Frequently Asked Questions

FAQs

SKU:
faq
$0.00
(No reviews yet)
Current Stock:
Adding to cart… The item has been added
Description

FAQs

I purchased the wrong class, what do I do?

  • Some classes cost the same price, if you purchase a BLS Initial class, it's the same price as the renewal class, and the skills session. We can just switch you to the class you need. 
  • Please don't purchase the class again on a different day. Just call, text or email and we'll get it fixed.
  • admin@savingamericanhearts.com  (719) 551-1222.

What do I wear to class?  

  • Dress appropriately for the weather. We do have airconditioning. If you are easily chilled bring a jacket.
  • Most students just wear jeans and a T-Shirt, or shorts. Some wear scrubs. If you are in the IV class, you can not wear open toe shoes of flip flops on the second day of class as we will be working with needles and IV catheters.
  • If it is winter time and snow is on the ground, consider bringing a second pair of shoes and socks with you because if your feet get wet you are going to be really uncomfortable until you get back home. 

What if I need to reschedule?

We do not charge any fees to reschedule you and the whole process takes less than 10 seconds. We have one student who rescheduled every month for 13 months in a row.  Life happens, things happen and we understand that. If you need to take care of a family member, or what ever it is that you need to do, you can do it without worrying about your class. We teach classes 5 days a week so it's pretty easy to get you into another class pretty quickly. 

What if I need a refund?

If you need a refund please call or email and put refund in the subject. I can do refunds same day if you have Venmo or paypal. If I do it through the website it can take a week or more. If you are not sure if you are going to make it to class, please wait until the day of your class to pay. If you called and I haven't gotten back to you quickly, please send me an email as I teach classes too, and can't always answer my phone and sometimes I can't hear the text message ding and I'll miss it. You can reach me at (719) 551-1222 or admin@savingamericanhearts.com Catherine Brinkley

Do we get breaks, or a lunch break? 

The BLS Classes, get short breaks as the longest class is only 4 hours. There is not a 30 minute or hour lunch break during this short class. However, you are welcome to bring lunch with you and we have tons of free snacks to get you though the class. 

For ACLS and PALS we take lunch breaks unless students request to just eat snacks and continue with the class. Most ACLS and PALS Students bring lunch with them because it's a much longer class than BLS, and the class lasts even longer if everyone leaves and stands in line wating for food, and drives back to the office. You are welcome to leave for lunch or bring lunch with you, whatever you prefer. You are also welcome to enjoy the free snacks we have available.

IV Classes take an hour break for lunch each day, as the class is three days long from 9 AM to 5 PM. They also get a few 10 and 15 minute breaks thorughout the day. 

Can I reserve a seat without paying for the class right now?

Absolutley!  Just go to the calendar, but don't click on a day or class, instead just use the "Register for Class" button at the top of the page. This will send me a message that you want to sign up. We'll send you a confirmation email with any precourse work you need to do and a link for the payment. You can wait until day of class to make the payment. We'll hold a seat for you whether you have paid or not. 

Does PALS cover ACLS?
 
What's the Difference Between PALS and ACLS? The primary difference between ACLS and PALS is the treatment recipient. ACLS treats adults, while PALS treats children. For urgent care or emergency care, ACLS is an essential clinical intervention for any emergency medical team.
 
Does PALS count for BLS?
 
While PALS and ACLS do cover BLS information, you must have a BLS certification in order to take the course. Some healthcare companies will offer the BLS certification prior to the advanced class but individuals should not assume this to always be the case.
 
Is ACLS harder than BLS?
 
Yes. ACLS Covers heart rhythms and how to treat them with IV medications as well as various electrical therapies based on the specific heart rhythm. 
 

What is the Difference Between BLS and ACLS?

BLS or Basic Life Support covers chest compressions, breaths and the use of AED (Automatic External Defibrilator) for Adults, infants and children as well as the use of a bag mask to deliver breaths and what to do for someone who is choking or unconscious.

ACLS or Advanced Cardiac Life Support covers all the different heart rhythms and all the different drugs to treat each rhythm, how to synchronize a shock specific to one of the heart rhythms, how to deliver an unsynchronized shock, how to give medications down a breathing tube, all the drug dosages, how to treat a person with and without a pulse who is having symptoms or is unstable or stable based on their current heart rhythm, blood pressure, waveform capnography and oxygen saturation levels. 

Do you need ACLS before PALS?

No, ACLS is specific to adults and PALS is specific to children and infants. However, if you need both certifications, it is much easier to obtain the ACLS first. Here, you will learn all the drugs and heart rhythms then when you do PALS, you'll just change the drug doses. 

Are online ACLS courses legitimate?
 
That depends. Some companies advertised that they "Follow" American Heart Association Guidelines, however you will not get a card that says AHA or their logo.   The American Heart Association does have some online courses that are legitimate and can be purchased at elearning.heart.org  Some of these require an in person skills testing portion to complete the second half of the online course to complete the certification and receive your AHA Card.
It also depends on if your employer requires American Heart Association, American Red Cross or just "Bob's CPR".
Before purchasing an online course, check out their reviews and their refund policies.
 
Can nursing students take ACLS?
 
Yes. However, the classes are not cheap and the certification is only good for 2 years. Before the end of the two years you must take a renewal or update class to maintain your certification.
 
Is the ACLS exam open book?
 
Yes, there is a written test at the end of the ACLS class. It is 50 questions. You may use your book for reference, your notes that you take in class or bring from home. All AHA courses are now open book and open resource.
 
Is ACLS easy to pass?
 
ACLS is no walk in the park. You can't just show up to class and expect to pass the tests. You will need to put the time in to study and learn the heart rhythms, learn all the drugs, take good notes and read your ACLS book and be sure to take the pretest so you know what to expect and what you need to study.  After all, ACLS is designed to teach the code team what they should do. If you are on the code team and have experience in code situations then ACLS will be easier for you than someone who only works on the medical surgical floor. 
 
Why do I need BLS is I have ACLS?
 
Basic Life Support covers CPR for adults, infants and children. ACLS only covers the adults, it does not cover children. The ACLS equivalent is PALS Pediatric Advanced Life Support.
 
Can nurses intubate in ACLS?
 
In the ACLS course, on a manikin, nurses can intubate. I encourage it, so that the nurses better understand the difficulty of the procedure and are able to be of more help, knowing what equipment will be needed. ACLS Certification does not
give nurses permission to intubate outside of the classroom. Intubation is a skill that is outside the scope of practice for nurses in all 50 states.
 
What happens if you fail ACLS?
 
If you don't pass on your first attempt, you can retake the test as many times as needed until you earn a passing score. You will need to achieve a score of 84% or higher to pass the written exam and you will also need to pass the megacode scenarios as a team leader.   Some companies will make you pay the class fee again, and wait several weeks before reattempting the class again. Some companies will let you take another version of the test on the same day if you did well on the megacodes. AHA instructors are allowed to remediate, so if you missed one or two questions too many, they can verbally ask the question and give you a chance to answer it again.
 
Does ACLS replace BLS?
 
No. ACLS is a higher certification but it will not cover CPR or the use of an AED or bag mask for a child or infant, and it does not cover the choking portion of the BLS class.