The CALS Curriculum is a three-part program consisting of home study, the provider course and the skills lab. The target audience includes physicians, physicians assistants, nurse practitioners, nurses, and allied health care providers who need to resuscitate patients of all ages with undifferentiated medical emergencies. CALS materials are specifically written to be useful in rural and remote communities which may be ill-equipped, but none-the-less must deal with a range of medical emergencies. It is recommended to take the CALS course at least every four years.
Home Study
Participants receive the Comprehensive Advanced Life Support Provider Manual, pre-test and study guide prior to the Provider Course. Upon receipt of the Home Study package, participants complete and submit the pre-test to the CALS Program. Once the pre-test is complete, the participant then proceeds through the Provider Course Manual with the aid of the study guide. The study guide is submitted to the course coordinator on Day One of the Provider Course. The pre-test answer sheet will be returned to participants on Day One so they can prepare for the post-test on Day Two.
Provider Course
This two-day course is presented in hospitals throughout the state or region. The course consists of interactive sessions in cardiac, traumatic, pediatric, obstetrical, neonatal and medical advanced life support. Providers are encouraged to attend in teams, and courses are limited to 24 participants per session.
Pre-requisites: It is recommended that participants have attended at least one other advanced life support course, be knowledgeable of cardiac rhythm recognition and have adequate clinical experience in critical situations.
Accreditation: The Provider Course has been reviewed by the AAFP (American Academy of Family Physicians) CME Accreditation Department and the Commision on Continuing Professional Development and and is acceptable for up to 16.50 prescribed credit hours. AAFP prescribed credit is accepted by the AMA (American Medical Association) as equivalent to AMA PRA (Physician's Recognition Award) Category 1. (When applying for the AMA PRA, Prescribed hours earned must be reported as Prescribed hours, not as Category 1).
Learn more about the Provider Course by opening the Course Content, Sample Agenda, or Video Overview below.
CALS Benchmark Skills Lab
The CALS Benchmark Skills lab covers many skills necessary for the stabilization of critically ill or injured patients. In addition to the covered procedures, an emphasis is placed on the value of preparation, teamwork and hands-on skills learning and practice. Although the lab is offered separately from the Provider Course, it is offered on a regular basis.
Accreditation: This activity has been reviewed and is acceptable for up to 8 hours of CME in category I of the Physician's Recognition Award of the American Medical Association. This activity is also designed to meet the state board of nursing's continuing education requirements. Refer to the state (e.g. Minnesota) page for state-specific information.