Pediatric Advanced Life Support Provider

 

This course enables healthcare professionals to develop the knowledge and skills necessary to better recognize and treat critically ill infants and children. The course materials are scenario-based, and a team approach is used to teach emergency management of pediatric patients approaching or already in respiratory or cardiac arrest, from the early minutes through patient stabilization and/or the transport phases of a pediatric emergency, in or out of the hospital.

 

Target Group

The PALS course is designed for healthcare professionals who initiate and direct advanced life support in pediatric emergencies and for healthcare students seeking first-time or renewed PALS-training credentials.

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Pre-requisites

RN, RRT, LPN, MD, DDS or AEMCA, and the successful completion of the Heart & Stroke Foundation Basic Life Support (BLS) for Healthcare Provider (C) status dated within 12 prior to the course. Students of a health profession are eligible to enroll in the PALS Provider course if: (1) they are in their final stage of training before entering practice and (2) they have successfully completed the PEARS Provider course within the past 6 months. For information on the PEARS Provider course, please see Pediatric Emergency Assessment, Recognition, and Stabilization (PEARS) below.

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Required Student Materials

• Heart & Stroke Foundation Pediatric Advanced Life Support provider manual and PALS card.

 

Pre-Course Preparation

1. Pre-course checklist: Complete the pre-course checklist that came with your PALS Course Guide. 

2. CPR competency: Be prepared to demonstrate the child 1-rescuer CPR/AED and infant 1- and 2-rescuer CPR skills.

3. On-line Student Website: Access the pre-course Self-Assessment, including ECG rhythm identification, pharmacology, and practical application. Use this assessment to identify areas where you need to increase your knowledge.

4. Supplement your knowledge: Review and understand the information in the PALS Provider Manual. Pay particular attention to the systematic approach to pediatric assessment, including the ‘initial impression’ the “Evaluate, Identify and Intervene” model, and the management of respiratory and circulatory abnormalities.

5. Review, understand, and complete the pre-course Self-Assessment (mandatory) on the Student Website (https://resuscitation.heartandstroke.ca)). You will find the code to instructions on how to access the Student Website in the beginning of the PALS Provider Manual. This test consists of 3 sections: ECG rhythm identification, pharmacology, and practical application. Use this assessment to identify areas where you need to increase your knowledge.

6. Print your pre-course Self-Assessment score: A passing score of 70% or above is required for the pre-course Self-Assessment. You can take the pre-course Self-Assessment as many times as needed to achieve a passing score. Bring the printout of your score with you to the PALS Course.

7. Be familiar with the PALS algorithms and flowcharts so that you can apply them to clinical scenarios. Note that the PALS Course does not present the details of each algorithm.​

8. It is essential that you bring your PALS Provider Manual to class; you will need it during each lesson in the course.

 

Course Content

• Recognition and treatment of infants and children at risk for cardiopulmonary arrest

• Systematic approach to pediatric assessment

• Effective respiratory management

• Validation of skills for one-person and two-person CPR and AED skills for infants and children

• Defibrillation and synchronized cardioversion

• Intraosseous access and fluid bolus administration

• Effective resuscitation team dynamics

 

Students must pass a written exam and skills test in order to qualify for a PALS Provider Course Completion Card.

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Approximate length of course

2 days (14 hours) 

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