Professional and Continuing Education

Pediatric Advanced Life Support

HeartCode PALS FAQs (PDF)



Course Overview (HeartCode PALS)

What is HeartCode PALS?

HeartCode® is an online comprehensive eLearning program that uses eSimulation technology to allow students to assess and treat patients in virtual healthcare settings. In this environment, students apply their knowledge to real-time decision-making and skills development. To enter the course, students must complete the PALS Precourse Self-Assessment. Students are then presented with 12 In-hospital patient cases and a team dynamics lesson. Cases may be repeated as many times as necessary to pass. Upon successful completion of all the patient cases, students must pass the multiple-choice exam with a minimum score of 84%. Students who successfully complete the online portion of the course receive a certificate granting them access to a PALS Hands-on Session with an AHA PALS Instructor. Students must successfully complete BOTH the online portion and the hands-on session to receive a PALS Provider course completion card (print or eCard).

    Features:
  • Web-based, self-paced eSimulation instructional program for PALS cognitive training
  • Students apply knowledge to real-time decision-making and skills development
  • Debriefings and coaching are provided immediately after each simulation to facilitate learning
  • Access to the PALS Provider Manual, the 2015 Handbook of ECC, and 2015 AHA Guidelines for CPR and ECC
  • Access to all information in course for two years following activation of course
    Course Content:
  • Performing high-quality Child CPR AED and Infant CPR per AHA BLS recommendations
  • Differentiating between patients who do and do not require immediate intervention
  • Recognizing cardiopulmonary arrest early and beginning CPR within 10 seconds
  • Applying team dynamics
  • Differentiating between respiratory distress and failure
  • Performing early interventions for respiratory distress and failure's
  • Differentiating between compensated and decompensated (hypotensive) shock
  • Performing early interventions for the treatment of shock
  • Differentiating between unstable and stable patients with arrhythmias
  • Describing clinical characteristics of instability in patients with arrhythmias
  • Implementing post–cardiac arrest management
Intended Audience

HeartCode PALS is for healthcare providers who respond to emergencies in infants and children. This includes personnel in emergency response, emergency medicine, intensive care and critical care units such as physicians, nurses, paramedics and others who need a PALS course completion card and are seeking an alternative (non-classroom) method for completing an initial or update PALS course.

Student Materials

The UMBC issued access code for the course is included with the fee.

Pre-course Preparation:

As per the AHA guidelines all students MUST complete the following BEFORE attending the PALS provider/renewal class.

  • Complete the PALS Precourse Self-Assessment
  • Understand and pass the 12 in-hospital patient cases and a team dynamics lesson
  • Understand the PALS algorithms for the core cases in the electronic version of the PALS student manual.
  • Complete the PALS written exam and pass with an 84%.
  • Print out the completion certificate and bring it with you to the on site portion of the PALS course. Without this certificate you will not be allowed to participate in the on site PALS portion of the course.
Course Completion Card or Certificate

Successful completion of the full PALS course (using HeartCode PALS) includes:

  • HeartCode PALS Online Portion. Upon successful completion of the online portion, including the written exam, students receive a certificate of completion, which must be presented for the hands-on session with an AHA PALS Instructor or a voice-assisted manikin (VAM).
  • Hands-on session with an AHA PALS Instructor.
Students will receive an AHA PALS course completion card, valid for two years, upon successful completion of course components.

Course Policies

A copy of the general course policies can be viewed by clicking here.

General Course Information

Continuing Education Credits for Emergency Medical Services

This continuing education activity is approved by the American Heart Association, an organization accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Pre-Hospital Continuing Education (CAPCE), for 5.75 Advanced CEHs, activity number 17-AMHA-F3-0346 **CAPCE credit must be claimed within 6 months of participation. CME/CE credit will no longer be available to claim for this activity after the 6-month claiming period. These CEU's are being issued via American Heart Association, not UMBC.

Continuing Education Credits for Nurses

The maximum number of hours awarded for this CE activity is 6.50 contact hours. **ANCC Credit must be claimed within 6 months of participation. CME/CE will no longer be available to claim for this activity after six months of participating.

Continuing Education Credits for Nurse Practitioners

American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) accepts AMA PRA Category 1 CreditTM from organizations accredited by the ACCME. **AMA Credit must be claimed within 6 months of participation. CME/CE will no longer be available to claim for this activity after six months of participating.

Continuing Education Credits for Physicians

The American Heart Association designates this enduring material for a maximum of 7.25 AMA PRA Category 1 CreditTM Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Continuing Education Credits for Physicians Assistants

AAPA accepts certificates of participation for educational activities certified for AMA PRA Category 1 CreditTM from organizations accredited by ACCME or a recognized state medical society. Physician assistants may receive a maximum of 7.25 hour of Category I credit for completing this program.

Continuing Education Credits for Pharmacists

ACPE Credit: 8.00 Contact Hours | Universal Program Number: 0256-0000-17-914-H01-P **ACPE credit must be claimed within 30 days of participation. ACPE credit will no longer be available to claim after one month of participating.

Registration

Early registration is encouraged to ensure space availability. Class size is limited.

Tuition

Please check the individual registration forms for the fee.

Tuition includes a UMBC issued Access Code for PART 1 and a UMBC site test for PART 2 & 3 along with a certification card.

Cancellation/Refunds

All registration fees are non-refundable. Registrants may transfer to another course one time (within one year of initial registration) for an additional fee of $45.00.

A $45.00 fee will be charged for any returned check.

UMBC reserves the right to cancel any course due to insufficient enrollment. In the event of cancellation tuition will be refunded or transferred to another course date at UMBC's expense.

Authorized Provider of CPR and ECC Courses, by American Heart Association

The American Heart Association strongly promotes knowledge and proficiency in BLS, ACLS, and PALS and has developed instructional materials for this purpose. Use of these materials in an educational course does not represent course sponsorship by the American Heart Association. Any fees charged for such a course, except for a portion of fees needed for AHA course materials, do not represent income to the Association.