American Heart Association Enhances ELearning For Emergency Cardiovascular Care (ECC)

For many years, American Heart
Association research has supported education and training programs for
Emergency Cardiovascular Care (ECC) that save thousands of lives each year.
Now, healthcare providers have more ways to access the American Heart
Association's research-based ECC programs, as the organization introduces a
significantly expanded eLearning program. That means more people, taking
more courses, and saving more lives.



The expansion of the ECC Web-based eLearning offerings takes advantage
of advances in technology and instructional design to deliver certain
courses in a format that maximizes flexibility and consistency, while also
saving participants time and money. The new eLearning offerings include a
mix of online-only and "blended" courses -- which include basic online
instruction with required hands-on training and assessment -- depending on
the assessment and certification required. For example, courses involving
strictly cognitive learning can be completed as eLearning modules online.
Programs that rely heavily on effective CPR require skills practice and
testing, and will need to be scheduled with an authorized American Heart
Association Training Center.



Prior to this expansion, the American Heart Association's ECC program
provided training through traditional instructor-led classroom courses,
"micro-simulation" instruction using computerized manikins, and a limited
mix of stand-alone online modules and blended courses. The new eLearning
courses add to these offerings and help further the American Heart
Association's commitment to develop learning programs that cover the entire
educational spectrum through the most effective, research-based teaching
methodologies available, no matter the delivery format.



"Changes in technology and a greater general acceptance of eLearning
have made this the right time for the American Heart Association to enhance
its eLearning programs for emergency cardiovascular care training," said
William W. Hammill, M.D., Director of Cardiopulmonary and Vascular Services
for Martha Jefferson Hospital, and chair, American Heart Association ECC
First Aid Task Force. "Now, healthcare providers will not only have access
to traditional instructor-led classroom courses to complete their training
requirements, but they will also have a greater array of options to
complete certain courses when their schedules allow, without being tied to
a specific classroom at a specific time. The convenience and cost savings
associated with eLearning programs will make them an invaluable component
of a full spectrum of educational and training options."



The eLearning course lineup includes the following options:



Stand-alone online courses



-- Basic ECG Rhythm Recognition, called Learn Rhythm - Adult, which covers
basic heart rhythms, arrhythmias and rhythm recognition, and which is
an excellent educational tool for healthcare workers holding Basic Life
Support certification who seek to take Advanced Life Support (course
available soon online)



-- Stroke Prehospital Care Online, which will cover risk factors,
diagnosis, assessment and management of potential strokes



Blended courses



-- The AHA Healthcare Provider Course, HeartCode(TM) BLS Anywhere (course
available soon online)



-- BLS Healthcare Provider (HCP) Online Renewal



-- Heartsaver(R) First Aid Online



-- Heartsaver(R) First Aid Online With CPR and AED Renewal



The American Heart Association's ECC eLearning initiative corresponds
with research by the American Society for Training and Development that
shows the use of technology-based training delivery methods increased by
nearly five-fold between 1999 and 2005. In addition, research by the
healthcare compliance company HCPro, Inc. indicated that education and
human resource leaders at 34 of the nation's largest multi-facility
healthcare systems viewed online instruction as an extremely effective,
convenient and time-efficient training method. The reasons for such a
positive view are that eLearning helps overcome many barriers that prevent
people from completing required training, such as inflexible schedules,
difficulty in attending training sessions or unease in traditional
classroom environments.



The new ECC eLearning modules fulfill a wide range of learning needs,
including preparing for success in a traditional classroom course, updating
professional skills and preparing for a medical emergency, following
through on a commitment to ongoing training, and earning CE credit or
achieving certification. While the first eLearning courses are primarily
targeted to healthcare providers who need to keep their skills current,
ultimately there will be more courses directed toward the general public,
reflecting the American Heart Association's commitment to teach lifesaving
skills to a greater number of people.



"Being able to reach so many more people through these expanded
eLearning programs will be a critical factor in meeting the American Heart
Association's goal of training 20 million people in emergency
cardiovascular care by 2010," said Dr. Hammill. "Combining the
research-based nature of our courses with the convenience and flexibility
of eLearning can help improve outcomes for patients, which ultimately is
the goal of our emergency cardiovascular care training."



About the American Heart Association



Founded in 1924, the American Heart Association today is the nation's
oldest and largest voluntary health organization dedicated to reducing
disability and death from diseases of the heart and stroke. These diseases,
America's No. 1 and No. 3 killers, and all other cardiovascular diseases
claim over 870,000 lives a year. In fiscal year 2005-06 the association
invested over $543 million in research, professional and public education,
advocacy and community service programs to help all Americans live longer,
healthier lives.


American Heart Association

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