Why Choose ACLS Certification Online Versus Live Instruction
As medical training continues to move more into the digital world, we are left to consider the positives and negatives of obtaining our education online. This is especially true when certain classes have traditionally only been taught in a live setting. One such example of this is Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certification. While ACLS certification online is not relatively new to the medical industry, it has struggled to break through bias and tradition within the industry.
While there is no perfect learning setting or program, each one carries it’s own benefits. So today we will be discussing the positives and negatives of taking ACLS certification online.
Even though earning certification online is a relatively new method of training, it has gained the favor of thousands of nurses, doctors, fire fighters, and other medical specialists. Because of the ease and convenience of electronic education, eLearning has really taken the lead in continuing education for medical providers. Below you will find a list of some of the top reasons why eLearning has become so popular among medical professionals.
The Convenience of ACLS Online Certification
The benefit that likely sticks out the most regarding online ACLS certification is its convenience. Most of you that are medical professionals will likely agree that healthcare workers generally have extremely demanding jobs, and don’t have the flexibility to take days off of work for certification or renewal. This alone may be a restricting factor as to why a medical provider needs to certify over the Internet.
And even though it might be a healthcare worker’s only option it can actually provide a host of other benefits that can’t be obtained from a live course. With ACLS online you can learn at your own pace and complete the coursework in parts or all at once. You can also complete your training from anywhere in the world as long as you have a computer and an internet connection.
The Benefit of Lower Cost for Automated Online Learning
It’s true that online training is often much more affordable than in-person certification courses. In many cases, it can cost less than half the price to get certified in ACLS online. This is because the coursework doesn’t require a live instructor to deliver the education. This can be a huge savings for the company providing the service which they often pass onto the customer. If you’re looking to get certified for your job or if you need to recertify and your employer doesn’t provide reimbursement for your courses this can be a deciding factor.
A More Efficient Use of Time
Online ACLS certification also tends to take less time than in-person courses because of the personalization of the course and because you can learn at your own pace. You don’t have to worry about an instructor answer another student’s question that you’re already familiar with. There’s also no travel time required to and from a training center. As a result you can usually complete an online course in a fraction of the time it would take to complete a course in person. You may even be able to complete it in the time it would simply take you to commute to and from a live class provided by an instructor.
This really is an expected convenience that is enjoyed by eLearning in general. As a result a large portion of CME and continuing nursing credits are now earned entirely over the Internet. Advanced Cardiac Life Support is no exception to this, and has actually been one of the first types of digital training offered for medical professionals.
Flexibility of eLearning
Finally, online ACLS certification is more flexible than in-person courses. You can access the materials whenever you want and study at your own pace. We know many of our students will even study at work while on break or between working with patients. You are not tied to an instructor who needs to tend to other students who have a lack of didactic understanding or deficiencies in certain skills. This flexibility is crucial for people who are working or have other commitments that prevent them from attending traditional courses.
Broad Access to Internet Learning Materials
Online ACLS provides you full access to lectures, courses, resources, practice tests, and much more, like traditional medical certification programs, but any time of day and at any location where you have an Internet connection. Classroom sessions, on the other hand, offer a restricted and often inaccessible learning environment that requires you to bend to their schedule. Here at United Medical Education we offer our course materials for life even after successful certification. We want our students to always have access to life saving interventions and training.
Cons of learning ACLS Online
There are always benefits from learning directly with an experienced ACLS instructor. Instructors can correct mistakes or false beliefs verbalized or demonstrated by the student. They can also answer questions on the fly rather than students needing to search for the answers through study materials and question banks. However, this only holds true if the instructor gives the proper attention to the student and knows the algorithms well enough to teach them at an advanced level. Instructor led training varies dramatically between each facility providing the course. As a result these cons cannot be considered as a consistent reason to avoid online instruction.
Another con is some facilities require you to take a live Advanced Cardiac Life Support class. Put simply, some administrators don’t know the benefits of taking certification online and simply default to requiring their staff to take courses from brands with which they are familiar.
Location Flexibility✓✗
| Attributes | Online ACLS | In-Person ACLS |
|---|---|---|
| Schedule Flexibility (24/7) | ✓ | ✗ |
| Self Paced | ✓ | ✗ |
| Self Tailoring | ✓ | ✗ |
| Group Learning | ✗ | ✓ |
| Live Simulation | ✗ | ✓ |
| Training Consistency | ✓ | ✗ |
Incorporating Current Technologies Into Online Training
Because the technology associated with online training did not exist even 30 years ago, live instruction was the only form of Advanced Cardiac Life Support that was really available to students and medical professionals. The healthcare educational industry has really evolved since then. Online ACLS education makes use of current software applications and simulated learning environments to provide students with the greatest chance of success. Medical training is moving more and more into online education and ACLS certification is just one example of this.
Medical Education Moves Into the Future
As advancements in educational technologies improve, medical training will move more and more towards personalized online instruction. Soon simulated virtual environments will be able to provide superior training than even a live educator giving one on one instruction. The sooner we embrace the benefits of technological advancements with regards to medical education within the medical community the better we will be able to educate the next generation of healthcare providers.
Is ACLS Necessary?
Depending on your industry and job requirements ACLS certification may be necessary. Healthcare professionals that have regular interaction with patients often need to certify in Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS). Even if the life saving algorithms are not performed on a regular basis, healthcare professionals are often required to know the protocols in case of an emergency.
Is it Good to be ACLS Certified?
Yes, being ACLS certified provides individuals the knowledge and skills necessary to take life saving action in the event of a cardiopulmonary emergency. Knowing the related algorithms could result in more positive outcomes for patients experiencing a heart attack, choking event, or stroke. Here at United Medical Education we encourage all healthcare providers to learn the Advanced Cardiac Life Support algorithms and protocols in preparation for patient emergencies.
Being Prepared for Changes
While eLearning is relatively new to the medical industry, it’s important that we as providers constantly stay up to date and evolve with the technologies made available to us. It won’t be long until alternative virtual learning environments start to work their way into regular medical curriculum. This is all with the hope and idea that learning will become more efficient and convenient within the medical field. We can even expect artificial intelligence to be an integral part to medical training in the future.
While we will be fortunate to see the greatest evolution of the medical profession in our lifetime, it will also be one of the most challenging times to be a healthcare provider because of how quickly discoveries and changes will happen within the industry. Even experienced healthcare workers who do not evolve and stay up to date with the newest technology can be left behind by the speed at which things will start to progress. It is both exciting and somewhat frightening even for the most well trained medical provider. Advanced Cardiac Life Support is just one small example of how the industry has adopted a new way of teaching and learning. Regarding ourselves and how we should approach these changes, the best thing we can do is to keep an open mind and always be learning.
