The American Heart Association has some new programs that should be of interest to EMS. These programs are Airway Management, Pharmacology & EKG and PEARS ( Pediatric Emergency Assessment, Recognition and Stabilization).

The Airway Management course is specifically designed to give students the opportunity to learn, practice and demonstrate many airways skills used in resuscitation. The course includes 5 modules that can be taught together or used as add-ons to a BCLS or ACLS provider course. The 1st module is required with the 4 remaining modules as optional based on the student need and scope of practice.
The modules are:
1. Bag-Mask Ventilation and Airway Adjuncts ( required)
2. Laryngeal Mask Airway
3. Esophageal-Tracheal Combitube
4.Endotracheal Tube
5. Impedance Threshold Device

Pharmacology & ECG course includes information on Electrophysiology, normal ECG measurements, basic arrhythmias, basic ACLS drugs, usage and routes of administration during cardiovascular emergencies, and how to integrate basic drug pharmacology into ACLS algorithms.

Modules:
1.ECG ( approximately 3.5 hours)
2. Pharmacology (approximately 2.75 hours)


PEARS Provider Course is designed to enhance the healthcare workers basic pediatric Life support knowledge to prepare them to initiate and manage the first few minutes of a pediatric arrest or to prevent the pediatric arrest in severe cardiopulmonary distress. This is a video-based, instructor lead, traditional classroom course. Upon successful completion, students will receive a PEARS Provider Course Completion Card. The course is approximately 6.5 hours.