ABLS Instructor
Description: An Advanced Burn Life (ABLS) Instructor is a burn care subject matter expert who has been trained and certified to teach the ABLS program.
Who attend an Instructor course? ABLS Instructors are ABA members and burn care professionals (physician, nurse, nurse practitioner, physician assistant, or paramedic) with a minimum of 3 years of experience working at a burn center, with the exception of the Paramedic. Paramedics are required to be affiliated with an ABA Burn Center. After attending the course, you are considered an Instructor Candidate.
Pre-requisites: ABLS Certified for a minimum of one (1) year. (Must have completed the ABLS course no less than 12 months prior to the Instructor Course). ABLS NOW© Certification is not sufficient to become an instructor.
Requirements for certification: After successful completion of the ABLS Instructor course, an Instructor Candidate must undergo 2 observations by ABLS National Faculty while teaching all 3 components of the course during the same course (lecture, case study, patient assessment), all within 1 year of completion of the Instructor course.
Requirements to maintain certification:
- Maintain active ABA membership
- Teach all 3 components of the course at least 2 times within the 4 years certification, complete the ABLS assessment test with each course revision.
- Continue working in a Burn Center, with the exception of the Paramedic. Paramedics are required to be affiliated with an ABA Burn Center.
- Instructor certification is valid for 4 years.
Coordinator
Description: An ABLS Coordinator is an ABLS Instructor with additional training to lead and manage an ABLS course.
Who can be a Coordinator: ABLS Coordinators are ABLS Instructors who work at a burn center and wish to be responsible for planning and executing an ABLS Course.
Requirements for certification: ABLS Instructor certification; completion of ABLS Coordinator webinar. Webinars are held quarterly.
Requirements to maintain certification: Maintain active ABA membership and Instructor certification. Coordinator Certification is good for 4 years, to recertify must review current ABLS Coordinator webinar.
National Faculty
Description: ABLS National Faculty is an ABLS instructor with extensive ABLS teaching experience who observes instructor candidates. They provide constructive feedback and approve the candidate’s teaching demonstration, making them eligible for instructor certification.
Who can be National Faculty: National Faculty are ABLS Instructors with a minimum of 4 years of active ABLS Instructor status.
Requirements for certification: ABLS Instructor Certification; interest and skill set as demonstrated by (1) a letter of interest reflecting your credentials to fulfill this role including dates of previously taught ABLS courses and, (2) a letter of support from your Burn Center Director describing your knowledge of ABLS and demonstrated instructor skills as well as their support for your time to serve in this role. These items can be uploaded in the ABLS National Faculty application and will be reviewed by the ABLS Advisory Committee. If the ABLS Advisory Committee approves the application, the individual will be observed teaching at the instructor course at the ABA annual meeting.
Requirements to maintain certification: Certification is valid for 4 years. Must maintain ABLS Instructor certification and serve as National Faculty for a minimum of 2 courses every four years.
Contact the ABA Central Office, abls@ameriburn.org, with questions.