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PALS and Other Life Support Courses

Valley Children’s Hospital 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.

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.

Cost

ACLS Provider: $225
ACLS Renewal: $175

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.

  • Class Length: 4 hours
  • Course fee: $150 (does not include textbook)
  • Textbook: Textbook of Neonatal Resuscitation, 8th Edition, $75 online from AAP 

Continuing Medical Education Credit

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

Continuing Education Credit

Valley Children’s Hospital 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@valleychildrens.org