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Recerts on the "merit badges": BLS, ACLS, PALS, ATLS, etc


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So my certs from residency are due to expire in a few months.  From what I understand, ATLS is the only one of those that needs to be done in person.  BLS, ACLS, and PALS can all be done online it looks like.  Is this how you all go about re-certing as well?  Any particular source that you'd all recommend online?

I have some $$ left on my CME for the year and noted this website that is a pay once and be able to recert for free for the rest of your life for all 3 BLS ACLS PALS which seems like a good deal considering I've got many years left in the field.  Does anyone have experience with this program?   

https://nhcps.com/bundles/

Thanks!

-SN

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I did my last recert on these with a similar company who also have the "for life" option. I was skeptical of the site not being around that long, but perhaps that's just me being paranoid... I went with the two year option and will reassess next time. I guess if you get 2-3 recerts at the price they have on the site then you haven't lost anything. 

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On 10/26/2018 at 7:42 PM, UGoLong said:

The concept of cerifying for life in ACLS seems bizarre to me. I’ve had it for 15 years and the algorithms change. And not working a simulated code in person seems less than thorough.


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It isn't a cert one time that lasts for life, its a lifetime access to the website where you can recert every two years for free for the rest of your life.  

 

On 10/27/2018 at 2:44 AM, GatorRRT said:

If you’re actively running codes, take ACLS, PALS etc in person run by the AHA. Doing anything less unnecessarily increases your liability. 

I'd agree that the first time around its helpful doing these in person.  I've already done them twice in person and the second time was essentially an easy refresher, especially considering in residency we were running codes and getting plenty of lectures on resuscitation that went way beyond the scope of ACLS.  This is why you'll hear many EM docs ridicule these types of certifications, saying that it is protocol cookbooks for nurses or FP doctors who don't do this for a living.  But, if its really the case that many hospitals require the in person sessions, that is good for me to know since it might not be worth it to get one of these life time subscriptions.  

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I work at two different shops, one requires in person, the other does not.  I completely agree with the above assessment regarding the appropriate audience for ACLS being nursing and FP/Derm/Non-resuscitation providers.  I find it continually frustrating to have to attend these courses when I am more likely to deviate from the algorithm than follow it.  Suppose someone has to check their boxes though.

I have never seen nor heard of the lifetime sites and I suppose if you aren't required to do the in-person rigamarole (i.e. have some jumped up power hungry instructor try to trick you over the course of a 30 minutes megacode...I may have had some bad interactions) then it sounds great.  Would definitely check with whoever the paper pushers are at your place though!

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Agree with most what has been said, ACLS is a “check box” for most who routinely perform resus. But consider this hypothetical: Code goes poorly and the family sues, Plantiff’s attorney checks your credentials and finds your resus cert isn’t “the gold standard”. How will that play out in a jury trial with our supposed peers?

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