Course Descriptions & Prerequisites

ACLS Provider (Heart & Stroke)

This course is designed specifically for healthcare providers who participate in the management of cardiopulmonary arrest or other cardiovascular emergencies, and who will regularly use ACLS skills within their scope of practice. The course gives students the opportunity to practice and demonstrate proficiency in continuous, high-quality CPR, high-performance team dynamics and communication, systems of care, recognition and intervention of cardiopulmonary arrest, acute dysrhythmia, stroke, and acute coronary syndromes. Students practice the application of these and other skills in simulated cases and will practice both team leader and team member roles.

Prerequisites:
Current Heart & Stroke Basic Life Support (BLS) Provider certification and ACLS pre-course self-assessment certification  

Course Information:
Completed on-site at Sault Area Hospital, 2 full days

Resources:
Book available for purchase here.

ACLS Renewal (Heart & Stroke)

This course is a concentrated program for those providers with a current ACLS certification requiring renewal. This fast-paced course gives students the opportunity to demonstrate understanding of the core ACLS program through written and skills assessments.

Prerequisites:
Current Heart & Stroke Basic Life Support (BLS) Provider certification and Current Heart & Stroke ACLS Provider certification and ACLS pre-course self-assessment certificate

Course Information:
Completed on-site at Sault Area Hospital, 1 full day

Resources:
Book available for purchase here.

BLS Provider (Heart & Stroke)

This course is ideal for healthcare professionals as well as those who are new to BLS or do not frequently use their resuscitation skills. Learning occurs through lectures, video segments, practice and coaching with students receiving many opportunities to apply the skills and receive feedback before evaluation. You will learn single- and multi-rescuer basic life support skills with a focus on high-quality CPR and team dynamics in a wide variety of settings. Basic Life Support (BLS) is a pre-requisite for advanced resuscitation courses and many healthcare-related training programs.

Prerequisites:
None

Course Information:
Completed on-site at Sault Area Hospital, 4-5 hours

Resources:
Book available for purchase here

BLS Renewal (Heart & Stroke)

This is a fast-paced course designed for experiences healthcare providers who are routinely called on to apply their resuscitation skills and have a current BLS certification requiring renewal. It covers single-rescuer and multi-rescuer basic life support skills for different environments, focusing on high-quality CPR and team dynamics. The BLS renewal course assumes comprehensive awareness, knowledge, and skill proficiency in heart & Stroke BLS concepts.

Prerequisites:
Current Heart & Stroke BLS Provider certification

Course Information:
Completed on-site at Sault Area Hospital, 4.5 hours

Resources:
Book available for purchase here

Durham Critical Care Simulation Course

This course is designed specifically for Registered Nurses who have successfully completed the theory and comprehensive written exam for the Durham Critical Care Course. 

This course will be conducted in the simulation lab with high-fidelity simulators. Case-based scenarios and focused learning stations will be utilized to teach application content. Participants will develop skills in caring for critically ill patients.

Points of emphasis will include; mechanical ventilation, hemodynamic monitoring, cardiac rhythm interpretation and priority setting and decision making in the critical care setting. Team communications, ethical/legal implications, pharmacological and diagnostic implications will be addressed.

This course will run when there is a minimum of 4 participants.

Prerequisites:
Successfully completed the theory and comprehensive written exam for the Durham Critical Care Course

Course Information:
Completed on-site at Sault Area Hospital, 2 full days

LivingWorks ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training)

Considered the gold-standard in suicide first-aid, ASIST is a face-to-face workshop featuring powerful audiovisuals, discussions, and simulations.  Throughout the two-day workshop, participants will learn how to prevent suicide by recognizing signs, providing skilled intervention, and developing a safety plan to keep someone alive. ASIST provides a suicide first-aid intervention model for anyone who wants to learn life-saving skills and is applicable to any role or profession.  After attending this workshop, participants will be better able to:

  • Provide a suicide first-aid intervention with increased willingness, confidence, and capacity.
  • Develop a safety plan to keep a person thinking about suicide safe-for-now.
  • Apply a safety framework to guide the collaborative development of this safety plan

Prerequisites:
None

Course Information:
Interactive two-day workshop consisting of group discussion, simulation, and audiovisual resources.

Resource:
Participant workbook will be provided to you on the day of the course.  Please bring a pen and any personal comfort items you may need.

Mental Health Commission of Canada – Mental Health First Aid (Basic)

About Mental Health First Aid (MHFA)

While we often know a lot about physical illness, there tends to be less knowledge about mental health or substance use problems. This lack of understanding leads to fear and negative attitudes toward individuals living with mental health or substance use problems. It prevents people from seeking help and providing appropriate support to people around them.

MHFA is offered to someone with an emerging mental health or substance use problem or in crisis, until appropriate treatment is found or the situation resolves. An evidence-based course, MHFA Standard has been proven to give participants:

  • The tools to recognize signs of decline in mental well-being.
  • The ability to talk about their mental health.
  • The knowledge to discuss professional and other supports that could help with recovery or improved mental well-being.
  • The confidence to reach out to these supports.
  • The tools to assist during a mental health or substance use crisis, and.
  • The knowledge to use MHFA actions to maintain one’s own mental wellness.

MHFA is an international program active in over 20 countries. Research has shown that this evidence-based course offers significant positive impacts for participants and their workplaces, communities, and families, namely:

  • Significantly greater recognition of the most common mental health problems
  • Decreased social distance from people with mental health problems
  • Increased confidence in providing help to others
  • Improved mental health of the MHFA participant her/himself

NOTE: MHFA does NOT teach participants to be therapists or mental health professionals, just as regular first aid does not teach people to be paramedics or doctors.

Prerequisites:

None! Anyone can benefit from MHFA.

Course Information:

This 9-hour course begins with an online self-directed module (Module 1) that focuses on the information and strategies participants will discuss and practice throughout Modules 2 and 3. Module 1 takes approximately 1.5 hours to complete, is done independently and must be completed prior to the live in classroom training date. You are given approximately 2 weeks to complete Module 1. Modules 2 and 3 will be covered in the classroom in one full training day.

Resource: 

Upon registration, participants will receive online access to a Participant Reference Guide which outlines MHFA actions for mental health and substance use problems and crises. You have the option to order a hard copy but this is not required. Please bring writing materials, refreshments/lunch, and comfort items as needed. Morning, Lunch, and Afternoon breaks will be incorporated into the in classroom training day.

NOTE:

Once your registration is confirmed, instructions are sent with how to access Module 1 via the email listed on your registration form. Participants must complete online Module 1 and the full classroom training day (Modules 2 and 3) in order to receive certification.

If you have previously submitted a registration and are requesting to cancel or move your previous registration to a new date please email hlutes@sah.on.ca to process this request. Do not submit a second registration.

Massive Hemorrhage Protocol (MHP)

The Massive Hemorrhage Protocol educational program is utilized during a Code Transfusion.

Prerequisites:
Physicians or nurses working in the Emergency Department, Obstetrics, Operating Room, Recovery Room or Intensive Care Unit.

Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP)

This educational program introduces the concepts and skills of neonatal resuscitation. This hands-on program utilizes skills stations and mega scenario evaluation and debriefing to reinforce and focus the pre-existing knowledge of the participant on the skills and teamwork essential for the effective management of newborn resuscitation.

Prerequisites:
Successful completion of the online NRP exam prior to attending

Course Information:
Completed on-site at Sault Area Hospital, 4-6 hours

Resources:
Book available for purchase here.

Non Violent Crisis Intervention (NCI) Training- Full Foundation

This training is a behaviour management system that teaches simple skills for assessing, managing, and responding to risk behaviour at work.

The focus is on verbal de-escalation, prevention, and early intervention. Safe physical intervention options are also taught, to be used only as a last resort.

This time-tested program gives you an effective framework for decision-making and problem-solving and it equips you with the skills and confidence to champion a culture of Care, Welfare, Safety, and Security.

NCI provides staff with the skills to safely recognize and respond to everyday crisis situations including prevention and verbal de-escalation skills, disengagement safety techniques, trauma-informed training, risk assessment framework and physical intervention techniques.

Prerequisites:
Online e-learning module to be completed prior to the course. An email link will be sent to course participant two weeks prior to the course date.

Course Information:
Offered to Sault Area Hospital employees only, completed on site at Sault Area Hospital, 8 hours

Non Violent Crisis Intervention (NCI) Training - Renewal

This is a concentrated course of the full foundation for those with a current NCI certification. Program features including prevention and verbal de-escalation skills, disengagement safety techniques, trauma-informed training, risk assessment framework and physical intervention techniques.

Prerequisites:
Current NCI certification

Course Information:
Offered to Sault Area Hospital employees only, completed on-site at Sault Area Hospital, 4 hours

For any questions, please contact: education@sah.on.ca

PALS Blended Provider Course (PILOT)

This is an advanced course designed specifically for healthcare providers who will participate in the management of cardiopulmonary arrest, respiratory or shock emergencies in pediatric patients. Learners can expect practice and training in a proven systematic approach to pediatric assessment, treatment algorithms and high-performance teams to improve the quality of care provided to seriously ill or injured children. Participants will practice and demonstrate proficiency in simulated case scenarios and will practice both team leader and team member roles.

Prerequisites:

  • Previous PALS certification
  • Must have a current Heart & Stroke BLS taken at Sault Area Hospital
  • Pre-course Self-Assessment with a score of greater than 70%
  • Successfully completed the PALS Blended Learning online component 1 week prior to the course
  • Successful completion of written exam (84 %), two (2) attempts, included in the online component
  • If unsuccessful in the online component, the participant will be charged an $85 fee. If you are SAH staff, you will not be paid for time spent doing online work and must attend a traditional PALS course.

Course Information:
The BLENDED course is a mix of self-paced, online learning and 9 hours completed on-site at Sault Area Hospital (14 hours total).

Resources:
Book available for purchase here.

PALS Provider (Heart & Stroke)

This is an advanced course, designed specifically for healthcare providers who will participate in the management of cardiopulmonary arrest, respiratory or shock emergencies in pediatric patients. Learners can expect practice and training in a proven systematic approach to pediatric assessment, treatment algorithms and high-performance teams to improve the quality of care provided to seriously ill or injured children. Participants will practice and demonstrate proficiency in simulated case scenarios and will practice both team leader and team member roles. 

Prerequisites:
Current Heart & Stroke Basic Life Support (BLS) certification and PALS pre-course self-assessment certificate

Course Information:
Completed on-site at Sault Area Hospital, 2 full days

Resources:
Book available for purchase here.