vaston Posted April 10, 2011 Share Posted April 10, 2011 A friend of mine is a practicing Optometrist and he just completed his ATLS certification. Why in the world would an OPTOMETRIST need ATLS? Why isn't is easier for PA's to get ATLS certified? I don't understand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted April 11, 2011 Moderator Share Posted April 11, 2011 maybe he's going on a mission trip or something(?) pa's can now get a card when they take atls. it says "physician extender " on it but it's still an atls card. much better than the cme certificate they used to give us. I take atls every 4 yrs. great class. also highly recommend apls(the "physician level" peds class which also gives a card). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator rev ronin Posted April 11, 2011 Administrator Share Posted April 11, 2011 Every time I search for physician extender ATLS classes, I come up with nothing, nationwide. How do you find one? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted April 11, 2011 Moderator Share Posted April 11, 2011 on the atls site you can choose an option in the search field for programs that allow physician extenders. near you the best option is emanuel hospital.they allow full participation and give a card. harborview also allows pa's but doesn't let them take the final or get a card. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ohiovolffemtp Posted April 19, 2011 Share Posted April 19, 2011 Just checked ATLS's site - it didn't show any courses approved for physician extenders. It's possible that their list doesn't reflect everything, because the course I took in Feb. in Cincinnati through Cincinnati Children's Hospital allowed medics, RN's, and RT, though we only got con-ed, not cards. Definitely one of the best classes I've ever taken. However, the course seems to be unfamiliar with current capabilities of prehospital care. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brookspa Posted April 19, 2011 Share Posted April 19, 2011 UAB, Birmingham, Al has regular, frequent classes for PAs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewitt Posted April 21, 2011 Share Posted April 21, 2011 I have taken ATLS as a Medic. You don't get a card, but you get a letter saying you were there. The first time I took it there were 2 PA's there and I know one of my friends who teaches ATLS lets lots of PA's and NP's in and gives them the credentialing. Usually you only find ATLS at a teaching hospital, so I'd call the continuing education departments in any of your local university affiliated hospital systems. I hope this helps: http://web15.facs.org/atls_cr/ATLS_Course_Search.cfm Lewitt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paamick Posted April 24, 2011 Share Posted April 24, 2011 I also had trouble finding a course that was listed as accepting PA's. One of my Dr's from the ER I work at teaches it and he was able to get me in. Their course allowed PA's to be fully certified, not just audit. However; it was not listed on the website. I was pretty shocked that PA's were not able to be certified in this prior. They really focused on the small, rural ER and as we all know more and more rural ER's are currently staffed by a solo PA. (Currently in the on-call appartment in a tiny town in Iowa as the sole ER provider) Who better to be certified than us?!?! I was also shocked at the lack of knowledge that several of the family practice dr's had. Many failed the course. The fact that they are still teaching DPL and venous cutdown is a bit dated but, it is still a skill that I am glad to know!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewitt Posted April 25, 2011 Share Posted April 25, 2011 @ohioVFFEMTP- ATLS is not meant to be a survey of the most current treatments available. It's meant as a tool to give providers in multiple settings a common language and approach to assessing and treating a trauma patient. This is true in the international sense as well; ATLS is meant to give foreign doctors who may be without the most current toys that same systematic method. PAAMick- It's true you're not likely to do a dpl, especially when the FAST is becoming so common, or a cutdown when you can just drop an IO, it's still cool to see it and learn the procedure. How many of you did ATLS on live tissue (pigs)? My course was on tissue but msot all of the teaching around here now is done with hig fidelity sim manequins. Lewitt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted April 25, 2011 Moderator Share Posted April 25, 2011 I have done atls on pigs(twice) and mannequins(twice) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewitt Posted April 25, 2011 Share Posted April 25, 2011 How do you feel about the Playskool vs. Tissue lab? I have trained on some pretty highspeed dummies. I think both have somthing to offer. The dummies have alot of versatility, but I always end up feeling I'm in a freshman drama club... Lewitt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PAstudentCanada Posted April 28, 2011 Share Posted April 28, 2011 Could someone here please give me the contact info of a specific person at the ACS that will be able to say that PAs may be ATLS certified and not just audit? I am trying to arrange for this in Canada and want to give the contact into to the appropriate ATLS people here who have never heard of PAs being certified. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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