Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS)

On select Thursdays and Fridays* during the clerkship, groups of students will be excused from their regular clerkship activities (including all clinical duties and lectures) to attend ACLS training. ACLS is scheduled from 8:00am to 5:00pm for both Thursday and Friday in room 611 Berryhill Hall. Please do not make outside appointments during class time for ACLS. While class start times are fixed according to the schedule, the end of the class day is flexible. However, please do not anticipate ending the class day sooner than 5:00pm and organize your schedule accordingly. For individual student schedules, see table below.

The reference material for ACLS is: Advanced Cardiac Life Support Provider Manual by the American Heart Association (which includes algorithm cards and CD). This text is available for students to borrow. Loaned texts must be turned in at the end of the course. To borrow a text, please come by the Clinical Skills and Patient Simulation Center (1043 Burnett Womack). Contact information is: 966-3643; Ada Southerland, ada_southerland@med.unc.edu. The text may also be purchased from the Health Affairs Bookstore or Amazon if a student would prefer to own a copy.

The class will not be a rehash of the material in the ACLS book. Class will be a practical application of this material. It is imperative that you read this material prior to coming to the class. This preparation also includes completing the ACLS Pre-Test. Please complete the Pre-Test and bring your printed score to class. The score is not a portion of your ACLS grade, but indicates areas for the instructor to emphasize during the course. The website information for the Pre-Test is on page ii of the ACLS Provider Book.

While ACLS is taught during the Medicine Inpatient Clerkship, ACLS it is one of three required components of Introducation to Acute Care Course (IAC). Pass for this portion of the IAC requires 84% or higher on the 50 question post-test. In addition, you must pass a practical case simulation. Grading for the practical uses the AHA ACLS practical checklist.

A lab coat or stethoscope is not required for class, but please wear your school ID.

About the Course:

The American Heart Association Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) course presents the skills and didactic information needed to handle a cardiac arrest, acute myocardial infarction, stroke, and post resuscitation care. ACLS emphasizes the importance of basic life support (CPR) to patient survival, the integration of CPR with advanced life support interventions.

ACLS uses simulated clinical scenarios requiring active, hands-on participation where students will practice essential skills individually, as part of a team, and as team leader. These realistic simulations reinforce the following key concepts:

• proficiency in basic life support care;
• recognizing and initiating early management of peri-arrest conditions;
• managing cardiac arrest
• identifying and treating ischemic chest pain and acute coronary syndromes;
• recognizing other life-threatening clinical situations (such as stroke)
• ACLS algorithms
• effective resuscitation team dynamics.

*There are two ACLS classes for the coming year that do not fall on the usual Thurs-Fri schedule. Please check your schedule to confirm your scheduled class dates. Normally, classes are on Thurs/Fri in the 2nd, 3rd, 6th and 7th weeks of the Internal Medicine Clerkship block.

John Robinson