The number one concern for medical professionals today is the safety of their patients. As the health care industry continues to change, it becomes more important than ever that staff is up-to-date on all current practices and protocols to ensure that they are employing safe work procedures. One way this can be accomplished without sacrificing precious time or resources is by having employees recertify for their ACLS certification online. But before you go about taking this step, make sure you know these six things first! 

1. What Is Recertification? 

Recertification is a process required by the American Heart Association to make sure health care professionals are up-to-date on the latest CPR and ACLS guidelines. According to the AHA, recertification ensures that those who provide care remain current with changes in resuscitation science and practice. If you are up for recertification, consider taking ACLS renewal courses to increase your chances of passing with flying colors. Certification must be renewed every two years, even if you’ve taken an ACLS class in the past, you still need to recertify every two years. If you take your recertification course online, it only takes about three hours, which is much less time than the in-class option.

2. Why Would I Need Recertification?

To understand why you need recertification for your ACLS certification, you first need to understand what ACLS is. ACLS stands for Advanced Cardiac Life Support, and when you receive your certification in this area, it means that you have been trained on the latest practices when it comes to assessing a patient in cardiac or respiratory arrest, including their rhythm disturbances and low blood pressure. There are no age or education restrictions for recertification, so all employees at hospitals and other places of employment can participate! The only requirement is that you’ve taken an ACLS course in the past.  If you’re still unsure, check with your employer to see if they require recertification for ACLS.

3. When Should I Expect My Notification Letter To Be Sent Out?

Approximately 60 days before your ACLS certification expires, you should receive a letter in the mail from AHA. This is so you have enough time to recertify before the expiration date, as not doing so will result in a lack of access to life-saving equipment and medications. This letter will highlight all of the important information you’ll need to complete your recertification process successfully. You can usually find this information on their website, or by contacting them directly. From there, you can register for your online recertification course by following the steps on the AHA website. If you prefer attending an in-person class, these can be found at hospitals and medical facilities around the country, some of which may even offer this service for free!

4. How Long Do I Have To Recertify?

AHA recommends that you recertify for your ACLS certification every two years, which means that it is a good idea to mark your calendars and plan ahead in order to have everything set up when the time comes. It’s a good idea to do this well in advance if your certification is coming up soon. If you’re doing it online, a general guideline is that it takes about three hours to complete the process from start to finish. 

5. What If I Find Out That My ACLS Certification Expired?

If you find out that your ACLS certification has expired, it is not the end of the world. You simply need to recertify before continuing your work with patients. If you’re unsure whether or not your ACLS certification is expired, the best thing to do would be to check with your employer or search online. If it does turn out that this is the case, there are a couple of options for you: either retake the ACLS course and recertify, or provide proof of refresher/continuing education. It’s important to note that if you do choose this second option, it must be on topics related to cardiac arrest. 

6. Are There Other Ways To Recertify Besides Online?

Other ways in which you may recertify for your ACLS certification include attending a live, instructor-led workshop or going through online study and then taking a test at one of these workshops. If you are not comfortable with taking your recertification for ACLS through the online course offered by the American Heart Association, then there are other options available to you. For example, some facilities allow employees to work with their local training providers in order to earn recertification credits for ACLS. This will probably just involve taking an abbreviated refresher course that lasts about two hours or so, depending on your individual needs and requirements.

If you’ve just discovered that your ACLS certification has expired, don’t panic! There are plenty of ways to recertify without sacrificing too much time. One option is the AHA’s online course which takes about three hours and can be done anytime or anywhere with an internet connection. Another alternative is taking a two-hour abbreviated refresher course at one of our local training providers in order to earn credits for ACLs.  Regardless of how you choose to do it, make sure not to wait until the last minute when your license expires because this could put patients’ lives on the line if they need CPR or other life-saving measures while under your care. Make sure you’re prepared by knowing these six things before choosing any path towards recertification!