AHA PALS Renewal Course

This course encompasses the current American Heart Association (AHA) CPR and ECC guidelines. The full certification course is designed for providers who are seeking certification for the first time or those who have let their previous certification expire. The renewal course is designed for those who have taken the course and whose card is about to expire. Successful performance of both a written and skills exam is required for a completion card.

You MUST bring a copy of the CURRENT textbook AND a COMPLETED PRECOURSE ASSESSMENT to the course.

You WILL NOT BE ADMITTED to the class without the required textbook and a completed precourse assessment. You can purchase the manual online.

If you are a new provider or have a PALS card that HAS expired, you must take the two day, full certification class.

If you have a current, NON-EXPIRED, PALS card, you are eligible to take the one day, renewal course.

Physical Requirements

You must be able to physically demonstrate the skills in order to receive a certification.

Course Content

This course includes the following: 

• Emphasis on Basic Life Support including skills practice
• Use of an Automated External Defibrillator (AED)
• The systematic approach to pediatric patient assessment
• Recognition & Treatment of Respiratory Distress & Respiratory Failure
• Recognition of Shock Emergencies
• Recognition & Treatment of Pre-Arrest conditions
• Intraosseous access and fluid bolus administration
• Utilization of the team-resuscitation dynamic
• Treatment of cardiac arrest
• Management of stable & unstable bradycardia & tachycardias
• Opportunity to review advanced airway management

This course does not include:

• Formal instruction on placement of advanced airways
• Formal instruction on rhythm identification & ECG interpretation

Precourse Requirements

• Complete the PALS Precourse Self-Assessment found here.
• Review any sections that you scored poorly on.
• Either print the results of your assessment, or email a copy of the certificate to gwtrainingcenter@mfa.gwu.edu.

AHA Disclaimer

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, and any fees charged for such a course do not represent income to the Association.