PALS and Other Life Support Courses

Children’s Hospital Central California offers several life support courses throughout the year for physicians, nurses, respiratory care practitioners and other healthcare professionals. These courses are designed to meet your learning needs as you treat your patients.

Pediatric Advanced Life Support

The American Heart Association Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) course is designed to aid the pediatric healthcare provider in developing the knowledge and skills necessary to efficiently and effectively manage critically ill infants and children, resulting in improved outcomes. PALS emphasizes the importance of basic life support CPR to patient survival; the integration of effective basic life support with advanced cardiovascular life support interventions; and the importance of effective team interaction and communication during resuscitation. Skills taught include:

• recognition and treatment of infants and children at risk for cardiopulmonary arrest
• the systematic approach to pediatric assessment
• effective respiratory management
• defibrillation and synchronized cardioversion
• intraosseous access and fluid bolus administration
• effective resuscitation team dynamics

Students receive:

• PALS Provider Manual
• PALS Course Guide with PALS Student CD
• Handbook of Emergency Cardiovascular Care
• PALS Precourse Checklist

To successfully complete PALS and receive the PALS Provider Course Completion Card, you must:

• actively participate in, practice and complete all skills stations and learning stations
• pass skills test in child 1-receiver CPR/AED and infant 1- and 2-rescuer CPR
• pass two PALS core case tests as a team leader
• pass a written test with a minimum score of 84%

PALS Provider – 2-day course
This course covers basic life support, respiratory failure, shock, cardiac arrhythmias and vascular access.

PALS Renewal – 1-day course
This course is a refresher taken two years after the provider course. It provides an update and review of new information related to pediatric resuscitation. You must have a valid PALS card to take this course.

Calendar

PALS Provider
April 14 & 20
June 9 & 15
August 21 & 22
November 3 & 9

PALS Renewal
March 23
April 22
April 27
July 9
July 22
August 3
September 16
October 21
November 18

Cost

PALS Provider: $225
PALS Renewal: $175

Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support

The American Heart Association Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) course will help providers enhance their skills in the treatment of the adult victim of a cardiac arrest or other cardiopulmonary emergencies. ACLS emphasizes the importance of basic life support CPR to patient survival; the integration of effective basic life support with advanced cardiovascular life support interventions; and the importance of effective team interaction and communication during resuscitation.

ACLS is based on simulated clinical scenarios that encourage active, hands-on participation through learning stations where students will practice essential skills individually, as part of a team, and as team leader. Realistic simulations reinforce the following key concepts:

• proficiency in basic life support
• recognizing and initiating early management of peri-arrest condition
• managing cardiac arrest
• identifying and treating ischemic chest pain and acute coronary syndromes
• recognizing other life-threatening clinical situations (such as stroke) and providing initial care
• ACLS algorithms
• effective resuscitation team dynamics

Students receive:

• ACLS Provider Manual
• ACLS Student CD
• ACLS Precourse Checklist

Upon successful completion of the course and passing the written exam and skills test, students receive ACLS Provider Course Completion Card.

ACLS Provider – 2-day course
This course covers defibrillation, airway management, rhythm recognition, IV access, use of medications, cardioversion, 1-rescuer CPR/AED, and effective resuscitation team dynamics.

ACLS Renewal – 1-day course
This is a refresher is for ACLS Providers who have taken the provider course within the past two years. You must have a valid ACLS card to take this course.

Calendar

ACLS Provider
May 1 & 5
August 5 & 11
November 2 & 6

ACLS Renewal
March 11
March 25
June 23
September 9
October 6
October 26

Cost

ACLS Provider: $225
ACLS Renewal: $175

Basic Life Support

The American Heart Association Basic Life Support (BLS) course is designed to provide a wide variety of healthcare professionals, including physicians, nurses and respiratory care practitioners, the ability to recognize several life-threatening emergencies, provide CPR, use an AED and relieve choking in a safe, timely and effective manner.

This course is intended for certified or non-certified, licensed or non-licensed health care professionals.

Students receive:

• BLS for Healthcare Providers Student Manual

Passage of a written exam and skills test is required to successfully complete the course and receive the BLS for Healthcare Providers Course Completion Card.

BLS Provider – 5-hour course
This course covers adult and pediatric CPR, foreign-body airway obstruction and use of an AED with CPR.

BLS Renewal – 4-hour course
This is a refresher for BLS Providers and requires a valid BLS card to take this course.

Calendar

BLS Provider
January 9
January 27
February 9
February 17
March 16
March 24
April 13
April 16
May 11
May 21
June 8
July 20
August 17
September 21
October 19
November 16
December 21

BLS Renewal
January 6
January 13
January 21
January 29
February 3
February 6
February 19
February 25
March 2
March 10
March 18
March 26
April 2
April 8
April 21
April 28
May 6
May 13
May 20
May 26
June 5
June 10
June 16
June 25
July 1
July 7
July 16
July 24
August 7
August 12
August 25
August 31
September 1
September 8
September 15
September 24
October 5
October 14
October 22
October 27
November 4
November 10
November 19
November 23
December 4
December 8
December 17

Cost

BLS including book: $60
BLS without book: $40

Neonatal Resuscitation Program

The Neonatal Resuscitation Program is designed to teach an evidence-based approach to resuscitation of the newborn. The causes, prevention and management of mild to severe neonatal asphyxia are carefully explained so that health professionals may develop optimal knowledge and skill in resuscitation.  This is an education program of the American Academy of Pediatrics and American Heart Association.

Students receive:

• Textbook of Neonatal Resuscitation, 5th Edition
• NRP Written Evaluation Packet

NRP Provider – 5-hour course
This course is intended for individuals who are taking the NRP Provider course for the first time or for those with an expired NRP Provider card.

NRP Renewal – 4-hour course
This course is individuals with a valid NRP Provider card with an issue date not exceeding two years.

Calendar

NRP Provider
January 9
March 13
May 8
July 17
September 11
November 13

NRP Renewal
January 2
March 6
May 1
July 10
September 4
November 6

Cost

NRP Provider: $140
NRP Renewal: $100

Continuing Medical Education Credit

Children's Hospital Central California is accredited by the Institute for Medical Quality/California Medical Association (IMQ/CMA) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Continuing Education Credit

Children’s Hospital Central California Clinical Education and Informatics Department approves courses through the California Board of Registered Nursing for continuing education contact hours. Call the department for specific contact hour information.

*The American Heart Association strongly promotes knowledge and proficiency in BLS, ACLS and PALS and has developed instructional materials for this purpose. Use of these materials in an educational course does not represent course sponsorship by the American Heart Association, and any fees charged for such a course do not represent income to the Association.

Contact

Clinical Education and Informatics
(559) 353-5902
education@childrenscentralcal.org