Above average medical treatment for the citizens of Texas is a priority for the state government. With over twenty percent of the children living below the poverty level many families cannot afford to get the immunizations required by law. This and other reasons make it imperative for medical personnel to obtain appropriate certification in life support areas. ACLS Houston certification is one of the "must have" certificates for virtually every person who works in health care.

The Advanced Cardiac Life Support certificate is only available for personnel who have completed the prerequisite courses necessary to enroll in the classes. Each candidate must have knowledge of pharmacology and EKG interpretation. These subjects are covered in nursing courses but it is suggested that a refresher course be taken prior to advanced cardiac training. They must also have the Basic Life Support certification before they are eligible for advanced cardiac classes.

There is ample training available for persons desiring to obtain certification for advanced cardiac support. The American Heart Association provides the guide lines for courses through colleges and for internet training. Both forms of training are capable of providing all of the tools and information needed by students to enable them to pass the courses and obtain certificates of completion.

Campus courses naturally take longer to complete because of time constraints of teachers and students. The eighteen hours spent in the class may take three weeks to accomplish. Scheduling around the classes may prove to be a difficult task. You can attend campus classes at most colleges and they are also offered at the AHA on a rotating schedule of different courses.

If you are employed or have a family or both you may desire more flexibility than you can get on campus. The internet provides courses that are available when you have the time to study. They supply the tools needed and provide you with the most up to date provider manual available. The manual can be downloaded to your computer and printed if you choose to do so.

You will also have access to pretests that will help you prepare for the final exams and should it be necessary most sites offer unlimited retakes on the actual test. Most tests contain between fifty and eighty questions and you must score above eighty percent to pass. Most of these internet sites also provide courses for those who need to renew their certification status.

This certification must be renewed every two years and is required for all medical personnel who work with critical patients. Doctors are required to be certified before many hospitals will allow them to care for patients. Nurses are allowed to be licensed but cannot work in critical care until they are accredited as proficient in advanced cardiac care.

Making certain that emergency and critical care personnel have training in advanced cardiac support is one of the many advances being made in medicine today. It may also be one of the best advances in patient care.