Description:
The American Heart Association’s PALS course builds on the foundation of lifesaving BLS skills, emphasizing the importance of preventing cardiac arrest, early and continuous high-quality CPR, and high-performing teams. The course reflects science and education from the 2025 American Heart Association Guidelines for CPR and Emergency Cardiovascular Care (ECC).
The HeartCode format is a blended learning delivery method, which consists of students completing an online course prior to an in-person skills test. You must complete the HeartCode PALS online portion (purchased separately for $173) prior to your testing session, as the certificate of completion is due at check-in. If you have not yet completed the course online, you can find the link to purchase here: https://shopcpr.heart.org/heartcode-pals
Intended Audience
The PALS Course is for healthcare providers who either direct or participate in the management of respiratory and/or cardiovascular emergencies and cardiopulmonary arrest in pediatric patients, and for personnel in emergency response.
What does this course teach?
After successfully completing this course, students should be able to:
- Dsicuss the science of pediatric resuscitation
- Recognize cardiac arrest and perform prompt, high quality CPR and AED use on pediatrics
- Understand the systemic approach to care
- Understand secondary assessment
- Discuss and implement in practice team dynamics
- Recognize respiratory emergencies and perform airway managements
- Cover respiratory video case discussions
- Cover shock video case discussions
- Discuss and practice management of shock
- Recognize and manage care for arrhythmia emergencies
- Cover arrhythmia video case discussions
- Recognize rhythm disturbances and perform electrical therapy skills practice
- Describe post cardiac arrest management
Is there a required textbook for this course?
Yes, the AHA requires that all students have a student manual for the course, however, the PALS Provider Manual eBook is included in the purchase of the HeartCode PALS Online Course.