Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) for Healthcare Providers
The PALS course is designed to teach you the lifesaving skills required to be both a team member and a Team Leader in either an in-hospital or out-of-hospital setting. Because the PALS Course covers extensive material in a short time, you will need to prepare for the course beforehand.
You should prepare for class by doing the following:
- Review and understand the information in your 2020 edition PALS Provider Manual.
- Review, understand, and pass the mandatory precourse self-assessment.This self-assessmant, will assess your knowledge of pediatric EKG rhythms, pharmacology, and practical application. You can access the precourse assessment by going to www.elearning.heart.org. You will need to set up an account, then click on the “Courses” tab at the top of the page and select PALS. Scroll down to the PALS Precourse Self-Assessment and choose “Launch This Course.” (Be sure that you do not choose the International Version)
You must complete this exercise with a score of 70% or better. You can take it as many times as you want. Print your completion certificate and bring it with you to class. If you do not bring the precourse self-assesessment completion certificate with you when you arrive for class, you will not be allowed to enter the class, no exceptions. If you are unable to print the completion, please take a picture of it and we will handle it in class.
- Study the pharmacology in your book to review your drugs, indications, doses and contraindications. You must know this material before coming to class.
Ensure that your infant and child BLS skills and knowledge are current for the resuscitation scenarios. At the beginning of the PALS Course, you will be tested on adult high-quality BLS skills, using a feedback manikin. You must know these skills in advance because the PALS Course will not teach you how to do CPR or use an AED.
Bring your PALS Provider Manual to each class. You will need it during each lesson in the course.
What to Wear: Please wear loose, comfortable clothing to class. You will be practicing skills that require you to work on your hands and knees, and the course requires bending, standing, and lifting. If you have any physical conditions that might prevent you from engaging in these activities, please tell an instructor. The instructor may be able to adjust the equipment if you have back, knee, or hip problems.
***If you are taking this course for the first time, please begin studying the materials at least two weeks in advance. You MUST have a general understanding of the material prior to class. Do not wait until the night before class to do your pre-course work!
EACH CLASS IS 2 CONSECUTIVE DAYS. Contact Hours: 16.0