ACLS Knowledge Update

In this scenario, a 56-year-old male patient arrives at the emergency department with chest pain with symptomatic bradycardia and unstable vital signs. The patient will progress to unstable Vtach, Vfib arrest, and then PEA arrest throughout the case. Learners will work to provide compressions, medications, electrical therapy, and airway interventions to this peri-arrest and then cardiac arrest patient. The setting is a standard ER room with the patient in a hospital bed and several staff members available.

Learning Objectives

– Recognize signs of symptomatic bradycardia

– Evaluate critically ill patient and initiate ACLS bradycardia algorithm

– Recognize clinical change in the patient and identify change in rhythm

– Correctly identify abnormal cardiac rhythm ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation and choose the appropriate therapy

– Provide appropriate care for an adult cardiac patient using current ACLS and BLS guidelines