The preliminary result of the training course of pediatric advanced life support

To improve the preparedness of health care providers in pediatric resuscitation and to evaluate the effectiveness of the Pediatric Advanced Life Support course, we followed the standard guidelines of American Heart Association to conduct the first 10-hour course of Pediatric Advanced Life Support course in our hospital and designed this study. A total of 160 doctors and nurses were enrolled in the providers course held on Jan. 11, 1998. A pretest, posttest and survey questionnaire were given to each participant. One hundred and twenty-nine completed these tests. The average scores were 73.1 for the pretest and 86.8 for the posttest. The average scores on the pretest and posttest among doctors (n = 57) and nurses (n = 72) are 72.6, 86.7 and 73.5, 86.8, respectively (p < 0.001). In the participants with pretest score of less than 80 (n = 92), the mean values of pretest and posttest scores were 69.0 and 86.4. The participants with pretest scores higher than or equal to 80 (n = 37) had pretest and posttest mean values of 83.3 and 87.7. The participants with less background knowledge (pretest < 80) had better increment scores after this course (p < 0.05). The mean posttest scores in those working in private clinics and having 20 years of working experience are 74.0 and 72.0 (lower than the criteria for successful completion of written examination). We conclude that this provider course did increase the knowledge and skill pertaining to pediatric resuscitation personnel, particularly in participants with less background knowledge. The participants from private clinics or with working experience more than 20 years need a repeatedly educational PALS training course.