Incorporating 2010 Guidelines Science into AHA eLearning Programs and Skills Practice & Testing
Date: March 15, 2011
To: American Heart Association Training Centers and Instructors
This memo describes how to incorporate 2010 AHA Guidelines for CPR & ECC science into current American Heart Association eLearning courses that include CPR, AED and/or first aid skills practice and testing.
All AHA eLearning programs remain valid and recognized AHA programs that will continue to be acceptable ways to complete the respective courses until the versions updated to reflect 2010 science guidelines are released.
After April 1, 2011, students accessing an AHA eLearning program (through OnlineAHA.org, system versions installed on an institution’s network or via select Learning Management Systems) will need to view an informational page about the transition to the new science the first time they access the program.
This informational page will include hyperlinks to the “Highlights of the 2010 AHA Guidelines for CPR & ECC” and to the full 2010 AHA Guidelines for CPR & ECC on the AHA’s website (www.heart.org/cpr) to allow students to easily review the new science. The informational page also will contain the 2010 Interim Materials Comparison Chart and the Interim Materials Skills Testing Sheets for the respective program (Heartsaver, BLS, ACLS or PALS).
To ensure that students are aware of the science changes, they should be directed to use the links and the interim materials, or be provided a copy of the materials when they meet with the Instructor (or Heartsaver Skills Evaluator (HSSE)) for skills practice and testing. For the local install of HeartCode™ PALS available as a system version (cognitive only installed on a network or PC) or on select Learning Management Systems, the same requirement exists for students to be able to access updated science prior to completing the program (via the “Guidelines Highlights” document, the comparison chart for PALS and/or the full 2010 AHA Guidelines for CPR & ECC). Skills practice and testing should follow the interim checklists for the PALS curriculum.
HeartCode ACLS and HeartCode PALS prepaid CD users should be provided the links and interim materials by the Training Center Coordinator or program administrator at institutions using prepaid CDs.
During skills practice and testing, Instructors or HSSEs should review new science in the 2010 AHA Guidelines for CPR & ECC with the student and test skills according to the 2010 science using the interim training tools and skills testing sheets for that program. Instructors or HSSEs should allow additional time when scheduling these sessions for review of the new science.
For HeartCode systems using voice-assisted manikins (VAMs), a copy of the “Highlights of the 2010 AHA Guidelines for CPR & ECC,” the 2010 Interim Materials Comparison Chart and the Interim Materials Skills Testing Sheets for the related program should be placed at each terminal and manikin. The current programming of the Laerdal VAMs remains valid, and can be used without modification during the interim period until new versions of the skills portion are released.
Current course completion cards should continue to be used until new cards reflecting the curriculum and look at feel of new courses are released.