PALS Plus^® Course Options

The Advanced Airway Management module covers the special considerations and treatments for pediatric airways.

Pediatric airways are not just small adult airways; they carry special considerations and treatments. This module will compare those differences and further discuss the clinical features, diagnosis, and management tactics for obstructions and upper and lower airway diseases of the lungs. It will discuss positive-pressure ventilation and the requirements for advanced airway placement. Additionally, the module will address aerosol-generating procedures in the COVID-19 era.

Course Learning Objectives:

• Describe necessary precautions during aerosol generating procedures (AGPs) to avoid transmission of infectious particles to providers (e.g., COVID-19)
• Compare the anatomical and physiologic differences between adult and pediatric airways
• Recognize a general approach to pediatric airway emergencies, including the difficult airway
• Describe clinical features, diagnosis, and management of upper and lower airway obstruction and diseases of the lung
• Describe interventions for respiratory distress vs. respiratory failure
• Recognize requirement for positive-pressure ventilation
• Recognize the requirement for an advanced airway

The Child Abuse module covers the concepts and interventions related to pediatric child abuse. Content includes topics such as recognition of risk for abuse, understanding gross-motor development, recognition of “red flags,” distinguishing bruising patterns, burn characteristics, and recognition of potential exposure to illicit substances.

Course Learning Objectives:

• Recognize signs and symptoms associated with physical abuse in infants and children
• Describe the appropriate approach to the diagnostic evaluation for physical abuse in infants and children
• Demonstrate systems-based components of caring for an infant or a child with physical abuse
• Recognize patient presentations suggestive of human trafficking

The Toxicology module covers the basics of identification of toxic substances through targeted history, physical exam, and diagnostic studies. It introduces common therapies for ingestions, including methods used to minimize drug absorption and enhance excretion for common poisons. This module also reviews effects of commonly misused or abused drugs. Additionally, it includes a section describing treatments for caustic eye injuries that children may encounter.

Course Learning Objectives:

• Recognize the importance of identifying ingestion, providing first aid, and contacting Poison Control
• Identify methods used to minimize drug absorption
• Describe the specific therapies, including antidotes, for common poisons
• Summarize effects of drug abuse and misuse
• Describe different routes of exposure (e.g., eye, cutaneous)
• Summarize the effects and management of smoke inhalation and carbon monoxide poisoning

The Technologically Dependent Child module describes the identification and management of medical emergencies in pediatric patients with special healthcare needs. It is designed to educate students about potential complications related to intrathecal baclofen pumps, tracheostomy tubes, vagal nerve stimulators, and ventriculoperitoneal shunts.

Course Learning Objectives:

• Recognize the emergency management of a child who has an intrathecal baclofen pump
• Recognize life-threatening emergencies that might be encountered in a child with a tracheostomy tube
• Recognize the emergency management of a child who has a vagal nerve stimulator
• Outline the emergency management of a child who has a ventriculoperitoneal shunt

Procedural sedation in the pediatric population presents additional factors beyond sedation of an adult patient. The Sedation & Analgesia module addresses levels of sedation and the pediatric-focused considerations associated. It covers the common medications and monitoring needed to keep the patient safe. The module includes several clinical scenarios for students to apply their knowledge in a practical way.

Course Learning Objectives:

• Describe basic concepts of sedation and analgesia
• Identify common medication types used in procedural analgesia and sedation
• Describe special considerations of procedural analgesia and sedation
• Describe appropriate procedural sedation and analgesia for specific circumstances

The purpose of the Post-Cardiac Arrest Care module is to educate providers on the pathophysiology and clinical manifestations of pediatric post–cardiac arrest syndrome (PCAS), implementation of cardiac monitoring as part of PCAS, implementation of respiratory support of the intubated child during PCAC, implementation of neurologic support and monitoring during PCAC, monitoring for and managing other physiologic/organ/secondary complications of PCAS, outcomes and prognostication after cardiac arrest, and recovery after cardiac arrest.

Course Learning Objectives:

• Recognize the pathophysiology and clinical manifestations of pediatric post–cardiac arrest syndrome
• Implement cardiac monitoring as part of post–cardiac arrest care
• Implement respiratory support of the intubated child during post–cardiac arrest care
• Implement neurologic support and monitoring during post–cardiac arrest care
• Monitor for and manage other physiologic, organ, and secondary complications of post–cardiac arrest syndrome
• Formulate outcomes and prognostication after cardiac arrest
• Describe recovery after cardiac arrest

Overview and Approach is a self-guided, eLearning module that covers concepts and interventions related to pediatric trauma. This module addresses unique anatomic and physiologic characteristics that affect the interventions and responses to injury and subsequent management.

Course Learning Objectives:

• Describe unique anatomical and physiologic characteristics of the pediatric age group that affect response to injury and management
• Define concepts of the primary and secondary surveys and systematically discuss evaluation of the trauma patient using these tools
• Discuss management priorities based on immediate life-threatening injuries identified in the primary assessment
• Discuss the identification and initial treatment of life-threatening injuries to major organ systems
• Describe the systematic approach to trauma

The Ultrasound module covers the basic principles of ultrasound physics; basic controls common to most medical ultrasound equipment; images obtained for an e-FAST ultrasound study; other applications of point-of-care ultrasound; and performing ultrasound assessments of the airway (A), breathing (B), circulation (C), and disability (D) (trauma).

Course Learning Objectives:

• Describe the basic principles of ultrasound physics
• Identify the basic controls common to most medical ultrasound equipment
• Recognize images obtained for an e-FAST ultrasound study
• Discuss some other applications of point-of-care ultrasound

In the Congenital Heart Disease module, participants will learn about the general management of patients with single-ventricle anatomy and physiology. This will include changes as palliation progresses from stage I to stage III, physiologic features that can increase the risk of decompensation, monitoring, mechanical ventilation strategies and their impact, and differences in cardiopulmonary resuscitation for these patients.

Course Learning Objectives:

• Explain the concept of neonatal single-ventricle anatomy and physiology and the general types of strategies to manage these patients
• Describe how the anatomy and physiology change from stage I to stage II and stage III, including how therapies differ
• Describe the mechanisms that result in increased risk for decompensation and death in patients with single ventricle physiology
• List and explain the different types of monitoring that can be beneficial in the acute and chronic management of a patient with shunt-dependent single-ventricle physiology
• Explain mechanical ventilation strategies and how they impact the physiology of a patient with single-ventricle anatomy and physiology, specifically, with regard to stage of surgery and presence of heart failure
• Describe the treatment strategies of the single-ventricle patient with near arrest or cardiac arrest