Clinical Offerings

Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS)

Prerequisite:  Current BLS certification

This program is designed to provide nurses, physicians and allied health care personnel with the knowledge and skills to identify and treat individuals in cardiopulmonary arrest or near arrest states.  Following American Heart Association criteria, participants will demonstrate competence in selected case scenarios. Successful completion of the course will enable participants to be registered with the AHA as Advanced Cardiac Life Support Providers.

The content of this program is designed to meet the following learning objectives:

• Demonstrate proper techniques in basic life support
• Demonstrate proper airway management techniques, including endotracheal intubation for adults
• Illustrate the placement of intravenous fluid lines, peripheral, central and intraosseous
• Perform defibrillation, synchronized cardioversion and external pacing
• Discuss drug therapy for cardiac emergencies
• Recognize dynamic and static dysrhythmias and appropriate therapy
• Demonstrate decision-making and leadership capabilities as a team leader in simulated code situations

Instructors:  Nicholas Galioto, MD; Sue Cook, RN; Beth Compton RN

All of these classes will be in Conference Room W202 (2nd floor above the West Desk)

Please contact Paulette Ihrig at 282-2458 or pihrig@broadlawns.org to register.
You will be required to send a $30 deposit for your book and materials. This will be refunded when you turn in your book at the end of the class.

Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS)

Prerequisite:  Current BLS certification

This program is designed to provide information about:

• Recognizing an infant or child at risk of cardiopulmonary arrest
• Information and strategies for preventing arrest in infant and children
• The cognitive and psychomotor skills necessary for resuscitating and stabilizing the infant or child in respiratory failure, shock or cardiopulmonary arrest

Upon completion of this program participants will be able to:

• Recognize the two most common pre-arrest syndromes and utilize interventions to prevent cardio-pulmonary arrest in the infant and child
• Diagnose and treat dysrhythmias based upon rhythm classification and hemodynamic significance
• Demonstrate and prioritize various vascular access techniques, including intraosseous cannulation
• Perform basic cardiac life support on infants and children
• Identify management priorities for the infant and child in respiratory failure, shock and cardio-pulmonary arrest

Instructors:  Nicholas Galioto, MD; Betty Jones, RN; Tina Tweedt, RN

All of these classes will be in Conference Room W202 (2nd floor above the West Desk)

Please contact Paulette Ihrig at 282-2458 or pihrig@broadlawns.org to register. You will be required to send a $30 deposit for your book and materials. This will be refunded when you turn in your book at the end of the class.

Basic Electrocardiography (EKG)

Prerequisite:  Current BLS certification

This program is designed to provide nurses and technicians with the fundamental principles of electro-physiology measurement of intervals, single lead interpretation of common dysrhythmias and treatment modalities.

The content of this program is designed to meet the following learning objectives:

• Explain the basic anatomy and physiology of the heart
• Demonstrate lead placement for two or more leads
• Describe the normal intervals for ECG waveforms
• Identify and differentiate common sinus, atrial, junctional, A/V block and ventricular rhythms
• Discuss initial treatment of common dysrhythmias
• Recognize artificial pacemaker spikes on ECG

Instructors: Phil Sullivan, RN;

These classes will be held in Conference Room W202 (above the West Desk) unless otherwise noted.

Please contact Paulette Ihrig at 282-2458 or pihrig@broadlawns.org to register. You will be required to send a $30 deposit for your book and materials. This will be refunded when you turn in your book at the end of the class.

Basic Life Support - Health Care Provider CPR

This class is designed for health care professionals, including physicians, nurses, dentists, nursing assistants and a wide variety of persons working in the health care setting. Course material is based on the BLS-2005 guidelines for the American Heart Association.

Participants will learn how to perform CPR on adults (utilizing one and two rescuers), children and infants.  Instruction will also be provided on giving assistance to victims who are choking or have become unconscious.  The course includes written and skills examinations, as well as information on the use of pocket-mask barrier devices and AED devices.

During the training, participants will learn to:

• Give CPR to an infant, child or adult whose heart has stopped beating
• Care for an infant, child or adult who is choking
• Access the in-house and community emergency medical services (EMS) system
• Use barrier devices to protect against infection
• Respond to the signs and symptoms of stroke
• Use an automated external defibrillator (AED) to re-start a victim’s heart

You may pick up the new BLS for healthcare providers (2005 guidelines CPR/ECC) student manual, or you may ask that it be mailed to you. You may keep this manual for the next five years. Replacement for lost student manuals costs $15.

All BLS classes will be held in Conference Room W202.

Please wear comfortable clothing. However, per Broadlawns Medical Center dress code policy, blue jeans are inappropriate.

The cost: is $50 for non-Broadlawns employees.

Management of Aggressive Behavior (MAB)

Management of Aggressive Behavior (MAB) is a 1½-day program with a broad approach to crisis intervention and prevention.  Effectively managing aggressive behavior involves prevention, intervention and postvention strategies.  Staff who have direct patient contact are REQUIRED to attend the full 1½-day program. 

The physical skills and postvention strategies are discussed in the renewal class from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. the following day.  Staff needing to refresh their knowledge and practice the physical management strategies should register for the 2nd-day session.  Restraint competency will be completed for those staff needing this documented.

The content of this class is designed to meet these learning objectives:

• Understanding how patients behave in crises
• Implementing prevention and early intervention strategies
• Developing de-escalation and physical protection skills
• Understanding personal limitations and strengths
• Teaching patients alternative ways to deal with frustration, conflict, and anxiety
• Teaching patients strategies to meet their own needs and reinforce non-aggressive behaviors
• Countering physical aggression through blending
• Learning physical interventions

The first day is devoted to the instruction in the premises of MAB, prevention strategies and verbal interventions to prevent and manage aggression.  The physical skills are taught the second day.  There will also be practice of verbal de-escalation skills, conflict resolution on the second day and restraint application.

 In order to be comfortable, participants should wear loose clothing and comfortable shoes. Clogs are not premiited, due to safety. Per Broadlawns Medical Center dress code policy, blue jeans are inappropriate. 

CEUs are available for nurses for the new class.

Mandatory Reporting

Iowa Law requires all employees who have been designated mandatory reporters of child abuse and dependent adult abuse to take a two-hour class every five years. The program will help participants better understand selected clinical aspects of child abuse and dependent adult abuse, as well as the responsibilities in reporting.

Note:  Employees need to check their Mandatory Certification date.  The certification needs to be updated every five years.

Classes are offered twice monthly, please contact us for dates and times.

Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP)

The Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) is a self-study course developed by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Heart Association. Following completion of the self-study portion, a one-day class provides review information and practices the skills described in the book.

The book includes initial steps of resuscitation, bag and mask ventilation, chest compressions, medications, endotracheal intubation and special considerations. The goals are to teach providers to assist in the successful resuscitation of the newly born.

Books for self study are available from the nurses in the Family Birthing Center or from Sandi Steele. Each book has a companion CD that is helpful in studying the material.

Twelve contact hours are awarded upon first-time completion of the course. Renewal is required by the AAP and AHA every two years.

NRP Schedule 2009

If you are interested, please contact Sandi Steele (ssteele@broadlawns.org) in the Family Birthing Center at extension x2260 for dates and times.

Trauma Scene

This educational offering is coordinated by Krissy Harlow and Sherry Olson, with BMC Academy.  A variety of topics relating to trauma will be presented. Any staff member or student may attend. 

Trauma Scene is offered every other month.  Watch your department information board for more information or you may contact Krissy Harlow at 515.282.2400 or kharlow@broadlawns.org.

Pediatric Emergency Assessment, Recognition, and Stabilization (PEARS)

PREREQUISITE- CURRENT BLS CERTIFICATION

This program is designed to assist the basic pediatric health care provider develop knowledge and skills for emergency assessment and treatment of seriously ill infants and children. This class is open to health care personnel who might encounter pediatric patients in their profession but do not routinely provide care for children with high-acuity illness or injury.

Upon completion program, participants will be able to:

• Assess a seriously ill or injured child using the general and primary assessments
• Understand the "assess-categorize-decide-act” approach to recognition and management of the child in respiratory distress or failure, shock, or cardiac arrest
• Know appropriate actions to take for stabilizing a critically ill or injured child during the initial minutes of response until the next level of care arrives
• Recognize and take appropriate actions for a child in cardiac arrest
• Use elements of effective communication as a team member

Instructors: Nicolas Galioto, MD;  Tina Tweedt, RN; Betty Jones, RN

Classes will be held in W202 Conference Room (2nd floor above the West Desk). 

Please contact Paulette Ihrig at 282-2458 or pihrig@broadlawns.org to register.  You will be required to send a $30 deposit for your book and materials.  This will be refunded when you turn in your book at the end of the class.