Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) training gives healthcare professionals the knowledge and skills they need to save lives in an emergency situation. Increasingly, ACLS certification is becoming a requirement for healthcare professionals who work in a critical care setting. But, what exactly is involved in the training? Here are 10 key facts you need to know: 

1. ACLS training teaches advanced skills for treating patients who need interventions beyond basic life support.

2. The primary goal of ACLS training is to enable healthcare professionals to sustain life and improve patient outcomes by keeping neurological function intact during cardiovascular emergencies like stroke and heart attack.

3. ACLS training is most used by healthcare professionals who work in facilities where cardiac-related emergencies are most likely to occur such as in critical, urgent, or emergency care units as well as senior care facilities.

4. During ACLS training, you will learn what steps to take when a person goes into sudden cardiac arrest including how long to perform CPR, what medications can be used, and how to deliver an electric shock. 

5. Nurses at any level – associate’s, bachelor’s, or master’s – are ideal candidates for ACLS training.

6. Before taking an ACLS training course, it is recommended that you learn how to read and interpret ECG rhythms.

7. ACLS certification or recertification is valid for 2 years.

8. You can receive continuing education credits for successfully passing your ACLS certification exam.

9. Many healthcare professionals who work in areas requiring ACLS often receive tuition reimbursement for taking the certification course and exam.

10. To pass the ACLS certification exam, you will need to learn which medications are commonly used to treat certain types of heart arrhythmia.