Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

BLS Provider Courses

AHA Basic Life Support (BLS) courses teach healthcare professionals critical skills, such as:

• Administering high-quality CPR
• Recognizing several life-threatening emergencies
• Use of an AED
• Relieving choking

Available BLS training:

• BLS (CPR) Providers Initial/Update
• HeartCode BLS (hybrid course)
• BLS Instructor Course

ACLS Courses

ACLS addresses the knowledge necessary to evaluate and manage an adult victim of a cardiovascular emergency or cardiac arrest. The course reviews and refines patient assessment, airway management, electrical and drug therapy. ECG interpretation skills are required.

After completing your ACLS training, you will be able to:

• Recognize and initiate management of peri-arrest situations
• Provide basic life support (BLS) care, including prioritizing CPR and automated external defibrillator (AED) use
• Recognize and manage respiratory cardiac arrest, including post-cardiac arrest care
• Recognize and initiate management of acute coronary syndromes (ACS) and stroke
• Effectively communicate as a member or leader of a resuscitation team

Available ACLS training:

• ACLS Instructor Course
• ACLS Provider for Physicians
• ACLS Provider or Update
• ACLS Experienced Provider
• HeartCode ACLS (hybrid course)

PALS Courses

Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) is a classroom, video-based, Instructor-led course that uses a series of simulated pediatric emergencies to reinforce the important concepts of a systematic approach to pediatric assessment, basic life support, PALS treatment algorithms, effective resuscitation and team dynamics. The goal of the PALS Course is to improve the quality of care provided to seriously ill or injured children, resulting in improved outcomes.

The PALS Course is for healthcare providers who respond to emergencies in infants and children. These include personnel in emergency response, emergency medicine, intensive care and critical care units such as physicians, nurses, paramedics and others who need a PALS course completion card for job or other requirements.

To successfully complete a PALS course, you must:

• Be able to identify (on an ECG monitor):
  • Ventricular fibrillation (VF)
  • Ventricular tachycardia (VT)
  • Asystole
  • Bradycardia
  • Tachycardia
  • ST-segment elevation
  • Artifact
• Demonstrate competency in pediatric airway management
• Complete the PALS evaluation with a passing score of 84% or better
• Demonstrate ability to lead a team of healthcare providers and implement PALS algorithms in 2 pediatric scenarios, one cardiac and one respiratory or shock. You will have instruction and practice in mock patient situations prior to testing.

PEARS Courses

PEARS

PEARS is for healthcare providers and others who might encounter pediatric emergency situations during their work, including:

• Physicians and nurses not specializing in pediatrics
• Nurse practitioners
• Physician assistants
• EMTs,
• Respiratory therapists
• Prehospital and in-facility healthcare providers (outside of critical-care areas)
• Outpatient clinic staff
• School-based providers
• Any other healthcare provider who infrequently sees critically ill or injured infants and children

The AHA’s PEARS (Pediatric Advanced Emergency Assessment, Recognition and Stabilization) Course has been updated to reflect science in the 2015 AHA Guidelines for CPR and ECC.In this classroom-based, instructor-led course, students learn how to use a systematic approach to quickly assess, recognize the cause, and stabilize a pediatric patient in an emergency situation.

During PEARS, students interact with real patient cases, and realistic simulations and animations to assess and stabilize pediatric patients experiencing respiratory and shock emergencies, and cardiopulmonary arrest. PEARS prepares students to provide appropriate lifesaving interventions within the initial minutes of response until a child can be transferred to an advanced life support provider.

Features

• Improves competency in pediatric basic life support
• Uses realistic, clinical scenarios that encourage active participation – delivered through actual pediatric patient videos and lifelike animations
• Includes AHA’s systematic approach to assess, recognize, and stabilize pediatric patients in emergency situations
• Uses a hands-on class format to reinforce skills proficiency
• Enhances skills in recognizing respiratory emergencies, shock emergencies, and cardiopulmonary arrest
• Co-branded with the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)

Course Content

• Systematic pediatric assessment
• Recognition and stabilization of respiratory emergencies
• Recognition and stabilization of shock emergencies
• Recognition and stabilization of cardiopulmonary arrest
• Resuscitation team concept

Heartsaver Courses

For lay rescuers responsible for providing first aid or CPR in the critical first minutes before professional help arrives. Participants will learn CPR for the adult, child, and infant and use of the AED. They will also learn to recognize and respond appropriately to medical, injury, and environmental emergencies.

Meets OSHA requirements.

AHA Prep Course

Designed for those students who need help in getting ready for the ACLS Provider course, this 4-hour course previews adult cardiac arrest and dysrhythmia management, including patient assessment and electrical and drug therapy. Basic ECG interpretation skills are necessary for this and any ACLS course.

ECG and 12-Lead Courses

Expand your healthcare background by learning to apply ECG and 12-Lead tools to patient care. It is useful to have some background in anatomy and physiology before taking these courses.

Will I receive something acknowledging that I am registered?

PCC does not send notification of registration to continuing education students, unless you happen to register for a HeartCode Course using the Storefront link. Contact Teresa Parrish. However, you can access your account and verify your registration by:

1. Logging in to MyPCC using your established Username and Password.
2. Selecting the appropriate term under My Course Schedule.
3. Under View My, click on Class Schedule to verify course(s) for which you are registered.

I know someone who wants to take your class, can you register them?

No, students wishing to take classes must register themselves, except in the case of contractors.

Contractors can supply a list of employee information, and we can register them as a group. For example: ACLS-Provider Class on March 15–16 at Seattle Memorial Hospital, for the Rx Residents. The contact person will supply PCC with a complete list of attendees, names, addresses, phone numbers, dates of birth and email addresses, and we will register these individuals before the class takes place.

Where and when is the class?

In general, classes are held at the PCC CLIMB Center, located at 1626 SE Water Ave, Portland. We can work with employers and schools to offer onsite classes as well.

Different classes occur at different times. All class times can be found online when you go to sign up for a class, unless it is a specially contracted course which requires you to go to an outside location.

Note: Courses begin promptly at their published start time. If you arrive late, you will not be allowed to stay for the course. AHA guidelines state that you must attend and successfully complete the entire course to be awarded a completion card.

What should I do before attending class?

First, you must be registered for the class, so we know you are coming. Follow the steps at the bottom of this page to register.

Before coming to your first class, you should make sure that you have all textbooks listed in the course description, and complete any requirements, such as taking a pretest or watching any videos.

Will I need a book? Where can I buy books?

Yes, all AHA courses require an AHA provider manual in the appropriate discipline (BLS/ACLS/PALS/PEARS). Information about the required books and other mandatory prerequisites are listed in the individual course descriptions online.

Note: Per AHA guidelines, if you do not have this book, you will not be allowed to stay for the course.

All books are located at the PCC Sylvania campus or can be purchased from Laerdal, World Point, Channing Bete or The AHA as a printed or eBook. If bringing an e-Book to class, please bring your electronic device to open it for use in class.

Will my employer pay for me to take the class?

Possibly. PCC has contracts with several employers. Please check with your employer for contract Information or contact us.

Can you come to our location to teach the class?

Yes, we can contract with you or your company to teach classes off campus or at your location, and we will let you know the price difference. We can even customize your training to specifically meet the needs of your employer.

Which classes require a pre-test, and how do I show that I took it?

The American Heart Association ACLS and PALS classes require a pre-test. Information about the pre-test can be found in the front of the Provider Manual, on page ii. It must be taken online. The website and password for access is in the red box at the bottom of the page.

Once you have taken the test, print off or take a picture of the result and bring it to your class. Make sure you include your name in the upper right hand corner, along with the score you received. Course pre-test must be passed with a 70% or better.

How long is the online class?

The class average is between 4.5–16 hours to complete. Depending on the class & student to instructor ratios, it may take more or less time. In the cases of the HeartCode courses, the online class times will vary based upon student experience. In-person skills evaluation will depend on students’ participation.

How long are the HeartCode practice and skills evaluations?

The skills evaluation for the HeartCode course lasts about 2.5 hours.

What score do I need to pass the exam?

You must get at least a score of 84% on your written exam, and pass your skills evaluation in order to pass the class. The written Exam is now Open book. You are given 1.5 hours to answer 50 Questions for ACLS or PALS courses.

If I fail can I re-test?

Yes, you can retest on another day, as long as you have completed the pre-test. If no pre-test, no re-test.

When does my card expire, and is there a grace period?

Your card will expire 2 years from the date you take your class, on the last day of the month. There is no grace period. For example, if you took your class on November 2nd, 2047, your card would expire on November 30, 2049. If you wait until December 1st to take your renewal or update course, your card will have expired and you will have to take a 2-day Provider course or a HeartCode course. Contact the AHA TC Coordinator to review your particular situation.

Contact Teresa Parrish

If I am on medical or military leave and my card expires, can I still come to an update class, or do I have to do the 2-day provider or online class?

You can come to an update class with proof that you were out on leave.

If my card is expired, can I do the online class?

If your ACLS, BLS or PALS card expires, you can take The HeartCode course, an online class.

Will you accept a photocopy or picture of my card as proof of being current?

Yes, if you no longer have the original card we will accept a picture or copy of the card. New Cards are Electronic and have a QRL Code or Individual unique card number and we will look your card up in the system to make sure you are current.

How can I replace a lost card, and how much will this cost?

A replacement BLS card is $10, and a replacement ACLS or PALS card can be made for $15. To replace a card, go to the AHA and NANP Shopping Cart, select “AHA Cards” and follow the prompts under “Replacement Cards.” Cards are now electronic so you should not have to replace them.

Do you keep copies of our cards, and can you send one to me?

No, PCC does not keep copies of individual cards, though we can verify that you took the class, and when you took it.

My name has changed, can my new card be printed with my new name on it?

Yes. At check in, let us know your name has changed. Bring proof of the name change and photo ID when you come to class and we will start the process to get your name changed in the PCC system. If you have recently gotten married or divorced, please bring the appropriate paperwork with you. Name changes can be done at any campus location. Student Services or Business Office.

Where can I park, and do I have to pay?

We have a parking lot in front of our building. If you drive a vehicle, you must pay to park, but bicycles and motorcycles park for free. Cost for parking is $5.00 per day, or $2 for the first hr and $1/hr for each hr after up to 3 hours. The machines take Visa or Mastercard, and $1 or $5 bills, and cannot make change.

Do you have a room for breastfeeding mothers?

Yes, we have a safe, secure area with a sink and electrical outlets where breastfeeding mothers can pump. We will set you up the first time, and you are free to come and go as needed.

If I am injured and I cannot do CPR, will I still get my certification?

No, you must be able to perform CPR for 2 complete minutes using both breaths and compressions. You will get an extension to your expiration date if under the care of a doctor or on Maternity or Military leave.

Have a more specific question or need more information?

Contact Teresa Parrish, Professional Development and Education Coordinator.