What is PALS designed for?
Healthcare providers who manage respiratory and/or cardiovascular emergencies and cardiopulmonary arrest in pediatric patients.
How will this course help healthcare workers?
It will prepare healthcare workers to enhance the recognition or and intervention for respiratory emergencies, shock, and cardiopulmonary arrest as well as using high-performance team dynamics and high-quality individual skills.
What are the main concepts of this PALS course?
- identify and treat problems that place the child at risk for cardiac arrest
- applying a systematic approach to pediatric assessment
- using the evaluate-identify-intervene sequence
- using the PALS algorithms and flowcharts
- demonstrating effective resuscitation team dynamics.
PALS learning objectives
- perform high quality CPR per AHA BLS recommendations
- perform your role as a high-performance team member
- differentiate between patients who require immediate intervention and those who dont
- differentiate between respiratory distress and failure
- perform early interventions for respiratory distress and failure
- differentiate between compensated and hypotensive shock
- perform early interventions for the treatment of shock
- differentiate between unstable and stable patients with dysrhythmias
- demonstrate treatment of dysrhythmias
- implement post arrest management
What is needed for the BLS competency testing
Must pass 2 BLS tests
- child CPR and AED skills test
- infant CPR test
PALS skills stations
- airway management
- rhythm disturbance/electrical therapy
- vascular access
Airway management skills station
You will show understanding of oxygen delivery systems and airway adjuncts. Demonstrate competency in airway hand breathing support:
- inserting an oropharyngeal airway
- providing effective bag-mask ventilation
- suctioning with an oropharyngeal airway and endotracheal tube
- confirming advanced airway device placement by physical examination and an exhaled CO2 detector device
- securing the ET tube
Rhythm disturbance/electrical therapy skills station
You will practice and demonstrate competency in identifying rhythms and operating a cardiac monitor and manual defibrillator
- correctly placing electrocardiographic (ECG) leads
- correctly selecting and placing or positioning the paddles or pads
- identifying rhythms that require defibrillation
- identifying rhythms that require synchronized cardioversion
- operating a cardiac monitor
- safely performing manual defibrillation and synchronized cardioversion
Vascular Access skills station
You will practice intraosseous (IO) access and other related skills
- inserting an IO needle
- summarizing how to confirm that the needle has entered the marrow cavity
- summarizing/demonstrating the method of giving an intravenous (IV)/ IO bolus
- using color-coded length-based resuscitation tape to calculate correct drug doses
PALS case scenario testing stations
Team must past 2 scenarios, you may use PALS reference card and handbook. Scenarios will test:
- ability to evaluate and identify specific clinical conditions covered in the course
- recognition and management of respiratory and shock management
- interpretation of core arrhythmias and management by using appropriate medications and electrical therapy
- performance as an effective Team Leader
WHAT HAPPENS FOR THE EXAM?!
The exam measures your mastery of cognitive skills
You must achieve a score of at least 84%. There is an open-resource policy
