Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) certification is a clinical training program that educates healthcare providers about handling pediatric emergencies. For nurses, achieving and maintaining a PALS certification might be a requirement for employment.
Anytime a nurse or another healthcare worker is likely to encounter pediatric patients, learning how to care for them is essential. Children have different presentations and physiology from adults, so specialized training is necessary to understand how best to treat them when they’re experiencing an emergency.
This article will discuss what PALS students learn, who should obtain a PALS certification, and what to expect when taking the PALS test. You will also gain insight into your customer support options and how to recertify when your current PALS certification expires.
What Do PALS Students Learn?
Healthcare professionals usually must possess a Basic Life Support (BLS) certification as part of their pre-employment requirements. PALS certification is a fully accredited online course that builds on the fundamental training most healthcare providers have already received during their BLS training.
PALS students will learn to utilize advanced life-saving tools like electrocardiograms, intubation, and intravenous medications to assess and care for pediatric patients. Understanding PALS algorithms will also equip you to make decisions related to your patient’s condition based on their presentation and your clinical observations.
By learning about the underlying physiology that causes certain conditions, you’ll be better prepared to care for the smallest patients.
You’ll also learn how your training algorithms help you retain the materials in your PALS class, giving you the knowledge you need and skills in the following proficiencies:
- Understanding the difference between pediatric and adult physiologies
- Pediatric drugs and their administration
- Performing child and infant CPR
- Identifying and treating clinical problems like respiratory distress/arrest, shock, toxicology, trauma, neonatal resuscitation, cardiac arrest, and more
Starting a PALS Class Is Easy
Getting started with a PALS class is simple, especially if you already have a BLS certification. With online educational opportunities for advanced learning, you can simply sign up for a course in which you’re interested. Once you’ve booked yourself into the class and paid the fees, you can begin the process.
With your registration complete, you will receive access to your online course materials. If you’re working with a quality course provider, they’ll include case studies, practice questions, and educational information, allowing you to study at your own pace. This flexibility is much different than classroom-based courses, where the teacher scripts the allotted time for each module.
Plus, online learning frees you from commuting to class and allows working healthcare professionals to study and learn on their own schedules. Cutting down on time traveling and allowing you to learn when and where it works for your schedule is a massive advantage for anyone taking a PALS certification course.
The most significant advantage of a PALS course online is that the best programs offer you the chance to learn everything you need at your own pace while focusing on the study materials that fit your personal learning style the best.
Who Needs a PALS Certification?
If you’re going to work in a pediatric care unit, on an ambulance, or in an emergency room, the chances you will encounter a child having a medical emergency are high. Any place where sick or injured children are treated may require that their healthcare professionals acquire and maintain one or more certifications, including PALS. This might even apply to some volunteer healthcare roles.
For example, a list of requirements for working as a technician in a pediatric intensive care unit might include:
- Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) for adults and children
- BLS certification
- Advanced Cardiac Life Support certification
- PALS certification
Plus, even if your employer doesn’t necessarily require PALS training and certification, you may want to take the class to advance your career. Earning advanced certifications and building on your education can help expand your employment opportunities. So, consider taking a PALS class if you’re working in any of the following fields and locations:
- Nursing (hospitals, clinics, schools, et cetera)
- Prehospital emergency medicine (ambulances and clinics)
- Paramedicine (either in a hospital or in an ambulance)
- Pediatric healthcare settings
- Hospital emergency rooms
- Pediatric ICUs
- Places with high-risk pediatric patients
Customer Support
Quality online certification programs feature top-shelf training materials based on modern, recent guidelines from respected medical bodies like the American Heart Association. Since science dictates that we continually evaluate evidence, guidelines continue to evolve, so you should always ensure that the online PALS training you consider is from an accredited source.
Checking with your employer ensures that the class you take will meet their standards. Making sure that your class is fully accredited by an organization with a proven track record that’s widely accepted at hospitals and other healthcare providers is essential.
And if you were to run into problems taking the course, you need to make sure you can rely on their customer service team. Since healthcare is a growing field that employs more than 18 million people, there are scammers and unsavory types who seek to profit from your need for education by tricking you into taking substandard courses and forking over your hard-earned money.
Don’t let that happen to you. Look for chat-based customer support for extended hours and dedicated email support during the day. If getting help from your course provider will be difficult, you should find another provider.
Taking the PALS Test
The online class doesn’t have a traditional ending date. So, you have a lot of flexibility in learning the course materials. But just like an old-school classroom-based PALS course, there is a test you’ll have to pass.
However, you don’t have to take it until you’re ready. So, you can study from anywhere using a desktop, laptop, or even a smartphone. Top PALS classes don’t require downloading any software, and you should be able to access all the materials from nearly any device.
Once you’re ready, you can take your exam. You’ll even have the flexibility to start the test, pause it, and resume answering questions when you’re ready. For busy healthcare professionals, this offers a huge advantage over traditional test-taking, where you must travel to a testing center and complete the exam in one sitting.
With most PALS training programs, you will also be able to review the exam after completing it. You can then retake the exam for free if doing so is necessary.
Taking the Next Steps With PALS Certification
Online PALS training prepares you to take and pass the exam at the end of your class. However, you’ll need to work with your employer or potential employer to demonstrate your skills and proficiency in a hands-on setting.
For example, even though you understand the physiology of intubation, you will need to demonstrate how to use a laryngoscope properly before you can do so on real people. Typically, a training center within large hospitals and EMS organizations will help you complete this final hurdle.
Depending on where you work, other examinations may be necessary before you have met all of the requirements for employment. For example, they may require a written test, a site orientation, or even specific skills checks.
It’s important to understand the entirety of the process and its requirements before you sign up for an online class. You can ask for help from a supervisor, your peers, or even the HR department.
PALS Recertification
Once you’ve passed your online exam and the hands-on training session, your PALS certification is live. You’ll receive a course completion card or CPR certificate demonstrating your achievement. However, your PALS certification has an expiration date.
Many healthcare certifications lapse after two years. There are typically two ways to renew your certification. The first option involves taking continuing education (CE) courses during renewal and having an administrator sign-off that you are in good standing. Since the number of CE credits required to renew can be fairly substantial, taking all necessary extra courses can be too much of a time burden, especially for busy healthcare workers.
The second option for a PALS renewal is to register for an online PALS renewal course. This is a convenient and flexible way to recertify your skills and maintain your ability to work without spending time looking for and traveling to CE courses that meet all the criteria.
PALS Certification Bottomline
For nurses who may see pediatric patients, a PALS certification is often a condition of employment. Taking a PALS course, completing it, and renewing your certification online is a much more flexible option than in-person classes.
The online material is available at your own pace, whenever you want to study, so it’s easier than heading to a classroom for a traditional instruction period.
Your journey to find a high-quality, accredited PALS course acceptable to your employer can start immediately. You can be on your way to higher certification in no time. Sign up for a PALS certification or renewal course today!
Caroline is a dedicated writer with a passion for keeping readers informed. Specializing in providing the latest news updates and unbiased reviews, she strives to deliver accurate and insightful content. With a keen eye for detail and a commitment to journalistic integrity, Caroline ensures that her readers are always well-informed. Stay tuned for her latest articles to stay up-to-date on current events and trends.
