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If you’re like most people who come to us for their AHA PALS Certification, you’re absolutely terrified of the class! But there’s no need to be scared! We make our PALS classes as stress-free as possible, but preparing beforehand can definitely help relieve some anxiety. So let’s go over some of the main things you need to know to pass your American Heart Association Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) class!
The foundation for the AHA Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) course starts with Basic Life Support (BLS)! There are quite a few BLS questions on your AHA PALS exam! Here’s a quick review of the important BLS points you need to know:
One of the most important things to remember when treating pediatrics is that the problem typically stems from a respiratory issue. This is opposite of adults – who typically have a problem cardiac in nature. For this reason, cardiac rhythms aren’t heavily tested in PALS. Out of the 50 exam questions on PALS, only 5 of them are identifying rhythms. While not heavily tested, you should still make sure you at least know the basic EKG rhythms such as NSR, SVT, V-Fib, Bradycardia, Asystole, and PEA. The treatment for these rhythms is very similar the same as when treating adults. The one exception being bradycardia. Watch our PALS Arrhythmias Video to learn the basics you need to know about pediatric arrhythmias.
Your main focus should be on respiratory emergencies. For starters, make sure you know the difference between respiratory distress and respiratory failure. Sounds simple, but it’s a key component to PALS that often gets missed. Pediatric respiratory emergencies are broken down into categories including upper airway obstruction, lower airway obstruction, lung tissue disease, and disordered control of breathing. You should know what breath sound correlates to each category, as well as the specific disease processes that fall under each category and its associated treatment. Check out our PALS Respiratory Emergencies video which covers the four main categories of respiratory emergencies and their treatments.
To pass PALS, you should also be able to identify and treat shock emergencies in pediatrics. There are different types of shock, but you should focus on the most common types of shock – hypovolemic shock and distributive shock. For a summary of the different types of shock, signs and symptoms, and treatments, check out our Pediatric Shock Emergencies video.
Now that you’ve reviewed, it’s time to sign up for your PALS class! We have one office location for all of our classes in Longwood (near Orlando, FL)! Have questions about taking our AHA PALS class? Contact us and let us know
Mid-Florida CPR is an authorized American Heart Association Training Center located in Longwood, Florida.
