ACLS Certified!!!!

Yes, it's another brag about Nick post. Sorry 'bout it. I'm just so proud of all his hard work! This past weekend was Sandblast (a big beach party put on by the school that I've talked about in previous terms) yet instead of participating in that, he opted for 3 days of Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support Training (ACLS). And, to the surprise of no one- he absolutely LOVED it!

Basically (in my layman's terms/understanding) ACLS is a systematic way of providing care to people who have either suffered from cardiac arrest or experienced other specific medical emergencies. The class covered topics such as the importance of team dynamics and communication, systems of care and immediate post-cardiac-arrest care. It also covers airway management and related pharmacology. Nick loved that it was so hands on and allowed him to actively apply things he is currently learning/has learned in the past. For a big chunk of the class they were given an issue and had to work together to "treat the patient" and spent a lot of time in the lab actually simulating real life situations.

I am not sure if an ACLS certification is a requirement for all health care professionals, but it certainly can't hurt and in many areas of health care it would be a necessary certification to have, so it's so great that he is already one step ahead of the game by getting it now! I'm so proud of him and all his work and loved listening to his stories each night because his enthusiasm was impossible to miss! I was not surprised to hear that he aced the written exam at the end of the course because when he loves something and is that interested in it, he soaks it up and thrives! 

He might not have gone to the beach party, but I think he actually had more fun playing doctor all weekend... if that doesn't scream nerdy medical school student, I don't know what does! Oh, and to all our family and friends- don't even think you can try and die on his watch now... he's the man at resuscitating people now ;)

I also feel like I should have thought it was more weird than I did to find this laying on our kitchen table when I got home, but these are the things I have become accustomed to. When I asked Nick where I should put his "weird body part toy" he excitedly exclaimed "it's the oral pharynx/larynx! Couldn't you tell from the tongue?!" Oh, silly me.... and in case you were wondering, it has only been moved from the kitchen to the living room so far.  Some people have vases and nice ottomans... we have a pharynx/larynx/tongue... almost the same thing.