PALS Certification: Things you Must Know

Children bring joy to your world and break the monotony of the everyday hustle. There melts a tired heart more than hugging your little one after a busy day at work.

But, like adults, children fall sick and could end up in life-threatening situations. As much as it hurts to think, a child’s body is less equipped to fight severe medical conditions.

It needs assistance from healthcare providers specializing in pediatric care. The PALS course teaches you to administer emergency aid to children and infants battling severe health issues. This article looks into the details of the PALS certification and its benefits. 

Overview of PALS certification

PALS stands for Pediatric advanced life support. This certification is for healthcare professionals who understand the working of a hospital. Pediatrics is a medical science that deals with the health of children and infants.

The course caters to their care in intensive care and critical care units. Most people who qualify for the PALS course have a prequalification in basic life skills.

The primary technique used in PALS is CPR. However, cardiopulmonary resuscitation for infants differs from the one administered to children. Both of these follow different techniques to the one used on adults.

One of the essential parts of PALS is identifying signs of respiratory distress in infants and children. You learn to read the signs of heart failure and their heartbeat. As the rescuer, you should be able to keep a steady head and assess the child’s vitals.

What do you learn in PALS?

Pediatric Advanced life support is the complete form of PALS. It is a course specifically created to assist children under critical conditions. These conditions could come from congenital diseases, injuries, or hospital negligence.

While other classes like BLS and First aid focus on adults and their bodies, this treatment is only for children. The medical fraternity realized that a child’s body behaves differently under medical emergencies.

Their heart rates, respiratory rates, and response vary compared to adults. Hence they came up with a specialized course. Once you decide on taking a PALS certification, you will learn the following.

■ The course teaches you to recognize signs of respiratory or cardiac arrest in an infant or child before the incident happens.

■ You learn to approach a problem systematically with pediatric backing. PALS teaches you a set of tests and assessments to check on your patient’s health.

■ The courses highlight the importance of keeping children and infants as a priority in times of accidents and emergencies.

■ The course talks about specific post-resuscitation steps for a child.

■ You learn CPR specific to children and infants.

■ You also learn the importance of respiratory management. Once the child gets their breathing back after an incident, it is a must.

■ They also teach the right tools and techniques to monitor the revived respiratory and cardio rates. It prevents the child from having a second episode.

■ You learn first-hand about medications that can slow down a racing heart in the course.

■ The course teaches you the right way to administer fluids in an emergency. Medication is also part of the course curriculum.

What does it mean to be PALS certified?

If the above sounds confusing, worry not; it is not as complex as it looks. People must understand that an infant has a faster metabolism but lower body fat. They also have varying body temperatures and zero exposure to the outside world.

Their bones do not have as much strength as adults, and their organs are still developing. How often have you heard the news channel talk about an infant found in the rubble in an accident?

Such information leaves many people stunned. But as a PALS-certified individual, you would know the steps to treat this child. When you take this course, you add the below to your life.

■ Most people do not know how to give CPR to a child. But you could help save a precious life through your training. You get the confidence to help a dying child in an accident or emergency. 

■ The course teaches you the knowledge to save a family member in need. If you are a parent and look after children, take this course. You will favor your family by staying prepared for any adversities.

■ You enhance your chances of getting a promotion at work. If you are in the healthcare field but wish for a change, this course could give you access to various new avenues.

■ Upskilling always opens up doors to many new jobs. Many job roles demand a PALS certification before joining. A PALS course could help you transition into a better-paying position. 

Benefits of online PALS certification

A PALS certification demands time. You must also understand child and infant biology. When you take this course, you must ensure you give it time and stay on top of the techniques.

The best way to take this course is its online format. However, only some have the daily quota of free hours. The below reasons will compel you to find a course online.

■ Online courses offer a self-paced mode which gives you enough time to manage work and education. You don’t need to cram the information for an examination and fail. With an online course, you can manage the program’s pace as per your time.

■ Most people run on a tight schedule and need help to shift everything to one class. Online classes work according to your plan. They give you the start and end date of the course. You only need to find time in your day and finish the course before the last date. 

■ With online courses comes location flexibility. They are unlike a classroom course you must attend in a given area. You can take an online class from anywhere in the world.

■ Online classes do not beat about the bush or offer repetitive classes. You get the entire course theory; any revision is up to the candidate.

Conclusion

Taking care of children is the most satisfying activity in life. You can learn to save a child’s life with the right PALS course.

The American HealthCare Academy provides the most comprehensive PALS certification. If you are a healthcare provider and have knowledge of BLS, this course is for you. AHCA helps people learn at their own pace and has a recognized certificate. Register for a PALS course today with AHCA and boost your career.

Similar Stories