ACLS Academy is excited to announce the expansion of our training offering to include the PALS Plus Course starting in April 2024.  The PALS Plus Course is a pediatric advanced life support (PALS) course for more experienced pediatric healthcare providers seeking advanced educational content. The course teaches more than the traditional PALS curriculum and includes 9 additional modules related to pediatric emergencies. The full course includes an online portion consisting of HeartCode PALS Online and the student’s selection of at least 6 of the 9 PALS Plus Advanced Modules, combined with a HeartCode PALS skills session with an Instructor.

Target Audiences

The PALS Plus Course is for healthcare providers who either direct or participate in the management of respiratory and/or cardiovascular emergencies, cardiopulmonary arrest, and other emergent and critical conditions in pediatric patients. These individuals may include:

• Physicians

• Physician Assistants

• Nurse Practitioners

• Nurses

• EMS

HeartCode PALS Online

HeartCode® PALS Online is the online portion of PALS blended learning that will prepare students for hands-on skills sessions with an AHA PALS Instructor or on a simulation station.

Course Learning Objectives - Perform high-quality cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) per AHA basic life support (BLS) recommendations:

1. Differentiate between patients who do and do not require immediate intervention

2. Recognize cardiopulmonary arrest early and begin CPR within 10 seconds

3. Apply team dynamics

4. Differentiate between and perform early interventions for respiratory distress and failure

5. Differentiate between compensated and decompensated (hypotensive) shock

6. Perform early interventions for the treatment of shock

7. Differentiate between unstable and stable patients with arrhythmias

8. Describe clinical characteristics of instability in patients with arrhythmias

9. Implement post-cardiac arrest management

PALS Plus™ Advanced Modules 

PALS Plus: Advanced Airway Management

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

Module Learning Objectives:

1. Describe necessary precautions during aerosol-generating procedures to avoid transmission of infectious particles to providers (eg, with COVID-19)

2. Compare the anatomic and physiologic differences between adult and pediatric airways

3. Recognize a general approach to pediatric airway emergencies, including the difficult airway

4. Describe clinical features, diagnosis, and management of upper and lower airway obstruction and diseases of the lung

5. Describe interventions for respiratory distress vs respiratory failure

6. Recognize the requirement for positive-pressure ventilation

7. Recognize the requirement for an advanced airway

PALS Plus: Child Abuse

This 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, and burn characteristics, and recognition of potential exposure to illicit substances.

Module Learning Objectives:

1. Recognize signs and symptoms associated with physical abuse in infants and children

2. Describe the appropriate approach to the diagnostic evaluation for physical abuse in infants and children

3. Demonstrate systems-based components of caring for an infant or a child with physical abuse

4. Recognize patient presentations suggestive of human trafficking

PALS Plus: Congenital Heart Disease

In this module, students learn about the general management of patients with single-ventricle anatomy and physiology. This includes 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.

Module Learning Objectives:

1. Explain the concept of neonatal single-ventricle anatomy and physiology and the general types of strategies to manage these patients

2. Describe how the anatomy and physiology change from stage I to stage II and stage III, including how therapies differ

3. Describe the mechanisms that result in increased risk for decompensation and death in patients with single-ventricle physiology

4. 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

5. Explain mechanical ventilation strategies and how they impact the physiology of a patient with single-ventricle anatomy and physiology, specifically about the stage of surgery and the presence of heart failure

6. Describe the treatment strategies of the single-ventricle patient with near arrest or cardiac arrest

PALS Plus: Post–Cardiac Arrest Care

The purpose of this 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.

Module Learning Objectives:

1. Recognize the pathophysiology and clinical manifestations of pediatric post-cardiac arrest syndrome

2. Implement cardiac monitoring as part of post-cardiac arrest care

3. Implement respiratory support for the intubated child during post-cardiac arrest care

4. Implement neurologic support and monitoring during post-cardiac arrest care

5. Monitor for and manage other physiologic, organ, and secondary complications of post-cardiac arrest syndrome

6. Formulate outcomes and prognostication after cardiac arrest

7. Describe recovery after cardiac arrest

PALS Plus: Sedation and Analgesia

Procedural sedation in the pediatric population presents additional factors beyond the sedation of an adult patient. This 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 practically.

Module Learning Objectives:

1. Describe basic concepts of sedation and analgesia

2. Identify common medication types used in procedural analgesia and sedation

3. Describe special considerations of procedural analgesia and sedation

4. Describe appropriate procedural sedation and analgesia for specific circumstances

PALS Plus: Technologically Dependent Child

This 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.

Module Learning Objectives:

1. Recognize the emergency management of a child who has an intrathecal baclofen pump

2. Recognize life-threatening emergencies that might be encountered in a child with a tracheostomy tube

3. Recognize the emergency management of a child who has a vagal nerve stimulator

4. Outline the emergency management of a child who has a ventriculoperitoneal shunt

PALS Plus: Toxicology

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

Module Learning Objectives:

1. Recognize the importance of identifying ingestions, providing first aid, and contacting Poison Control

2. Identify methods used to minimize drug absorption

3. Describe the specific therapies, including antidotes, for common poisons

4. Summarize the effects of drug abuse and misuse

5. Describe different routes of exposure (eye, cutaneous)

6. Summarize the effects and management of smoke inhalation and carbon monoxide poisoning

PALS Plus: Trauma—Overview and Approach

This module covers concepts and interventions related to pediatric trauma. The content describes unique anatomic and physiologic characteristics that affect the interventions and responses to injury and subsequent management.

Module Learning Objectives:

1. Describe unique anatomic and physiologic characteristics of the pediatric age group that affect response to injury and management

2. Define concepts of the primary and secondary surveys and systematically discuss the evaluation of the trauma patient by using these tools

3. Discuss management priorities based on immediate life-threatening injuries identified in the primary assessment

4. Discuss the identification and initial treatment of life-threatening injuries to major organ systems

5. Describe the systematic approach to trauma

PALS Plus: Ultrasound

This 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).

Module Learning Objectives:

1. Describe the basic principles of ultrasound physics

2. Identify the basic controls common to most medical ultrasound equipment

3. Recognize images obtained for an e-FAST ultrasound study

4. Discuss some other applications of point-of-care ultrasound

Upon successful completion of the hands-on skills session, PALS Plus students receive a PALS Provider eCard with the special designation of “PALS Plus” to indicate that they have completed the advanced modules as well as meeting all course completion requirements for a standard PALS Provider eCard.

ACLS Academy is an authorized American Heart Associate (AHA) Aligned Training Center. We have three convenient locations in Massachusetts – Quincy, Bridgewater, and Newton Center with most of our classes including an online training component. We provide high-quality courses taught by instructors practicing in the medical profession for ACLS, TNCC, BLS, ENPC, NRP, PALS, Bloodborne Pathogen, HeartSaver CPR/AED, First Aid, and Instructor Courses. Please browse our catalog of courses.