Mike's ACLS Overview

Note: This is a goofy site! Visitors with a desire to get a little bit more specific on the subject (and maybe check out a website that is more serious) can learn more on online ACLS courses here.

My site is a fast resource for anybody looking for information about certification or recertification for ACLS. The first question in most people's minds who are researching this topic online is "Does this online certify stuff actually work?" Well, that's a fairly decent question and probably one that any logical person would ask after looking at some of the advanced cardiac sites on the web.

The answer, as with most things in life, is not quite that easy. Rest assured, however, as it's also not that hard. So prepare yourself for it... Good. Almost there... Perfect. So here it is: You want to recertify your ACLS? You're golden. You can do the whole thing online like nobody's business. You want to earn your initial certification? Ummm... Bad news. While you can take the written part of your exam online, you will also need to complete an offline skills test (and pass it, of course). So life is not quite as convenient for you as it is for the lucky ones who just need to recertify. But that's life, and next time it will be easy for you and you'll really appreciate it. May even savor the simplicity of that ACLS certification online test, in fact. Until then, then.

More Details from Mike

Demanding, very demanding. Well, here goes: there are currently a number of different online options for taking the exam. Some of these options work better for recertification, some of them work better for initial certification, some of them work better than something, and some of them are just not very good. So what are the different options? Yes, yes. The two simplest categories for the different online programs would be American Heart Association-approved courses, and non-AHA approved courses. Obviously, the approved courses will work for almost anybody in almost any situation. In fact, I'm not aware of a situation where they would not work.

The non-approved classes, on the other hand, generally work well for some people and less well for others. The legitimate non-AHA classes are actually approved by at least one other real organization. The AHA is not an official (government) organization. It is simply the most well-known cardiac association. So courses which are not approved by the AHA but approved by other legitimate organizations can actually be very legitimate courses that will be accepted by many (if not most) medical employers. Other approving or accrediting organizations for these courses are generally doctor or nurse associations, of which there are quite a few.