How to Prepare for ACLS

The Advanced Cardiac Life Support certification is held by health-care providers whose jobs require that they perform treatment on victims in cardiac arrest. The ACLS certification measures the person's ability to perform life-saving techniques as well as recognize the early signs of cardiac arrest. To prepare for the ACLS certification examination, you will have to review many of the key concepts of cardiac resuscitation.

Instructions

• 1

  Purchase an ACLS preparation guide. For example, Brainard offers the ACLS Preparation Program Guide and Examination. You can purchase this book through Amazon.com.

• 2

  Take an ACLS course. The American Heart Association offers a 13-week course that reviews the content found on the ACLS exam. You'll cover topics such as providing initial cardiac care, recognizing the signs of cardiac distress and managing cardiac arrest.

• 3

  Go over the five ACLS algorithms presented on the certification exam: the Asystole, Bradycardia, Cardioversion, PEA, Tachycardia, and VF/PVT.

• 4

  Review case scenarios. On the exam, you'll be asked to evaluate different situations and provide answers to how you would treat the person's cardiac distress symptoms. Questions focus on topics like airway obstructions, stroke signs, pharmacology therapies for cardiac arrest and use of electric stimulators. You can find examples of these different cases by using online ACLS simulators. On ACLS.net, you can take free scenario quizzes that evaluate your ability to provide life-saving cardiac techniques.