PALS Plus™ Course FAQs

PALS Plus™ Course FAQs

Q: What is the PALS Plus Course?
A: The AHA and the American Academy of Pediatrics have collaborated to develop PALS Plus, a pediatric advanced life support course designed for more experienced pediatric healthcare professionals seeking advanced educational content. This course teaches more than the standard PALS curriculum through the addition of 9 PALS Advanced eLearning 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 eLearning Modules, followed by a HeartCode PALS hands-on skills session with an authorized AHA PALS Instructor.
After successful completion of all PALS Plus Provider Course components, students will receive a PALS Plus Provider eCard (a PALS Provider eCard with a special designation of “PALS Plus”), valid for 2 years.

Q: What is the difference between HeartCode PALS and the PALS Plus Course?
A: The PALS Plus Course extends the cognitive learning portion of HeartCode beyond the standard PALS Provider curriculum by adding online modules focused on specialty areas related to pediatric emergentand critical conditions. There are 9 online modules and students must complete at least 6 of the 9 modules in addition to HeartCode PALS Online for completion of the cognitive portion of PALS Plus.
Students who complete the online components of PALS Plus, followed by an in-person skills session (HeartCode PALS Skills Session) with an AHA PALS Instructor receive a PALS Provider eCard with the PALS Plus designation.

Q: What are the learning objectives for the PALS Plus Course?
A: Learning objectives for the eLearning components of PALS Plus, including HeartCode PALS Online and the PALS Plus Advanced eLearning Modules can be found in the PALS Plus Course listings on ShopCPR.Heart.org or eLearning.Heart.org.

Q: What advanced modules are available as part of the PALS Plus Course?
A: Students may select from the following modules:
• Advanced Airway Management
• Child Abuse
• Toxicology
• Trauma—Overview and Approach
• Technologically Dependent Child
• Sedation and Analgesia
• Post–Cardiac Arrest Care
• Ultrasound
• Congenital Heart Disease

Q: Where can I find additional information about the PALS Plus Advanced eLearning Modules?
A: For more information about the PALS Plus Advanced eLearning Modules in the PALS Plus Advanced Modules FAQ posted on the PALS Course Instructor Resources page on Atlas.

Q: What are some of the key features of the PALS Plus Course?
A: Features of 2020 Guidelines HeartCode PALS Online and the PALS Plus Advanced Modules include:
• Engaging, True Adaptive™ learning experience
• Responsive design that ensures compatibility on mobile devices and tablets
• Students can select their level of competence as they begin the course, and can change their selection at any time during the course
• All curriculum is web-accessible through inclusive design (WCAG 2.1 AA)
• Works on all common browsers

PALS Plus Target Audience
Q: Who is the intended audience for the PALS Plus Course?
A: The PALS Plus Course is for advanced healthcare professionals 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. This includes personnel in emergency response, emergency medicine, intensive care, and critical care units such as physicians, physician assistants,
hospitalists, advanced practice/registered nurses, advanced level prehospital providers, and others who desire additional advanced educational content beyond the traditional PALS course.

Course Length
Q: How long does it take to complete the online portion of the PALS Plus Course?
A: Because of the adaptive technology used in HeartCode PALS and the PALS Plus Advanced Modules, the completion time for the online portion of the PALS Plus Course varies based on the student’s selfassessment and knowledge of the cognitive material.

Q: What is the length of the HeartCode PALS Instructor-led hands-on skills session?
A: The approximate time for the Instructor-led hands-on skills session for HeartCode PALS is 4-5 hours.

Accessing the PALS Plus Course
Q: How do students access the online portion of the PALS Plus Course?
A: Once a student either is issued or purchases a license for the PALS Plus Course, the student will go to eLearning.heart.org to activate their license and complete the online course and modules. Licenses can be purchased by either students or Training Centers/Instructors.

PALS Plus Course Completion Requirements
Q: What are the steps for students to complete the PALS Plus Course?
A: Upon completion of both HeartCode PALS and at least 6 of the advanced modules, students will receive a certificate of completion for the online portion of HeartCode PALS and a certificate of completion for the 6 PALS Plus Advanced Modules, which must be presented for entry into an Instructor-led hands-on
skills session (HeartCode PALS Skills Session). Upon successful completion of the skills session, students will receive their PALS eCard with a PALS Plus designation.

Q: How do I locate a PALS Training Center offering the PALS Plus Course/eCard designation?
A: To find a PALS Training Center offering PALS Plus, you will need to contact PALS Training Centers near you to ask if the PALS Plus designation is being offered. You can search for a PALS Training Center using the Training Center Search here. Please note: PALS Plus is not currently listed as a separate course in the Atlas Find a Class tool.
Q: How can Instructors verify the authenticity of certificates of completion for the online portions of PALS Plus?
A: Instructors can verify completion certificates at https://elearning.heart.org/verify_certificate. HeartCode PALS and the advanced modules will be two separate completion certificates.

PALS Plus Provider eCard
Q: Where can AHA PALS Training Centers and Instructors find more information about PALS Plus Provider eCards and how to issue new and replacement eCards?
A: For more information and step-by-step instructions on issuing a new or replacement PALS Plus eCard, PALS Training Centers should refer to the PALS Plus eCard Users’ Guide posted on the PALS Course Instructor Resources page on Atlas.

Q: Will the AHA Course Card Reference Guide (CCRG) be updated to include information about the PALS Plus designation on the PALS Provider eCard?
A: Yes. The updated CCRG will be available soon at https://cpr.heart.org/en/resources/course-cardinformation. In the interim, below is an image of the PALS Provider eCard with the PALS Plus
designation.

Continuing Education (CE) Information:
In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by the American Heart Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics. The American Heart Association is jointly
accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

PALS Plus Advanced Modules
AMA Credit Designation Statement - Physicians
The American Heart Association designates this activity for a maximum of 2.50 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation inthe activity.AAPA Credit Acceptance Statement – Physician Assistants
AAPA accepts certificates of participation for educational activities certified for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ from organizations accredited by ACCME or a recognized state medical society. Physician assistants may receive a maximum of 2.50 hours of Category I credit for completing this program.
AANP Credit Acceptance Statement – Nurse Practitioners
American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) accepts AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ from organizations accredited by the ACCME.
ANCC Credit Designation Statement – Nurses
The maximum number of hours awarded for this CE activity is 3.25 contact hours.
Continuing Education Accreditation – Emergency Medical Services
This continuing education activity is approved by the American Heart Association, an organization accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Pre-Hospital Continuing Education (CAPCE), for 3.50 Advanced CEHs, activity number 23-AMHA-F3-0013.

HeartCode PALS Online Course
AMA Credit Designation Statement - Physicians
The American Heart Association designates this live activity for a maximum of 3.75 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
AAPA Credit Acceptance Statement – Physician Assistants
AAPA accepts certificates of participation for educational activities certified for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ from organizations accredited by ACCME or a recognized state medical society. Physicianassistants may receive a maximum of 3.75 hours of Category I credit for completing this program.

AANP Credit Acceptance Statement – Nurse Practitioners
American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) accepts AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ from organizations accredited by the ACCME.

ANCC Credit Designation Statement - Nurses
The maximum number of hours awarded for this CE activity is 4.75 contact hours.
ACPE Credit Designation Statement – Pharmacists
ACPE Credit: 3.75 Contact Hours. Universal Program Number: JA0000134-0000-20-012-H04-P.
Continuing Education Accreditation – Emergency Medical Services
This continuing education activity is approved by the American Heart Association, an organization accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Pre-Hospital Continuing Education (CAPCE), for 5.25 Advanced CEHs, activity number 20-AMHA-F3-0097.