Cardiac Surgery Advanced Life Support (CALS) Course

The Cardiac Surgery Advanced Life Support (CALS) course is suitable for clinicians caring for post cardiac surgery patients. The course teaches an alternative algorithm to be used in the cardiac arrest of post-surgical patients including emergency resternotomy.

This course is designed for members of the cardiothoracic surgery team who wish to learn a novel, evidence-based approach to the resuscitation of postoperative cardiac surgical patients.

Using a format similar to Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), this program will include didactic lectures as well as hands-on practice with emergency pacing, internal and external defibrillation, resternotomy and skills associate with airway support. Moreover, simulation moulages will look at arrest and peri-arrest situations.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

Identify unique features of the cardiac surgery patient that warrant modifications to standard resuscitation technique

Distinguish critical differences between protocols for ACLS versus CALS
Describe the STS / EACTS standardized protocol for management of a cardiac arrest in a post-cardiac surgery patient
Discuss and make use of the 5 point plan in a team situation to successfully resuscitate a number of peri-arrest scenarios in simulation

Learn about the effect of Human Factors in cardiac surgical / critical care scenarios and make use of these to improve team working in a cardiac arrest situation.