Covid 19: The Impetus to Migrate Face-To-Face ACLS to Hybrid-ACLS

When COVID 19 struck, many of our educational programs and courses had to be modified and adjusted to ensure the criteria of restriction face to face contact as well as group gathering size is met. One of the courses affected was the Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) Course. We decided to transform our fully face to face ACLS course to a hybrid ACLS course with an added e-learning component. We started to do this step by step, from scratch. The new hybrid ACLS course has multiple benefits in our system, provided it is properly planned, conceptualized and executed. The promotion of self-learning and empowerment, time-savings in the face to face components which is important for the busy healthcare providers, the flexibility and mobility of the learning are all positive outcomes. Some learners also feel greater psychological safety with the e-learning components as they can spend a longer time or as much time as they need to understand and assimilate the facts. Besides this, the hybrid model also allows for the practice of the hands-on skills, inter-professional collaborative practice and inculcation of the appropriate attitude and behavior. The authors share their thought process and execution of their Hybrid-ACLS Course.

Keywords: ACLS, hybrid learning, simulation-based learning, e-learning, computer-based simulation.