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Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) - Full Course

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Course Information

American Heart Association (AHA)

Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS)

2025 Guidelines Provider Course – Initial / Full In-person Course

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About

Overview

Caring for a critically ill child calls for calm, quick, organized thinking. This course builds that confidence step by step, with realistic pediatric scenarios and plenty of hands-on practice.

This pediatric advanced resuscitation course teaches the critical actions a provider must take during the first 10 minutes when a patient enters cardiac arrest.

Throughout this course, you will learn, practice, and apply the following:

Pediatric basic life support (BLS) skills, including effective chest compressions, use of a bag-mask device, and use of an AED.
Recognition and early management of respiratory, shock, and cardiac arrest (VF, pVT, PEA, Asystole).
Recognition and early management of peri-arrest conditions such as respiratory distress, respiratory failure, shock, symptomatic bradycardia, and tachycardia.
Basic and advanced pediatric airway management.
Related pharmacology.
Effective communication as a member and leader of a resuscitation team.

Audience

Audience: RNs, MDs, NPs, PAs, and other healthcare professionals who require PALS for their scope of practice.

Topics

This PALS course focuses on high-level skills and decision-making for pediatric emergencies. Key curriculum modules include:

The Systematic Approach: Utilizing the Initial Assessment, Primary Assessment, Secondary Assessment, and Diagnostic Tests to identify and treat pediatric emergencies.
Respiratory Emergencies: Hands-on practice with upper airway obstruction, lower airway obstruction, lung tissue disease, and disordered control of breathing.
Shock Management: Protocols for hypovolemic, distributive, cardiogenic, and obstructive shock.
Cardiac Arrhythmias: Identifying and managing bradycardia, tachycardia (stable and unstable), and cardiac arrest.
Post-Resuscitation Care: Critical steps for stabilizing a pediatric patient after Return of Spontaneous Circulation (ROSC).

Agenda (Tentative)

Agenda (tentative)

Roster sign-in and photo ID check
Review of your pre-course videos and pre-test
Instruction and hands-on skills practice in small groups
Megacode scenario practice and testing
Written exam (84% or higher to pass)
Post-course evaluation

Order and timing may vary with class size.

Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)

Per the American Heart Association's PALS Provider Course objectives.

Apply a systematic approach (Initial, Primary, and Secondary Assessment) to recognize and treat pediatric emergencies.
Distinguish respiratory distress from respiratory failure and provide early, appropriate treatment for each.
Differentiate compensated shock from decompensated (hypotensive) shock and initiate the correct management.
Recognize cardiac arrhythmias and determine whether a patient is stable or unstable to guide treatment.
Perform high-quality team-based CPR and apply post-cardiac-arrest care following return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC).
Apply effective team dynamics as a leader or member of a resuscitation team.

Faculty

Faculty: Our instructors are outstanding! They are non-intimidating, knowledgeable, and genuinely interested in helping you succeed in completing this course. Our faculty members are selected for their expertise, talent, and friendly approach.

Tuition

Tuition and Course Materials

See below

Refund, Cancellation, Transfer Policy

No refunds. All PALS purchases are final. See the full policy under Disclaimers.

Registration transfer/extension: Not available for this program. All registrations are final once submitted — please confirm your dates and eligibility before you pay.

Requirements

Pre-Course Requirements

Before attending this course, you must:

Obtain & Read: The current 2025 AHA PALS Textbook.
Pass Pre-test: Achieve a score of 70% or higher (available immediately after registration).
(Optional): Complete the Online EKG & Emergency Pharmacology course for preparation.

Bring to Class (Required for Admission):

PALS Textbook (Print or eBook) and 70%+ pre-test results.
Current AHA PALS card (not expired) and photo ID.
Current AHA BLS credential (unless renewing BLS today).
Confirmation of completion of the pre-course video (available immediately after registration).

Course Completion Requirements

To complete this course, you must:

Sign in on the course roster and participate in all stations.
Complete pre-course videos and pre-test (70%+ score).
Pass the written exam (50 MCQs) with an 84% or higher.
Complete and pass the megacode scenario and the post-course evaluation.

Upon successful completion, you will receive an AHA PALS Provider credential, valid for two years.

CNE

Contact Hours (Nursing): 16 continuing nursing education hours are awarded upon successful PALS program completion.

Provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing (Provider #CEP17561) and Florida Board of Nursing (Provider #50-24286) for 16 contact hours.

Healthcare Training Academy is approved as a provider of continuing nursing education by the New Jersey State Nurses Association (NJSNA), an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation (ANCC). Provider #295-8/27

Duration

Full/Initial Course: This program is typically completed in one full day, depending on the speed of the skills stations and group size.

Contact Hours: You will earn 16 continuing nursing education hours upon successful completion.

Course duration includes a mandatory pre-course video.

Recert/Renewal

Your AHA PALS Provider card is valid for 2 years from the date it is issued. Renew before it expires using our PALS Renewal course.

FAQs

Q: Do I need to take the pre-test before I arrive?
A: Yes. The American Heart Association requires all students to complete the PALS Pre-course Self-Assessment and achieve a score of 70% or higher before attending. Please bring your printed certificate to class.

Q: Is the BLS Renewal included in the time frame?
A: If you selected the BLS Update option, your skills will be tested during the PALS session to keep your certifications synchronized.

Q: What should I wear?
A: The course involves physical activity, including kneeling on the floor for CPR practice. Please wear comfortable clothing and closed-toe shoes (scrubs are recommended).

General Questions

Do you offer group/team discounts?
Yes. Please visit our Group Sales page to tell us about your group and our group sales team will reach out to discuss options.

How and when will I receive my contact hours / CE certificate?
Contact hours/CE certificates are issued once you complete all required components of the course (online modules, live/in-person sessions, and any required exam). Most are available in your account, or emailed, shortly after you complete every requirement - see this program's own CNE tab for its specific issuer and process.

What is your refund/transfer/cancellation policy?
See this program's Disclaimers tab for the full refund, transfer, and cancellation policy that applies to this course.

How long do I have access to the online portion of my course, and can it be extended?
Access windows vary by program - see this program's Duration tab for the exact access period. Extensions are not guaranteed and may require an additional license fee; email support@HCTAUSA.org to ask about your specific situation. (In-person-only programs have no online access window.)

How do I log in to access my course materials after registering?
Log in to your account on our website (HealthCareTrainingAcademy.org). Any online modules, live-session links, or other materials for your program will be available under "My Account."

What if I have a technical problem accessing my course materials or online portal?
Email support@HCTAUSA.org as soon as possible describing the issue. If your program includes a live virtual session, see that program's own FAQ or Topics tab for its specific platform and support details.

I don't see my question here. Who can I contact?
Email support@HCTAUSA.org and our office will get back to you.

Disclaimers

Accreditation and Approvals

Health Care Training Academy Inc. is approved as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the New Jersey State Nurses Association, an accredited approver through the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation. Provider ID: P295-8/2027.
Approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider #CEP17561.
Approved via CE Broker for FL, GA, SC, NC, and AK (Provider ID: 50-24286).

Nursing Contact Hours

Nursing continuing education is accepted in all 50 states.

Program Information

Conflicts of interest: The planning committee, presenters, faculty, authors, and content reviewers have no conflicts of interest to disclose.
Presentation standards: All speakers are expected to give balanced, unbiased presentations. All content is reviewed, and any identified bias is addressed.
Program support: This program has no commercial support, joint providership, or sponsorship.

Important Information

Endorsement: Accreditation does not imply endorsement by The Health Care Training Academy (D/B/A CardiacEd), NJSNA, or ANCC of any commercial products shown during this program, if any.
ANCC policy: ANCC does not permit contact hours for BLS provider courses, except BLS Instructor courses.
College credit: This activity does not offer college credit unless explicitly stated.

Non-nursing professionals: Please check with your licensing board to confirm that nursing contact hours will satisfy your credential renewal. Refunds are not issued if your board does not accept nursing credits.

Refund policy: All registrations are final. Refunds, credits, extensions, and transfers are not available. Before registering, please confirm that you are available and able to complete the program.

Criteria to Earn Contact Hours

You must complete the entire program to receive nursing continuing education credit.
Partial contact hours are not awarded. You must complete all program requirements to earn credit.

Initial Course Disclaimer:

This course is for first-time PALS students or those with expired credentials.
Completion of the 70%+ pre-test and pre-course videos is still mandatory for this session.

All sales are final. We do not offer refunds for this program. Please confirm the program is the right fit, that you meet the prerequisites, and that the dates/times work for you BEFORE you pay.
No refunds for missed sessions, no-shows, late arrival, change of mind, scheduling conflicts, or an unsuccessful pre-test/skills test/evaluation.
This policy is shown again at checkout; completing your purchase confirms you have read and agreed to it.
Questions before you buy? Support@hctausa.org or (732) 777-1191.

Support

Your PALS online pre-test and pre-course video run on the AHA's own system. HCTA has no access to that account, so for login/password issues on the AHA side, use the support contact on the eCards/AHA site. For registration, transfers, or anything on the HCTA site, contact Support@hctausa.org or (732) 777-1191.

Groups

Are you part of a group, or do you have team members you wish to train?
Contact our corporate & group sales team to discuss your training needs and group discounts!
Click here for Corporate & Group Sales

Schedule & Registration

Click this link for the Course Schedule

Click the link above to navigate this program's calendar of available course dates.
Once on the course calendar, click the date you would like to register and follow the prompts to complete your registration in this program.