ACLS

Part of the Coda block involves getting certified for Advanced Cardiac Life Support: how to treat medical emergencies such as cardiac arrest. While we all have the basic knowledge of the diagnosis and management of such conditions, ACLS provides a regimented structured way of approaching these emergencies. We reviewed EKG rhythms, algorithms for treating them, and team management. Then we had a practical session with mannequins; a clinical scenario would be given to us and we had to lead a team, directing them through whether to defibrillate, which drugs to administer, when to start CPR, and what the diagnosis might be. It was really fun and educational. I realized that even though memorizing the algorithms is pretty straightforward, under pressure, it can be hard to think through things methodically. Running a team is also harder than I thought it would be. It takes a lot of leadership to communicate well, delegate tasks, and solicit input from teammates. Thus, I realized ACLS training is merely the first step; learning what to do from a textbook and practicing it in a sterile environment is very different than handling an actual emergency.