What to Expect from Your Pediatric Advanced Life Support Certification

Key Takeaways

• 20,000 young people require emergency cardiopulmonary interventions every year from healthcare professionals with Pediatric Advanced Life Support certification.
• Online PALS certification is a popular choice since in-person classes often require time off work.
• Training covers the unique physiology and strategies for supporting infants, children, and teens.

It’s estimated that 20,000 infants, children, and teens experience cardiac arrest every year in the United States, and nearly three-quarters of them receive cardiopulmonary resuscitation support in hospital settings. Healthcare professionals who understand the unique physiology of infants and children through Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) training are often the difference between life and death for these young patients.

Whether you are getting certified for the first time or renewing your credential, it is important to understand what the process entails and how PALS training will support your growth professionally. And while in-person experiences are common options, it’s now possible to get PALS certification entirely remotely through online coursework. The top courses are based on the highest standards of clinical research and deliver award-winning content with flexible formats.

What’s the best way to get your Pediatric Advanced Life Support certification? Here’s everything you’ll need to know to become a life-changing first responder for children in the hospital or in the field.

What is PALS Certification?

PALS certification focuses on improving outcomes for pediatric patients who experience life-threatening emergencies like cardiopulmonary arrest, respiratory failure, or shock. Unlike Basic Life Support (BLS), which applies to all patient populations, PALS concentrates on the unique physiology and care requirements for all children under 18.

Pediatric Advanced Life Support certification equips providers with both the knowledge and hands-on skills to recognize and respond quickly to pediatric emergencies. It emphasizes a systematic approach to assessment, effective team dynamics, and the application of evidence-based interventions.

Course Structure and Format

A PALS course builds on key concepts such as ECG rhythm recognition, pharmacology, and pediatric assessment. The concepts are skillfully pulled together through treatment algorithms focused on goal-directed therapies.

Certification and recertification courses cover:

• Systematic pediatric assessment
• Recognition of respiratory distress and failure
• Identification of shock and its subtypes (hypovolemic, distributive, cardiogenic, obstructive)
• Basic and advanced airway management techniques
• Cardiac arrest management in infants and children
• Recognition and treatment of arrhythmias (bradycardia, tachycardia, pulseless rhythms)
• Effective team communication and leadership during resuscitation

Traditional In-Person Training

These PALS courses are typically two-day courses for first-time participants and one day for renewals. Expect a combination of lectures, interactive discussions, video-based learning, and hands-on practice using pediatric manikins.

Even though these courses are often mandatory, in-person training usually requires healthcare professionals to schedule time off work that may or may not be compensated. Your employer can provide guidance about whether they cover your time and course fees or if you’ll need to use PTO.

Online Pediatric Advanced Life Support Certification

Many busy healthcare workers are opting for PALS training that can be completed 100% online. The best providers leverage real-world scenarios and evidence-based guidelines to create courses that instill the confidence and skills to perform life-saving interventions in pediatric patients.

Upon completion, you’ll be fully equipped to provide the highest standard of care in pediatric emergencies with coursework that meets the latest AHA guidelines.

To ensure your online course is accepted nationwide and reflects the latest best practices and standards, look for the following credentials:

• Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME)
• American Dental Association (ADA)
• American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC)

Simulation and Team Dynamics

A hallmark of PALS training is the use of simulation scenarios. In the live course, participants are placed in team-based mock codes that simulate real pediatric emergencies. During these simulated scenarios, each participant takes turns in different roles:

• Team leader
• Airway manager
• Compressor
• Medication administrator

This practice is designed to build confidence, reinforce protocols, and highlight the importance of communication and teamwork in successful resuscitation.

For online courses, interactive learning modules can support simulation through case-based emergency scenarios designed to walk each learner through critical elements of emergency pediatric care. These experiences provide detailed, step-by-step training that translates directly to real-world applications.

Evaluation and Testing

To achieve certification, each student must successfully pass a written examination that evaluates theoretical knowledge, such as rhythm recognition and treatment algorithms.

Each learner must achieve a passing score of 80% with assessment criteria that are standardized by the AHA. This standardized testing process ensures consistency and quality across all training centers, both in-person and online.

If you opt for in-person training, you will have three chances to pass before you will be required to retake the course. Online learners have multiple opportunities to attempt final assessments at no additional cost, with time to review areas where they may have struggled.

You’ll Master Key Concepts

During the PALS course, you will become proficient in several core concepts that set pediatric emergency care apart from adult protocols:

1. Pediatric Assessment Triangle (PAT): You’ll master a rapid pediatric assessment tool for evaluating general appearance, work of breathing, and circulation to skin.
2. Airway and Breathing: This includes strategies for opening and maintaining pediatric airways, administering oxygen, and using adjuncts like bag-mask ventilation or advanced airways.
3. Circulation: Participants are trained in recognition and management of shock, cardiac arrest, and arrhythmias with age-appropriate interventions.
4. Medication Use: Coursework includes pediatric dosing for emergency drugs such as epinephrine, amiodarone, and adenosine.
5. High-Performance Teamwork: You’ll learn the value of leadership, closed-loop communication, and role clarity in pediatric resuscitation.

Benefits of PALS Certification

1. Improved Patient Outcomes: Providers gain the confidence and skills to act quickly and effectively in life-threatening situations, directly impacting survival and recovery for children.
2. Career Advancement: Many employers require or prefer PALS-certified staff, particularly in pediatrics, emergency medicine, or critical care roles.
3. Professional Credibility: Certification demonstrates a commitment to excellence and adherence to the highest standards of care.
4. Team Readiness: By standardizing knowledge and protocols, PALS ensures that multidisciplinary teams can function seamlessly in emergencies.
5. Personal Confidence: Healthcare providers often report feeling more prepared and less anxious when faced with critical pediatric cases.

What Happens After Certification?

Once certified, you will receive a PALS provider card that is valid for two years. This card serves as proof of your training and may be required by employers or licensing boards.

After two years, you will need to take a renewal course to maintain your Pediatric Advanced Life Support credential. New guidelines are issued periodically to reflect new research and best practices, and recertification ensures the workforce stays informed.

Earn Your Pediatric Advanced Life Support Certification

Life-threatening emergencies can happen in an instant, and Premiere is ensuring that critical PALS training is more accessible than ever for busy healthcare professionals. Our fully online certification and recertification courses are fully accredited, accepted nationwide, and provide research-based content that translates directly to the field.

All of Premiere’s award-winning courses are created by industry experts and empower healthcare workers to meet their professional obligations and develop their careers on a timeline that works for them.

FAQs

How hard is PALS certification?

The difficulty of PALS certification courses varies depending on how recently and frequently learners use PALS protocols in their work. Exams are comprehensive but fair, and focus on critical concepts and skills.

What happens if you fail the PALS test?

In-person courses typically offer three attempts to pass the PALS assessment before repeating the course. Online learners have multiple opportunities to retake assessments at no additional cost and can review areas where they struggled in between.

Is PALS certification worth it?

Yes. Not only is PALS certification mandatory for many healthcare roles, but it is a valuable credential that builds life-saving skills and unlocks career opportunities.