I am looking for input from nurses working in the outpatient infusion setting. My organization is looking at whether nurses in our outpatient infusion center should be ACLS certified. We currently have only BLS certification but are looking at requiring ACLS certification as a mandatory requirement. So my question is....what is everyone else doing? Are nurses working in outpatient chemotherapy and non-chemo therapy outpatient infusion areas, BLS and ACLS certified or only BLS ? Thank you for your response. Bev George
Our unit is based in the hospital building and has access to a rapid response team. In three years I needed to call them about 5 times. The emergencies that came up were not the kind of thing that we needed ACLS for, even though all the rapid response teams are acls. We had allergic problems and diabetic problems. If I really anticipatede a problem I would have a nurse from the rapid response team available in the room and preped.
The problem with ACLS or any other training - it gives the administration expectations. Are all ACLS nurses equal? Will you be using the knowledge frequently enough to be able to be depended on in an emergency? Will you feel qualified to do a transport? Is it worth the cost of training and regular retraining the staff for dysrythmia and ACLS? Do you have montiors or a crash cart available in the department?
I might recommend looking at the emergencies you have had in the past few years, look at the drugs you give and see what might be anticipated. If ACLS doesn't really deal with all these issues then establish a training program and policies for the emergencies you do expect. Maybe those of you that provide on-line education might make a course to suit this need.
Gail
Gail McCarter, BSN,CRNI
Franklin, NH
This question has come up for our Infusion Clinics as well. We require BLS but not ACLS. The Chemo CLinic is inside the hospital, and the (non Chemo) Ambulatroy Infusion is off-campus. When considering a requirement for ACLS, I could not think what would be appropraite to do in the off-campus setting that would require ACLS.
Tim
ACLS requires policies and procedures in how to handle a code situation in outpatient areas. For the most part the most important thing you can do is BCLS. Call for help by dialing 911. will get first responders and advanced life support people there quickly. if it takes longer than 15 minutes to get an ambulence there consider an AED.
Bonnie Rippstein