchy wristband over their arm. The alarm sounds when the child gets too close to the swimming pool, or if they are ready to jump in the water.

Total Cost of Childproofing a Swimming Pool

The wearable water detector is the only type that must be actively worn in order for this alarm to be triggered. The rest of these pool alarms depend on movements in the water or around the swimming pool. Here is where you can add a ton of safety to your swimming pool with a total childproofing setup. The motion detectors are ideally suited to most homeowners’ budgets, too, with the total price for everything together at around $700.

CPR and Rescue Equipment

In the instance that you do have a child who is drowning or choking while at the swimming pool, there are plenty of lifesaving methods to use. Start with the basic CPR for cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Rescue equipment is also a must for any swimming pool. This can include any range of items like:

Life hooks
Rescue boards
Rescue tubes
Backboards
Ring buoys
First aid kit

Also, when you have young swimmers, make sure to have the right size of life vests, earplugs, nose plugs, and other gear. When everyone has the essentials to protect themselves while swimming, there will be fewer accidents in the pool.

Child Safety at the Pool and at Home

How to handle a child emergency at a pool is critical in saving a young swimmer’s life. At the same time, preventing child injuries in the home environment is just as essential. Both being prepared for emergencies and implementing injury prevention measures play a critical role in ensuring the safety and well-being of children.

Get CPR, AED, and First Aid Certified

At Advanced Medical Certification, we have CPR, AED, and First Aid Certification Courses online at an affordable rate. The courses include For Life Certifications that are good for the rest of your life. Prepare today to protect a baby choking incident from happening at your swimming pool with AMC For Life Certifications. Contact us to start your online certification courses and CPR training for saving the lives of children at your swimming pool now. Share your wisdom and thoughts about the safety of pool areas in the comments below or join a Facebook discussion about it.

About Greta

Reach out to Greta at greta.kviklyte@advmedcert.com.

Keep reading

What is advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) certification

What Does Basic Life Support (BLS) Stand For?

Learn More About ACLS Certification

ACLS vs. ALS

What is ACLS Certification for Life?

by Greta Kviklyte

Life Saver, AMC

Co-authored by Kim Murray, RN, M.S.

posted on Apr 27, 2022, at 7:46 am

As nurses and first responders, it is important to have all of the resources and skills, as well as provider cards and training necessary to save someone’s life. This is where the ACLS Certification (Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support) is essential. ACLS Certification is a simple way to ensure you are up-to-date on your pediatric and adult CPR and advanced cardiovascular life support.

By upgrading to the ACLS Certification for Life, you are also getting even more support with your training. Busy professionals maintain their medical skills for their careers by training on our convenient online portal. Everything is managed online, and once you have completed your certification exams successfully, you receive a professionally printed provider card in the mail.

We offer Online ACLS, PALS and BLS Certification and Renewal

Keep in mind you are not required to get the ACLS Certification for Life in order to be certified. However, by choosing to bundle your ACLS Certification online with a lifetime option, you set yourself up for success. Each year you receive information telling you about when to go online and recertify with your ACLS Certification. This keeps you on track and ensures you never let your training expire.

Best of all, you don’t have to manage this training as any new information or requirements are provided for you. This saves professionals a lot of time and headache in maintaining certifications, especially in the wake of COVID. By choosing to go online for certification you are also avoiding the hassle of in-person training and examinations. Protect yourself and reduce your exposure to others with the use of online training for Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support.

As you get started, notice the ACLS Certification for Life refers to a bundle of training for life that includes:

Advanced Cardiac Life Support
Basic Life Support
CPR, AED, and First Aid
Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS)

By selecting the bundled ACLS Certification for Life, you have the information needed to maintain proper training and certification in all of these areas. This is a huge asset for lifeguards, medical responders, and individuals who work with trauma victims. Getting all of this training for Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support in one place is also a time saver. Forget having to track down different providers for your CPR and Pediatric Advanced Life Support. Those are included in this selection of bundled certifications. Whether you are in the market for ACLS Certification for nurses or simply ACLS Certification online, we are ready to assist you with the Certification for Life bundle.

Benefits of ACLS Certification for Life for Your Career

doctor-wearing-eye-glasses-infront-of-laptop-and-holding-a-pen The main reason why you would want ACLS Certification for Life is to save time and money. By bundling the four different types of medical life support training and certification, you do both. Here at Advanced Medical Certification, we provide customers with the tools and resources for each of the areas of ACLS Certification for Life. From there, we set you up with a recurring annual reminder to maintain your ACLS Certification for Life. Never forget to recertify for your First Aid and Basic Life Support training, or your ACLS training for adults and pediatric victims.

You also improve your work performance and are better suited for your job as a nurse. The Advanced Medical Certification meets CME requirements in a number of areas. You are able to be certified and recertified like clockwork with online classes. Show up on Day One with your ACLS Certification for Life by Advanced Medical Certification and be more than prepared for the tasks at hand. We ensure you have the medical training necessary to continue to do your professional job with the greatest success.

In the medical field, this is not just a requirement but part of saving lives. You want to have the latest information regarding Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support. This is, in addition to CPR, AED, and First Aid, in order to protect patients during lifesaving crises. The easier the process of gaining ACLS Certification and recertification online, the more likely you will be able to maintain your certification as a professional. We understand that your life and job are already tough, stressful, and busy.

By offering online ACLS Certification for Life, we help you avoid friction and needless searching for information about in-person training. Everything is provided for you online. This reduces any need for in-person training and therefore makes it simpler to train in your own time and environment. Set up a training dummy and utilize exercise materials to create in-person hands-on training as needed. However, forgetting your ACLS Certification updated, the online training session is all that is required.

As you prepare for your work career in trauma or as a hospice nurse, having certification will offer you many benefits. The purpose of having a life support training program at your disposal online is extensive. When working as a travel nurse or in another profession, you need to have a way to train on the go. Online training for ACLS is the premier way to stay on track with your work goals while maintaining the skills needed to save lives. Choose ACLS Certification Online for Life and have everything set up for the remainder of your medical career. Training will be managed for you on our online portal, and you have easy access to a bevy of tools and resources.

What is Basic Life Support (BLS) Training

Another element of the ACLS Certification for Life training is Basic Life Support (BLS) training. This is not lifelong training and recertification. Instead, the BLS medical training leads to certification to provide basic life support in medical emergencies. In a BLS course, students are taught how to react in life-threatening emergencies.

From here, you learn how to perform CPR on adults, as well as infants and children. High-risk patients, including seniors who require hands-on gentle care, are some of the most targeted demographic when it comes to basic life support training. If you work with an at-risk population more likely to suffer from cardiovascular distress, the Basic Life Support Training is highly advisable.

During BLS Training, we learn the key survival and other BLS skills. This includes the use of an AED and ventilation using barrier devices. A Basic Life Support Training course will also provide professionals with multi-rescuer resuscitation for more improved teamwork in an emergency situation. This is key to successful multi-rescuer CPR in the real world.

Why Choose BLS Training by AMC

woman-wearing-headset-infront-of-laptop-holding-a-pen Develop your skills when removing foreign-body airway obstruction, also known as choking, with the experience you gain in Basic Life Support Training. Whether you work in a hospital or nursing home, you are able to maintain your skills with ACLS Certification for Life. Our BLS Certification is part and parcel of the ACLS Certification for Life offer.

This medical training is required by most professionals, who are dedicated to saving lives and helping the community at large. Decide today to begin your training for medical professionals online with our ACLS Certification for Life. We have the tools and resources you need to get on board with BLS training and other invaluable forms of medical training today. Whether you have just graduated from a medical college or you are ready to begin school, we want to be a part of your journey.

Students and medical professionals alike depend on Advanced Medical Certification to make the most of their training. Set yourself up for success with the right Basic Life Support Training and ACLS Certification for Life today.

How to Get Started With Certification for Life by AMC

Advanced Medical Certification offers Certifications for Life for anyone who is interested in becoming a lifelong lifesaver. Whether you are in the medical industry today, or you are working with a group of students involved in ambulance driving, there is always a need for life-saving skills. Certification for Life by AMC is both affordable and accommodating. Everything you need to learn CPR and First Aid, as well as Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support is provided in our training modules. This online training is easy to access from anywhere at any time. Maintain your science-based skills and become a carded ACLS member with our resources.

After you successfully complete your certification for ACLS, Advanced Medical Certification will print a physical provider card and mail it to you. This provider card will arrive in five to seven business days. The card may take up to three weeks if you are using an international mailing address. Your provider card is valid for up to two years once you have passed your ACLS Certification. Now that you are signed up for ACLS Certification for Life, you no longer have to worry so much about maintaining certification whether you work in the US or abroad. If you are traveling as a nurse, for example, you can easily pick up your training any time from anywhere with our online portal. The training that we provide through AMC is extensive and professional and will ensure you maintain your work credentials.

Will My ACLS Certification Expire

A common question that is asked about certification is whether an individual can retake certification training, if they did not pass the exam the first time, or if they have allowed their ACLS Certification to expire. Yes, you can! In fact, even if you have had an expired ACLS Certification, with the ACLS Certification for Life, you are able to log into the AMC system and retake the exam at any time. An expired ACLS Certification is not an issue for you.

Will your ACLS Certification be accepted from coast to coast? Yes, all Advanced Medical Certification training and provider cards are accepted by employers all throughout the US and internationally. In fact, AMC has a 98 percent acceptance rate by employers nationally. As a result, there is the chance you may not be eligible when using AMC’s ACLS Certification for Life.

Is AMC ACLS Certification for Life Suitable for My Job

Please check with your employer to confirm your ACLS Certification source if need be. However, whether you are a nurse, pharmacist, physician, or EMT, you are more than able to use the AMC resources including ACLS Certification for medical training.

Purchase ACLS Certification for Life today and ensure you have everything necessary for starting your job in the medical field. If you are already an employed nurse or medical professional, depend on ACLS Certification Online by Advanced Medical Certification training to see you throughout your career.

Thanks to the ease and convenience of our quick and professional online ACLS and Basic Life Support Training, you can maintain your licensing requirements in no time at all. The online module allows students and professionals to learn and pass exams for certification in any location, at any time. Your busy workload as a doctor is not an issue when it comes to staying on top of your professional training.

Choose AMC for ACLS Certification for Life

Begin medical training with Advanced Medical Certification and sign up for ACLS Certification for Life today. Thanks to our outstanding offer of the AMC for life bundle, everything needed for your training is included–for life. The For Life Bundle by AMC features ACLS for Life, PALS for Life, and BLS for Life. The PALS Course option includes Pediatric Advanced Life Support for the smallest and youngest of patients. Get started with AMC and ACLS Certification for Life by calling 877-822-0375 or contact us online to find out more information about certification requirements. Share your thoughts in the comments section below or in the Facebook community.

About Greta

Reach out to Greta at greta.kviklyte@advmedcert.com.

Keep reading

What is advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) certification

What Does Basic Life Support (BLS) Stand For?

ACLS vs. ALS

10 Things You May Not Know About CPR

by Greta Kviklyte

Life Saver, AMC

Co-authored by Kim Murray, RN, M.S.

posted on Mar 18, 2022, at 6:10 am

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is an important emergency lifesaving technique that can be used when somebody’s heart suddenly stops beating. If given right away, CPR can double or even triple the chances that someone will survive cardiac arrest.

Whether you are a professional rescuer, future health care professional, or simply a layperson who is interested in CPR and first aid training, it’s helpful to educate yourself about this lifesaving technique and be aware of some common but perhaps surprising facts. With this in mind, here are ten things you forgot or might not know about CPR:

We offer Online CPR and BLS Certification

1. State laws exist that protect lay rescuers.

young-lady-doing-hands-compression-to-an-unconscious-man. All 50 U.S. states have some variation of what is known as “Good Samaritan” laws. These laws provide legal protection to non-professional rescuers who give CPR to people suffering from cardiac arrest.

A layperson is considered a Good Samaritan if they are trying to help someone in distress, are not being specifically compensated for performing CPR, and are acting reasonably (i.e., not engaging in gross misconduct or doing something that a reasonable person would not do).

While many individuals feel that they have a moral or ethical obligation to attempt to revive someone using CPR and other first aid techniques, non-professional rescuers have no legal obligation to give someone CPR, at least in most states. And according to the course providers, no lay rescuer has ever been successfully sued for attempting to give someone CPR.

2. You do not have to be certified in CPR in order to give CPR.

People can perform CPR even if they have never had any formal training, according to the Resque7. In fact, research from 2007 found that kids as young as thirteen can give CPR as effectively as most adults and that kids as young as nine should be offered the opportunity to learn CPR.

Untrained rescuers can simply perform the CDC’s recommended “hands-only” technique, which involves chest compressions given at a rate of 100 to 120 beats per minute.

3. At least five critical components to high-quality CPR are recognized.

We know now that anyone can give CPR to someone who is suffering from cardiac arrest, even if the rescuer has had no formal training. That said, formal training can certainly help improve the quality of CPR given!
To maximize the effectiveness and safety of CPR, at least five critical components that rescuers should keep in mind are:

Chest compressions should be interrupted as little as possible.
Chest compressions should be provided at the appropriate rate and to the appropriate depth (which depends on victim characteristics and the number of rescuers present).
Rescuers should avoid leaning on the victim between compressions. This helps to ensure that there is appropriate chest recoil.
Rescuers should ensure that they have proper hand placement for chest compressions (which depends on the size and age of the victim)
If ventilation is being provided, rescuers should avoid excessive ventilation.

All of these components and more are discussed in detail in high-quality CPR training courses.

4. You do not necessarily have to wait until someone completely stops breathing before performing CPR.

As described in 2017 guidelines from the Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Healthcare, a rescuer does not necessarily have to wait until a person completely stops breathing before performing CPR. This is because a person might still breathe for a short amount of time even after their heart stops beating—although their breath will not appear normal.

The breathing pattern of a person suffering cardiac arrest might look or sound:

Irregular
Deep
Slow
Noisy (often described as a snoring or gasping sound)

Eventually, a person who is in cardiac arrest will stop breathing completely. But rescuers can begin CPR even before this happens, so long as the victim is unconscious and the rescuer suspects that the victim is breathing abnormally.

Remember, when it comes to helping someone survive cardiac arrest, time is of the essence. For every minute that a person in cardiac arrest goes without CPR, their chances of a full recovery decrease by about 7 to 10 percent, according to a 2019 article from the New England Journal of Medicine.

5. It is not uncommon for a victim’s ribs to break during CPR.

hands-compression Chest compressions must be forceful enough to externally squeeze the heart and help it pump blood throughout the body. For this reason, a person giving chest compressions to a cardiac arrest victim might end up pressing hard enough to break some of the victim’s ribs or sternum (breastbone).

Broken bones are not an indicator that CPR was good or bad. They are simply a relatively common and sometimes unavoidable complication of CPR itself. Factors related to the victim, including the victim’s age, gender, and overall health status, can also influence how likely it is for rib or sternum fractures to occur.

Other health complications during CPR are possible. These include lung injuries (eg., pneumothorax or lung contusions), injuries to abdominal organs (e.g., liver or spleen), and chronic or subacute chest pain. Fortunately, research indicates that the overall risk and frequency of CPR complications are generally low.

6. A victim might vomit during CPR.

Vomiting is considered a sign of life, and some victims will vomit while receiving rescue breaths or chest compressions. If a victim appears to vomit during CPR, here’s what you should do, depending on the situation:

A lone rescuer may stop to clear the airway of large amounts of vomit before resuming CPR, or after administering a shock as advised by an AED. Smaller amounts of saliva and foam in the mouth do not need to be cleared out of the airway, until and unless the rescuer performs rescue breathing.
If there are two trained rescuers, one rescuer can turn the victim’s head to the side (assuming there are no spinal injuries suspected) and clear the airway of vomit as the other rescuer continues to perform chest compressions until ventilations or shocks via an AED are required.

When in doubt, continue with chest compressions.

7. People can record you doing CPR.

When a victim goes into cardiac arrest in a public place—such as in an airport, a mall, a restaurant, or a park—it’s not uncommon for bystanders to take out their cellphones and start recording. Knowing that they are being recorded might make some people reluctant to start helping a victim out of fear of future litigation.

The question is: can people record you giving someone CPR in public even if you don’t give them permission to do so?
Generally speaking, yes. In the United States, it is not considered illegal to videotape someone in public without their consent if they are in a public place and do not have a reasonable expectation of privacy. However, different states have different laws and regulations pertaining to how many people must agree to a recording (e.g., one-party vs two-party consent).

A helpful reminder:

When assessing or reassessing an adult victim’s ABC’s (airway, breathing, and circulation), it’s considered good practice to check for the person’s pulse on the same side of the neck that you’re kneeling or standing next to. This is so that you are not reaching your hand over their neck, which can make it look like you are choking the victim, even though you aren’t.

8. It is unlikely but possible to become infected with a communicable disease while performing CPR.

Transmission of infectious diseases is rare but can happen while someone is administering CPR or other types of first aid. In fact, this is one reason why many people are scared or reluctant to come to someone’s aid if they collapse due to cardiac arrest.

The types of diseases or organisms that could potentially be transmitted during CPR include:

SARS-CoV-2
HIV
HBV
HCV
HSV
Ebola
Clostridium difficile
Salmonella
Helicobacter pylori
Shigella
MERS-CoV
CMV
Measles
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Influenza

These infectious pathogens can be transmitted via a number of different routes, including airborne, droplet, contact, or hematogenous transmission. For example, if a rescuer has a cut or wound that gets exposed to the blood or bodily fluid of a victim with a blood-borne pathogen, there is a chance that the rescuer can become infected with that pathogen. As another example, a CPR provider might also unintentionally inhale infectious respiratory droplets from a victim who is sick with the flu or COVID-19, and potentially expose themselves to the coronavirus or flu virus.

Fortunately, the actual reported incidence of infectious disease transmission during CPR is quite low worldwide, according to a 2021 study published in Clinical Microbiology.

You deserve to be as safe as possible while attempting to give someone CPR. While it’s not always practical nor possible to stop and don personal protective equipment (PPE) before going to help someone, you might want to stock up on some gloves, CPR mouth barriers, N95 respirators or surgical masks, and/or goggles in your car, home, or office. Always perform proper hand hygiene after giving CPR.

And remember: you do not have to give someone mouth-to-mouth if you are a lay rescuer. Hands-only CPR is appropriate in many situations.

9. Giving CPR does not guarantee that a cardiac arrest victim will survive.

Unfortunately, statistics show that about 90 percent of people who experience cardiac arrest outside of the hospital die. Even if CPR is provided, the chances that someone will survive the ordeal are much lower than what most people might think.

One 2018 study from The American Journal of Emergency Medicine notes that the average rate of survival—from initial cardiac arrest to discharge from a hospital—is approximately 10.6 percent. Many cardiac arrest survivors who are revived through CPR and other first-aid measures will suffer life-long health issues, including chronic neurological and cardiovascular damage.

Even so, knowing how to perform CPR as a bystander rescuer can improve the likelihood that someone you know will survive an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Keep in mind that more than 70% of the 350,000 cardiac arrests occurring outside the hospital every year in the United States happen inside a person’s home. So, knowing how to perform high-quality CPR for a loved one suffering from cardiac arrest can help them survive until paramedics arrive.

Whether a cardiac arrest victim survives or not, CPR can be a traumatic experience for both professional and non-professional rescuers. If you tried to help someone in distress and are having a difficult time processing the experience, please speak to someone or meet with a licensed mental health professional who can offer guidance and assistance.

10. There are many reasons to stop CPR.

When giving CPR to a victim of cardiac arrest, it is not unusual to worry about when and whether to stop giving CPR. How long should a person continue before stopping? For the lay rescuer, there are actually several reasons to stop that are considered acceptable by the CPR training providers:

The victim begins to move or shows signs of consciousness.
Someone brings an automated external defibrillator or AED. (If there are two or more helpers, it is appropriate for one person to continue giving chest compressions while another rescuer sets up and prepares the AED. However, CPR should be paused while adhering to the defibrillator pads and while the AED is on and actively assessing a person’s heart rate. Fortunately, most AED devices today come with automated voice prompts to instruct rescuers when and whether to resume CPR.)
Paramedics or other professional helpers arrive or tell the rescuer to stop.
The rescuer becomes too tired to continue.
The situation or surroundings become too dangerous for the rescuer to continue.
Signs of death are obvious and apparent.

Would You Like to Receive Your BLS Certification or Recertification Online?

Advanced Medical Certification is a leading online resource for BLS, PALS, and ACLS certification courses. AMC certifications are accepted nationwide and come with a full money-back guarantee. Visit our website and learn more about our diverse range of certifications and re-certification courses. Share your wisdom and thoughts in the comments below, or head on over to the discussion about this post on Facebook.

About Greta

Reach out to Greta at greta.kviklyte@advmedcert.com.

Keep reading

What is advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) certification

What Does Basic Life Support (BLS) Stand For?

ACLS vs. ALS

Important Things to Know About Pericardial Tamponade

by Greta Kviklyte

Life Saver, AMC

Co-authored by Kim Murray, RN, M.S.

posted on Feb 28, 2022, at 4:13 am

As a current or future health care professional, your ability to quickly recognize symptoms of cardiac problems can mean the difference between life or death for your patients. Because the heart is responsible for circulating oxygen-rich blood throughout the body, emergency conditions affecting this organ can very rapidly lead to serious and sometimes fatal complications.

One example of a medical emergency involving the heart is a condition called pericardial tamponade (also called cardiac tamponade). Keep reading to learn more about pericardial tamponade, including what it is, what causes it, what the main signs and symptoms are, and how it is diagnosed and treated.

We offer Online CPR and BLS Certification

What is Pericardial Tamponade?

woman-in-pain-holding-her-chest Pericardial tamponade is a medical condition caused by blood or fluids filling the space between the heart muscle and the sac (called the pericardium or pericardial sac) surrounding the heart muscle. This abnormal fluid build-up causes an enormous amount of pressure on the heart, which prevents the heart muscle from being able to fully expand and beat properly. As a result, the heart can’t fill up with as much blood as it normally does.

When the heart can’t fill up with enough blood, it won’t be able to pump enough blood out to the body. The brain and other organs will become starved of oxygen, and organ failure can occur relatively quickly. Other serious complications of cardiac tamponade include anoxic brain injury, coma, and shock. Without treatment, pericardial tamponade is fatal.

Pericardial Tamponade and Pericardial Effusion: What’s the Difference?

Pericardial effusion and tamponade are related but distinct conditions affecting the heart. Pericardial effusion is the term medical professionals use for the actual process of the pericardial sac filling up with fluid. Cardiac tamponade—in which excessive pressure from the fluid surrounding the heart prevents the heart from beating properly—is a condition that can result from pericardial effusion.

Pericardial effusions that develop slowly don’t always lead to cardiac tamponade, because the pericardial sac will have more time to stretch in response to the fluid build-up (therefore avoiding excessive pressure on the heart muscle). Cardiac tamponade often develops when the fluid build-up develops suddenly and quickly. However, cardiac tamponade can develop slowly in some cases—over days, weeks, or even months.

What Causes Pericardial Tamponade?

Pericardial tamponade can be caused by illness or injury, whether acute or chronic. It’s commonly caused by trauma or injury to the pericardial sac (e.g., foreign object penetration), which allows fluids and blood to flow inside the sac and around the heart.

Some specific causes of pericardial effusion and subsequent pericardial tamponade include:

Gunshot wounds or stab wounds to the chest and heart
Blunt trauma to the chest (e.g., from a car accident, work-related accident, slip, fall, etc.)
Complications during cardiac procedures, including catheterization, angiography, insertion of a pacemaker or central line, or any other type of heart surgery or chest surgery
A ruptured aortic aneurysm (a balloon-like bulge in the aorta)
An aortic dissection (a tear in the inner layer of the aorta—according to the European Cardiac Society, tamponade is a leading cause of death in patients with acute aortic dissections)
Cancers, including leukemia and end-stage lung cancer or breast cancer that have spread to the pericardium
Myocardial infarction (heart attack)
Sudden cardiac arrest
High levels of radiation exposure to the chest area
Kidney failure and end-stage kidney disease
Congestive heart failure (when the heart doesn’t pump blood as well as it should)
Infections that affect the blood, heart, or pericardial sac (e.g., pericarditis caused by bacterial or viral infections, as well as tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS)
Lupus, a chronic autoimmune disease that causes a person’s immune system to mistakenly attack healthy tissues in their body, including the heart and pericardium
Hypothyroidism, also called underactive thyroid, in which the thyroid gland doesn’t produce enough hormones (hypothyroidism is considered a risk factor for heart disease, including heart failure)
Dermatomyositis is a rare autoimmune condition that causes inflammation and weakness of the muscles and skin

Did you know?

According to a 2014 study published in Circulation: Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology, cardiac tamponade is the leading cause of procedure-related mortality among patients undergoing catheter ablation. Catheter ablation is a common procedure used to treat a heart condition called atrial fibrillation (AF), in which the heart beats fast and irregularly and the heart’s upper chambers (atria) do not beat in time with the heart’s lower chambers (ventricles).

This same study—which looked at data from nearly 35,000 catheter ablation procedures—found that tamponade during ablations is rare, affecting about 1.2 to 1.3 percent of people undergoing this procedure. However, women undergoing ablations for AF are about twice as likely to experience tamponade than men.

Recognizing Pericardial Tamponade in Patients: Signs and Symptoms

man-experiencing-chest-pain A person experiencing cardiac tamponade will exhibit at least one and usually several of the following signs and symptoms:

Anxiety or restlessness
Confusion
Weakness
Low blood pressure (hypotension)
Chest pain that radiates to the neck, shoulders, and/or back
Chest pain that gets worse with coughing or deep breathing
Chest pain that improves by sitting or leaning forward
Respiratory distress or trouble breathing
Rapid breathing
Weak or thready pulse, especially in the arms or legs
Heart palpitations (feeling like the heart is pounding, racing, or skipping beats)
Pale, blue, and/or clammy skin
Swelling in the arms or legs
Dizziness
Fainting (syncope) or loss of consciousness

Diagnosing and Treating Patients With Pericardial Tamponade: What to Expect

Do you know the three clinical signs of cardiac tamponade that doctors use to help diagnose this emergency condition? Known as “Beck’s triad,” these signs include:

Low blood pressure: because the heart is not able to pump as much blood as it usually does
Distention (bulging) of the jugular veins located in the neck: because blood from the veins is unable to flow into the heart easily
Muffled heart sounds are heard while listening to the heart with a stethoscope: because the pressure from fluid inside the pericardial sac blocks the sound of the heart

Doctors don’t rely only on clinical signs to determine if a person has pericardial tamponade. They’ll also order tests to help confirm a diagnosis and rule out other conditions.

The primary test doctors use to diagnose this condition is an echocardiogram (ultrasound of the heart). If a person experiencing cardiac tamponade undergoes an echocardiogram, the echocardiogram might reveal a distended (enlarged) pericardium or collapsed ventricles inside the heart, which happens due to low blood volume inside the ventricles.

Additional tests and imaging studies doctors might order to diagnose cardiac tamponade include:

Chest X-ray, to assess the size and shape of the heart
Thoracic CT scan, to look for changes to the heart and fluid accumulation in the chest area
Magnetic resonance angiogram, to assess how blood flows through the heart
Electrocardiogram (ECG), to assess the way the heartbeats

Treatment of Pericardial Tamponade

Remember: pericardial tamponade is a life-threatening, emergency situation that requires immediate medical treatment. The primary aim of treatment is to remove the excess fluids from inside the pericardium, which should help reduce pressure on the heart. This can be done with an emergency procedure known as pericardiocentesis, in which a doctor—guided by imaging technology like an echocardiogram or X-ray fluoroscopy—inserts a large needle into the chest and through the pericardium. The doctor can then remove fluid through this needle.

Other invasive surgical procedures might be required to help remove damaged tissue and repair damaged areas. This is often necessary when cardiac tamponade is caused by an acute injury and pericardiocentesis is not possible. In the most severe cases, doctors might need to perform an emergency procedure known as a thoracotomy, which opens the chest so the medical team can see and gain direct access to the heart area.

People recovering from cardiac tamponade may also require additional treatments and medication, such as pain relievers or antibiotics. If other complications or disease states are present (e.g., autoimmune diseases, other orthopedic or neurological injuries caused by physical trauma), the patient’s medical team should be prepared to manage these issues, too.

Outcomes for People with Pericardial Tamponade

According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, an estimated two out of every 10,000 people are affected by cardiac tamponade caused by an underlying disease (not including trauma). However, the overall incidence and prevalence of this condition is unknown.

Pericardial tamponade is difficult to predict and prevent, but early detection and treatment can improve a patient’s outcomes. Generally speaking, patients who have cardiac tamponade that develops slowly over time tend to fare better than patients who have cardiac tamponade that develops suddenly.

Caring for a Patient with Pericardial Tamponade: Things Every Health Care Provider Should Know

Pericardial tamponade is a serious health emergency that requires immediate medical attention. It is always fatal if not treated.
This condition can present like other health problems, including cardiogenic or obstructive shock. People with cardiac tamponade may be in pulseless electrical activity (PEA) cardiac arrest by the time they reach the hospital.
In addition to Beck’s triad (hypotension, muffled heart sounds, and distended jugular veins), people with cardiac tamponade might exhibit “pulses paradoxus,” in which systolic blood pressure decreases by more than 10 mmHg with inspiration.
Health care workers providing direct care for patients with cardiac tamponade can expect to implement a range of interventions, including medications, stat imaging, and bloodwork, ECG monitoring, strict bed rest with legs elevated, supplemental oxygen, and large-bore IVs. Having fluids available and a pericardiocentesis tray standing by can improve the delivery and speed of care if the patient’s condition deteriorates rapidly.
Following emergency treatment, catheters are often left in the pericardial sac to encourage additional fluid draining. Health care personnel must be aware of not only how to properly care for these drains but to monitor their output and relay this information to the doctor.

Outside the emergency room, the intensive care unit (ICU) is the most appropriate place for patients with newly diagnosed cardiac tamponade to be monitored and cared for by their medical team. The immediate post-treatment window is a critical time to ensure that the pericardial sac is not refilling with fluids.

Once a patient is medically stable enough to be taken out of this critical window, they may require comprehensive, multidisciplinary care from the medical team, including physical therapy, occupational therapy, and cardiac rehabilitation, in order to safely advance their functional progress and recovery.

In Conclusion

Pericardial tamponade (or cardiac tamponade) is a life-threatening medical emergency caused by excess fluid build-up around the heart. Excess fluid puts increased pressure on the heart, preventing it from being able to fill with blood and pump out blood to the rest of the body. Patients who do not receive treatment for pericardial tamponade will die.

Whether you are a health care provider and professional rescuer, or a layperson who simply wants to learn CPR and basic first aid, Advanced Medical Certification can connect you with the cost-effective online training modules you need to succeed—all from the convenience and comfort of your own home or workplace.

We know that the information you learn in our courses could end up saving a life someday. That’s why we make every effort to ensure our courses and products meet the highest possible standards of quality, ethical, and evidence-based life-saving care. It’s one reason why AMC has earned a rare endorsement from HONcode, a UN-chartered agency that sets standards for the provision of health information to providers, patients, and the public.

To learn about our online courses, certifications, re-certifications, and other programs, contact Advanced Medical Certification today. Share your experience of completing our courses.

About Greta

Reach out to Greta at greta.kviklyte@advmedcert.com.

Keep reading

What is advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) certification

What Does Basic Life Support (BLS) Stand For?

ACLS vs. ALS

BLS for Healthcare Providers: Your Guide to Emergency Success

by Greta Kviklyte

Life Saver, AMC

Co-authored by Kim Murray, RN, M.S.

posted on Jan 26, 2022, at 8:19 am

Basic Life Support (BLS) is a life-saving strategy that changes the lives (and often saves them) of thousands of people every day. BLS for healthcare providers is critical and nearly always necessary to maintain your job. Be sure you are ready to provide help when someone at risk needs it.

Approximately 290,000 heart attacks occur in hospitals every year, according to data shared by The National Institutes of Health. When these heart attacks and other life-threatening emergencies happen, the healthcare providers who work in these medical facilities must have the necessary training, knowledge, and skills to act quickly and help increase the chances of patient survival, no matter their patients’ age. Such knowledge and skills can be acquired by completing a Basic Life Support (BLS) certification.

We offer Online CPR and BLS Certification

Keep reading to learn more about BLS for healthcare providers, including what is BLS, who needs BLS training, the difference between BLS for healthcare workers and lay people, how to prepare for a BLS course, and where you can find a certification course.

What is BLS?

nurse-monitoring-on-patients-condition-in-icu BLS is the type of emergency medical care given by health care professionals, first responders, and public safety professionals to individuals who are experiencing an obstructed airway, respiratory distress, and/or cardiac arrest. BLS requires no medical equipment nor does it require skills in invasive protocols, such as intravenous and intraosseous routes.

Life-threatening situations where BLS can be used include:

Choking
Severe allergic reactions
Trauma
Near-drowning
House fires (e.g., smoke inhalation)

Check out this video for a quick explanation of BLS!

Review These Helpful Definitions:

Airway Obstruction: any type of blockage in the airway that prevents someone from being able to move air in or out of their lungs (can be caused by a foreign object, trauma, or swelling d/t allergic reactions in the airway)
Respiratory Distress: an emergency situation in which someone is having a hard time breathing and/or not getting enough oxygen into their lungs, signs, and symptoms of which include increased breathing rate, bluish or purplish discoloration of the lips, fingers, and fingernails, wheezing, grunting, nasal flaring, sweating, sunken chest, and leaning forward
Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA): sudden and unexpected loss of heart function in which the heart stops beating

Some Fast Facts on Life-Threatening Situations

Choking/Airway Obstruction

According to Statista, the odds of dying from choking in the United States is 1 in 2,535.
Choking—usually on food—is the fourth leading cause of accidental injury-related death.
People of all ages can become choking victims, and it is especially common in infants, toddlers, and seniors.
The universal sign of choking is clutching at one’s throat with one’s hands. Other signs and symptoms of choking include being unable to talk, difficult or noisy breathing, coughing, flushed skin that may turn pale or bluish, a bluish or dusky discoloration to the lips and nails, and loss of consciousness.

Cardiac Arrest

- Of the 350,000+ cardiac arrests that occur outside the hospital every year, 90% of them are fatal.

The home is the most commonplace for someone to suffer a heart attack, followed by public places and nursing homes.
Women are less likely to experience sudden cardiac arrest than men but are also less likely to receive CPR when they need it. This could be for several reasons, including the fact that women who have heart attacks are more likely to be older and live alone, and bystanders may be reluctant or scared to do chest compressions due to fear of hurting a female victim, being accused of inappropriate touching or sexual assault. Bystanders may also fail to recognize when a woman is in cardiac arrest, in part due to the misconception that women are “faking it.”

Near-Drowning

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), drowning is the leading cause of death for children aged 1-4 other than birth defects.
For kids up to age 14, drowning is also a leading cause of unintentional injury-related death, second only to motor vehicle accidents.
On average, there are about 22 nonfatal drownings every day and 11 fatal drownings every day in the United States.
Brain damage can occur in as little as four minutes without oxygen.

Who Needs BLS?

healthcare professionals performing compressions on an unconscious patient A wide range of healthcare providers should be certified in BLS, including doctors, physician assistants, nurses, nurse practitioners, nursing assistants, EMTs and paramedics, respiratory therapists, chiropractors, optometrists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech-language pathologists. Many healthcare organizations and facilities also require or recommend support staff to be certified in BLS, as well, which can include environmental services or janitorial staff, transport staff, dietary/kitchen staff, laboratory and radiology technicians, chaplains, and guest and volunteer services.

BLS certifications are also becoming increasingly mandatory for some non-healthcare-related professionals, including other types of first responders (police officers, firefighters), teachers, group home staff, daycare employees, lifeguards, construction workers, bus drivers, and camp counselors.

Healthcare providers should understand which certifications they need for their role, not only to remain in compliance with their employers but to ensure they are adequately prepared to help and support their patients in life-threatening situations such as cardiac or respiratory arrest. For some professionals, this could mean that a BLS certification is not sufficient in itself, and additional certifications such as Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS), Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), or Blood Borne Pathogens (BBP) will be necessary.

ACLS and PALS certifications are generally required for any healthcare provider working in emergency or critical care settings, including the emergency room (ER) and intensive care unit (ICU). Some nursing homes and other facilities where cardiac arrests are more likely to happen may also require their staff to undergo ACLS training.

Is BLS for Healthcare Workers Different Than Life-Saving Skills Taught to Laypeople?

The main difference between life-saving skills for healthcare workers and laypeople (e.g., non-medical members of the public) is that BLS courses are designed specifically for healthcare workers and go into greater depth than what is taught to laypeople.

Topics covered in BLS for healthcare providers include not only how to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), but also:

How to provide CPR with more than one rescuer, including with or without the use of manual resuscitators (e.g., bag valve masks or Ambu bags)
How to use an automated external defibrillator (AED)
How to provide advanced airway management
How to provide CPR for infants and children as well as adults
How to help conscious and unconscious victims who are choking (e.g., back blows and abdominal thrusts)

These foundations are based on the American Heart Association’s (AHA) BLS Chain of Survival and the most recent BLS AHA guidelines and standards. While every course differs in what it offers, the essentials above should adequately prepare health care providers to act in an emergency.

Of course, it’s beneficial for society at large if more people know at least some basic life-saving skills such as CPR. In fact, the American Heart Association reports that bystander CPR can double or triple the chances of survival after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, which happens as many as 350,000 times per year in the United States! And since AEDs are increasingly common in public spaces—such as airports, grocery stores, casinos, hotels, churches, and gyms—even non-medical lay people should be encouraged to learn how to use these devices. (Keep in mind that with their advanced life support skills, healthcare providers can also save lives while they are out in public or at home, where the majority of cardiac arrests happen.)

Non-medical members of the public who are interested in learning life-saving skills do not necessarily have to enroll in a formal BLS certification course. They may instead opt to complete a more basic CPR, AED & First Aid Certification, which covers many of the same fundamental skills as those learned by healthcare workers, without going into more advanced techniques.

As an example, laypeople are often taught a hands-only CPR technique without rescue breaths (i.e., “mouth to mouth”), which has actually been found to increase the chances of bystanders taking action in an emergency situation at home or in public. Hands-only CPR is also comparable in terms of effectiveness compared to conventional CPR. A 2010 randomized study published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine found no difference in 30-day survival rates in victims of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest after receiving standard CPR vs compression-only CPR before the arrival of first responders.

As for healthcare workers, concerns about performing mouth-to-mouth on victims can be mitigated by ensuring that providers have easy and fast access to protective mouth resuscitation barrier devices or bag valve masks.

What Is BLS for Healthcare Providers Certification?

BLS for healthcare providers is a certification program offered by our team that enables you to learn the critical steps to providing treatment and life-saving measures in times of need. This is a 100 online certification that can provide you with up to 4 AMA Category 1 Credits. It will include current ILCOR Standards and Guidelines, Joint Commission (JCAHO) complaint matters, and exceptional quality content to help you prepare. BLS for healthcare providers is a comprehensive program for you to follow.

Online BLS for Healthcare Providers: What You Will Learn

The BLS for healthcare providers is a comprehensive course that teaches you critical skills. The following are some of the modules you will complete as a part of your education.

General Concepts of Basic Life Support, including what it is, when to use it, and what steps to take to determine when to use this type of care
BLS for Children (1 to 8) focuses on the specific basic life support services to provide to children between the ages of 1 and 8 depending on the symptoms they display
Airway Management, or the focus on opening the airway to ensure a person can breathe on their own or that their airway is accessible
BLS Algorithms, which are the step-by-step directions associated with providing care, are broken down and explained fully in our BLS for Healthcare Providers online program.
BLS for Adults: Adult-specific basic life support is different than that for children, and in this module, you will learn how to provide that service.
BLS for Infants (0 to 12 months) offers specific strategies to assess and provide an infant, including a newborn, with medically necessary care
Relief of Choking focuses on how to assess and provide a patient with care if they are choking.
Use of an Automated External Defibrillator: This component of BLS for healthcare providers teaches you how to use an AED as well as when to do so while providing step-by-step support throughout the process.
AED for children and adults breaks down the differences in both when and how to use an AED including the various settings and indications necessary
BLS skills training provides you with the hands-on support you need to learn how to handle intense and stressful situations

The Benefits and Advantages of a BLS for Healthcare Provider

Completing your BLS for healthcare providers can offer several benefits to you. No matter which specific area you work in within the field, consider this question. What is BLS for healthcare providers going to offer to you?

Essential skills are applicable throughout your work day. Whether you work with adults or children in preventative or emergent medicine, there is a high risk that you will need to have basic life skills training so you can react quickly.
Your employer may require it. Many of today’s healthcare workers must maintain their BLS long-term or achieve other types of training. You can meet those requirements with the help of our course.
This could be ideal for those who need to treat victims of life-threatening illnesses or injuries until they can receive full medical care in an emergency room. This certification follows the ILCOR’s guidelines for training people to recognize such emergencies, to provide those victims with CPR, and to administer the use of an AED when necessary to do so.
When you take your class through us – either your certification class or your renewal training, you receive a 100% guarantee for certification proof and acceptance.
The courses themselves are designed by board-certified physicians and meet all requirements.

When you choose to get your BLS for healthcare providers through us, you benefit in several key ways:

- There is no clinical skills test needed. Each course will provide you with a study guide you can access at any time and print if you need to do so. You do not have to purchase additional training materials.
- You can take your time, including working at your own pace. This includes taking breaks when you need to do so.
- You can review your online course materials, watch videos, gain key skills, and then pass the exam without any delay in the process.
- Because our course is 100% online, BLS for healthcare providers is very much accessible to you, no matter where you are or what you need to do.
- You can take free exam retakes as many times as you need and want to do so. If you did not complete it successfully the first time, review the information and try again.

Preparing for a BLS Certification

healthcare-professional-along-hospital-hallway-using-a-laptop-while-checking-on-patients-records. If you’re a healthcare provider preparing to earn or renew your BLS certification, use these guidelines to help you successfully pass your certification and develop proficiency in the critical life-saving skills that will be introduced to you:

- - Make sure the course you are signing up for offers the level of training you will need as a healthcare worker
  - If taking your BLS certification in-person, ensure that you show up to your class on time
  - If taking your BLS certification online, ensure that you have given yourself adequate time to complete the course and that your internet connection is adequate
  - Wear comfortable clothing and sturdy footwear, such as your work uniform—this is to ensure you’ll be comfortable participating in the hands-on techniques you’ll be able to practice during your course
  - Pay attention and ask questions—chances are, other students in your course will have similar questions about the course material, and your instructor should be more than happy to clarify any confusion
  - While taking the examination, read each question thoroughly and carefully
  - Ask your instructor or BLS certification provider about when and how to get your proof of certification
  - Know when and how you will need to renew your certification (generally, BLS certifications must be renewed every two years)

Where to Complete Your BLS Course

BLS courses can be completed online or in in-person classes. Traditional classroom courses are often taught over the course of a weekend, while online BLS courses generally offer a more convenient, flexible, and cost-friendly option. Online BLS certifications and recertification also offer students the convenience of studying the material on their own time and at their preferred pace, without needing to pass a hands-on skills assessment (although practicing these skills on one’s own is certainly beneficial).

Whether you choose an in-person or online BLS course, it’s important to choose an organization you can trust to provide quality training—and an organization that will grant you a BLS certification that will be recognized by your specific employer or organization.

With a 98% national acceptance rate, BLS certifications from AMC are highly unlikely to be rejected, but we’re happy to offer a full refund if necessary. AMC also takes steps to make it as convenient, affordable, and engaging as possible to earn your BLS certification online by offering high-quality audiovisual modules and supporting resources based on industry-leading standards, such as the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR) 2020-2025 Edition ACLS Provider Handbook.

In addition, our students have the opportunity to earn continuing medical education (CME) credits, all from the convenience and privacy of their home or workplace.

Getting Your BLS for Healthcare Providers Is Possible

As a healthcare provider, staying up-to-date with your basic life-saving skills, including CPR, AED, and the abdominal thrust technique, can make the difference between life or death for your patients. Share with us how your basic life-saving skills have helped you.

If you’re ready to complete or renew your BLS certification online or are interested in offering BLS certifications online to your organization’s caregivers, contact Advanced Medical Certification today. We know you have many choices when it comes to developing your life-saving and advanced life support skills, which is why AMC is honored to be one of fewer than 1% of internet sites endorsed by HONcode, a UN-chartered agency that sets ethical standards for the provision of health information for providers, patients, and the public.

You can get started on your BLS for healthcare providers now by signing up with us.

About Greta

Reach out to Greta at greta.kviklyte@advmedcert.com.

Keep reading

What is advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) certification

What Does Basic Life Support (BLS) Stand For?

Learn More About ACLS Certification

ACLS vs. ALS

Which Certifications are Required to Become an RN?

by Greta Kviklyte

Life Saver, AMC

Co-authored by Kim Murray, RN, M.S.

posted on Jan 24, 2022, at 12:20 pm

Registered nurses (RNs) are licensed health care professionals who work in a variety of environments, from the emergency room to community health clinics to schools. A career in nursing affords individuals numerous opportunities for job growth and security, with median pay exceeding $73,000 per year according to 2020 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

What Certifications Are Needed for Individuals Who Want to Become Registered Nurses?

We offer Online ACLS, PALS and BLS Certification and Renewal

healthcare-professional-wearing-face-mask-and-face-shield Consistently ranked as one of the most trusted professions, nursing can be a challenging yet highly rewarding field. Over the course of their daily work—which can include direct patient care, education, public service, and more—registered nurses may face situations that challenge their mental, emotional, and physical well-being. Nurses are often the key point of contact between patients, their loved ones, and the rest of the medical team, and must excel in skills such as multidisciplinary collaboration and on-the-go problem-solving. Registered nurses must also master and apply a broad scope of knowledge related to health care, including anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, and basic to advanced life-saving skills.

The demanding nature of a nursing career is evident even before one enters the field. The academic path one must follow before becoming an RN can be rigorous and requires a considerable investment in resources, including time, money, and energy. And while gaining real-world experience as a certified nursing assistant (CNA), army medic, paramedic, or emergency medical technician (EMT) can provide a valuable advantage, it is still important for future RNs to understand the expectations required of them during their training and education.

If you are considering a nursing career and are curious about how to become RN certified, this article can help you understand the education and certifications you need to achieve your aspirations.

Before Your Nursing Career Begins: Secondary Education (High School/GED)

Prior to beginning a career-specific path to nursing, individuals are required to earn a high school diploma, generally with a GPA of at least 2.0. Young people who are still in high school but thinking ahead about a career in nursing should be encouraged to explore courses and nursing school prerequisites that focus on sciences and communications, such as health, biology, anatomy, statistics, algebra, chemistry, and English. Extracurricular activities, including volunteering at local hospitals or nursing facilities, can also be valuable additions to a prospective nursing student’s application, as these show a pointed interest in the profession.

Almost all nursing programs succeeding in high school also require completion of standardized tests like the SAT or ACT. Many colleges and universities in the United States also accept a General Educational Development (GED®) equivalent and having a GED may even qualify an individual for additional financial aid.

How Long Does It Take to Become an RN?

On average, the typical nursing student can expect to achieve their RN in about three years, although the duration and type of schooling required by an RN vary due to several factors, including the individual’s goals and their academic and professional background.

For example, some hospitals and other health care institutions may offer tuition reimbursement in exchange for post-graduate employment, in order to incentivize and retain good nurses. In other cases, a person may decide to make a major career change and return to nursing school even after completing a two- or four-year degree in an unrelated field.

Members of the military who serve as medics and wish to become RNs will still need to apply to and attend nursing school, even if they served as combat medics. However, many combat medics are eligible for a variety of programs and financial aid that can help them pay for their education or even complete their training in less time

Starting The Nursing Career Path: Postsecondary Education and Initial Degrees

Upon completion of secondary education, would-be RNs need to take the next step by starting down a career-specific path of postsecondary training, ultimately culminating in a nursing degree or diploma.

The three essential nursing degrees are Associate’s, Bachelor’s, and Masters. All are considered science in nursing degrees but feature distinctive courses and requirements specific to each program.

Associate of Science in Nursing (ADN)

Earning your ADN typically takes two to three years with fundamental courses that prepare students for the licensure exam, National Council Licensure Examination, better known as the NCLEX-RN® exam.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BDN)

A BDN is a four-year degree that also prepares students for the NCLEX-RN. Unlike an ADN, the BDN program typically provides comprehensive lectures and hands-on clinical experience. Some students choose to complete the ADN as a bridge prior to completion of a BDN.

Master of Science in Nursing

Individuals who wish to pursue a more advanced or specific career in nursing, such as a nurse practitioner or clinical nurse educator, can choose to extend their academic path for an additional two years after receiving their BDN in order to obtain a Master’s Degree.

Licensing and Certification Requirements for Registered Nurses

Upon fulfilling his or her nursing degree, a prospective RN must sit for and pass the NCLEX-RN®, which is the nationwide examination used to determine if it is safe for someone to enter the workforce as an entry-level nurse. An individual who passes the NCLEX-RN will earn a license to practice nursing. They should also check with their state to ensure they’ve fulfilled any state-specific licensing requirements prior to starting work.

A student must answer at least 60 questions correctly in order to pass the NCLEX-RN. This was recently lowered from a minimum of 75 questions by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, in direct response to the unique challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Another recent change made to the NCLEX-RN is the number of times students are permitted to sit for the exam, which is now four hours (lowered from six hours).

Job-Specific Requirements and Advanced Certification Opportunities

nurse-checking-on-patients-condition Completing the NCLEX-RN and earning licensure is a pivotal step in a registered nurse’s career! But there are still additional requirements that must be fulfilled in order to begin one’s nursing career.

Almost all job roles that RNs find themselves in will require certification in Basic Life Support (BLS) at a minimum, even if a certificate in BLS is not required for licensure by the specific state. Additional certifications include Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), but these tend to be more specific to the particular job role of the RN.

As an example, most hospital and emergency room employers require nurses to stay up-to-date on ACLS certifications, and most neonatal nurse employers require PALS. Nurses can earn their BLS, PALS, and ACLS online or in a classroom, and will need to undergo routine recertification, which occurs about every two years.

Advanced Practice Nursing and Leadership

After completing nursing school and successfully passing the NCLEX-RN, registered nurses may choose to fulfill additional nursing certifications. These advanced certifications allow RNs to serve in more advanced settings, such as critical care and acute care.

Advanced nursing certifications are nationally recognized, optional, and generally rigorous. For example, fulfilling the American Association of Critical Care Nurses’ (AACN) certification includes a demanding curriculum that requires an extensive number of hours to complete—a reflection of and good preparation for the advanced level of care critical nurses must be able to provide.

Advanced practice nursing offers registered nurses the opportunity to explore more specialized, expert-level careers. The specific amount and type of training and education that advanced practice nurses must undergo depends on the specific career, which can include:

Nurse Practitioner (NP): NPs support the comprehensive management of their patients’ health and well-being, and can diagnose, treat, and manage illnesses, injuries, and diseases. An NP’s scope of practice varies by state, and he or she may elect to specialize in a specific patient population (e.g., adult-gerontology, pediatric, psychiatric) or practice setting (e.g., family practice or acute care).
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA): CRNAs are licensed to administer anesthesia to patients and can assist with pain management before, during, and after surgical operations. They work in a wide variety of practice settings and are closely involved in a range of surgeries, including elective and emergency surgical care.
Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS): a CNS specializes in a specific field or area of nursing, including pediatrics, geriatrics, critical care, oncology, behavioral health, wound care, and more. CNSs are highly adept at multidisciplinary care, professional consultation, and quality improvement.
Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM): CNMs specialize in women’s health, family health, and comprehensive care for pregnant people. Working in both community settings, hospitals, and birth centers, CNMs are closely involved in pregnancy, labor, delivery, and postpartum management.

As mentioned, these advanced nursing professions generally require at least a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) as a prerequisite. In addition to the AACN, organizations that offer advanced certifications for registered nurses include:

American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board (AANPCB)
American Board for Occupational Health Nurses (ABOHN)
American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC)
American Organization for Nursing Leadership (AONL)
Certification Board for Diabetes Care and Education (CBDCE)
Commission on Nurse Certification (CNC)
Competency & Credentialing Institute (CCI)
Infusion Nurses Certification Corporation (INCC)
National Assistant at Surgery Certification (NASC)
National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists (NBCRNA)
National League for Nursing (NLN)
Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation (ONCC)
Pediatric Nursing Certification Board (PNCB)
The National Certification Corporation (NCC)
Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nursing Certification Board (WOCNCB)

Finally, many RNs choose to start their career at the bedside before eventually transitioning to a more managerial or leadership role, such as nurse manager or nurse executive (e.g., Director of Nursing). These roles provide excellent opportunities for registered nurses to have a greater impact on their communities and expand their areas of expertise, earning potential and career fulfillment.

Because the nursing field is so incredibly diverse, RNs are afforded a great degree of flexibility, autonomy, and even creativity depending on their chosen role. From travel nurse to telehealth nurse, camp nurse to CPR and AED instructor, there are plenty of off-the-beaten-path roles and opportunities that nurses can explore, either as the main focus or as a side hustle or source of additional income.

Conclusion

Without question, registered nurses are among our society’s most well-respected caregivers, educators, and role models. They must undergo a rigorous academic path prior to earning their nursing degree, which generally takes a minimum of two to three years of postsecondary education. Many registered nurses also feel called to pursue advanced career and educational opportunities that can take them everywhere from the patient’s bedside to the executive level of a large corporation.

If you have a dream of becoming a registered nurse, it’s important that you understand the specific certifications you will need to fulfill, depending on your individual situation and goals. Be sure to know your specific state’s licensure requirements and clarify your employer’s job-specific competencies, such as BLS, PALS, and ACLS certifications and additional advanced training.

Lastly, if you are preparing for a future in nursing, please take a moment to congratulate yourself. This field, while incredibly challenging and demanding at times, will reap many benefits for yourself, your patients, your loved ones, and your community. Thank you for embarking on such an important career! Share your wisdom and thoughts in the comments below, or head on over to the discussion about this post on Facebook

Attention Registered Nurses: Are You In Compliance with Your Employer’s BLS Certification Requirements?

Advanced Medical Certification (AMC) proudly offers continuing education credits in ACLS, BLS, and PALS certification and recertification. If you are due for an ACLS, BLS, or PALS recertification, contact AMC today at (877) 822-0375.

About Greta

Reach out to Greta at greta.kviklyte@advmedcert.com.

Keep reading