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ALSO offers a robust training program with 16 core curriculum topics included in the online component of the course, seven of which are also included as hands-on workstations during the live component of the course. In addition, there are three optional chapters that course sponsors can choose to include.
ALSO Provider Core Chapters:
*Also included as a workstation at the Live course
Optional workstation slide sets are available by emailing also@aafp.org.
Please provide the ALSO Course # and the slide set title(s) needed.
The ALSO Course has both an Online component and a Live component. Sponsors are given a unique course URL to share with their registrants. Learners use it to access and purchase (no fee at time of purchase) the Online course, which they complete at their own pace prior to the Live course. After successfully completing the Live course and claiming credit at the end, learners have access to a letter of participation and an ALSO wallet card in their AAFP account.
The blended learning format reduces the time learners and faculty spend away from patient care. This approach also allows content to be absorbed at the learner’s chosen pace and lends itself to increased retention of the information. We created the blended learning format in response to course evaluations and feedback that repeatedly requested more flexibility in the ALSO course. A team-based, simulated learning opportunity involving group testing on obstetrical emergency scenarios is included in the Live portion.
The Online course consists of 16 required chapters with video recorded lectures, slide sets and digital download of chapter text. There is also a video demonstration for the hands-on workstations inlcuded at the Live course. Learners will also find the entire ALSO Course Manual to download if they wish. The course also includes gaming technology to reinforce memorization of mnemonics and case studies.
The Live course consists of one lecture at the beginning of the course, on Safety in Pregnancy Care. During the Live course, learners apply what they learned during the Online course and are assessed at the hands-on workstations:
The Live course concludes with group testing on seven different obstetrical emergency scenarios.
Research on adult learning has shown that adults learn more effectively when working together to solve problems. The ALSO course incorporates an interprofessional education approach so that all health care team members learn the same standardized approach to apply during obstetrical emergencies. Group testing recreates scenarios that physicians and other health care professionals who provide maternity care encounter during real-life situations with their patients. Learners must apply their knowledge of ALSO content while communicating effectively as a team, as well as demonstrating adequate debriefing after the event.
No. The ALSO Provider Course is designed to be applicable to all health care professionals who provide maternity care, and testing is based on knowledge and application of the standardized ALSO content. Therefore, testing requirements are the same for all course participants.
Yes. New Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) requirements have emphasized the use of simulated team training to demonstrate competency in responding to emergencies. The ALSO Provider Course is an effective way to ensure all residents can demonstrate emergency obstetrical techniques and team safety behaviors.
Although the ALSO program is owned and operated by the AAFP, its content is developed by a multispecialty and interprofessional team of medical editors, authors, and peer reviewers. In addition to family physicians, this expert team includes perinatologists, obstetricians, midwives, and nurses to encourage a comprehensive, standardized approach to obstetrical emergency training.
The ALSO Course - Live portion meets the conditions for Maintenance of Certification (MOC) Part IV for obstetrician learners through the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ABOG). One must complete the Online course prior to attending the Live course.
Yes. The AAFP is approved as a provider of CNE by the Kansas State Board of Nursing (KSBN). The online course is approved for nursing contact hours applicable for advanced practice registered nurse (APRN), registered nurse (RN), and licensed practical nurse (LPN) relicensure. The live course hours depend on each ALSO sponsor’s agenda. Please note that ALSO is an advanced level course and may not be suitable for general CNE.
ALSO sponsors must ensure that the Nurse Roster is signed by each nurse Learner and uploaded to the Course Dashboard, in order to be included in the Annual Report the AAFP provides KSBN. The Nurse-Instructed Workstation document must also be completed and uploaded to the Course Dashboard if there are nurse instructors.
The ALSO Online Course is an AAFP product that includes the entire ALSO manual as a downloadable PDF. Once a learner has accessed this product, it cannot be “returned.” Please see the official guidelines on ‘No-Show’ Learners, below.
If a learner accesses an Online course URL and does not attend (regardless of circumstance) they will remain on the sponsor’s dashboard and on the Learner Online Access invoice. The learner may register for a future Live course and will receive a new Online course URL to access, from that course sponsor. When they access the online course, they will find their existing Online course progress or completion. The sponsor of that future course will see the learner on their Course Dashboard, and on their Learner Online Access invoice for that Course. This applies whether the two course sponsors are different or the same.
These 3x5 laminated cards allow learners to mix and match obstetrical emergency mnemonics they want to hang on their badge to use as a quick reference in emergency situations.
ALSO Department (dashboard and status inquiries)
Email also@aafp.org
(800) 274-2237, ext. 7506
(For efficiency, please do not contact individual staff.)
Member Resource Center (orders, invoice, AAFP ID assistance)
(800) 274-2237
Email aafp@aafp.org