PEARS Provider - Pediatric Emergency Assessment, Recognition, Stabilization

PEARS is a 1-day interactive and hands-on course developed by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Heart Association.  The PEARS Provider course helps healthcare providers develop the knowledge and skills needed for emergency evaluation and initial stabilization of seriously ill infants and children.  After meeting the course prerequisites and successfully completing this course, participants are eligible for official PEARS Provider status through the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada.

PEARS is ideal for;

• Health professionals who are new to pediatrics,
• Health professionals who are required to care for children as part of their current role, but on an infrequent basis,
• Health professionals who are interested in taking the Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) and are looking for a course that will help them build knowledge and skills in preparation for PALS, and
• Health profession students who are interested in pursuing careers caring for children.

Inpatient, Outpatient, and Pre-Hospital providers are encouraged to attend.

PEARS includes:

• Pediatric assessment, including common pediatric presentations/findings
• Recognition and management of respiratory problems
• Recognition and management of shock
• Recognition and management of cardiac arrest
• Resuscitation team competencies and team dynamics

Course Prerequisites

In order to participate in this course, you must be:

(1a) a recognized health professional, or

(1b) a student enrolled in their final year of an an accredited educational program to become a recognized health professional, and

(2) hold a valid Heart and Stroke Foundation (HSFC) Basic Life Support (BLS) Provider card* (see below for details)

 * If you are seeking official PEARS Provider status through the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, a paper copy of your valid HSFC BLS Provider card must be submitted at course check-in . Please see your card for expiration date.

* If you do not hold a valid BLS Provider card or if your BLS card was issued by an organization other than the Heart and Stroke Foundation, you may still participate in the course as an auditing participant. According to Heart and Stroke Foundation policy, participants must meet all prerequisites to be eligible for official PEARS Provider status at the conclusion of the course.  All participants will receive a Certificate of Continuing Education.

If you do not have a valid HSFC BLS Provider card but would like to obtain one before the course, please go to www.resuscitation.heartandstroke.ca and use the "Find a Course" button to locate available courses.  We are sorry but we do not offer BLS Provider as a stand-alone course.

Required Pre-Course Preparation and Course Materials

It is necessary to complete adequate pre-course learning in order to be successful in completing this course.  

Participants are required to study and understand the PEARS Systematic Approach before arriving for the course.  Participants are encouraged to further prepare by studying the chapters of the text that cover Recognition of Respiratory Distress and Failure, and Recognition of Shock.  Participants who complete this minimum amount of pre-course preparation gain more from the course, perform significantly better during case simulations, and are more successful during the knowledge exam required for successful completion.

PEARS course materials are not covered by the course tuition and can be obtained through the following vendors:

McMaster University Health Sciences Bookstore (McMaster University Medical Centre - Level 1, Red Section, just outside of the hospital cafeteria) (www.bookstore.mcmaster.ca)

Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada (cpr.heartandstroke.ca)  [Use the "Shop" button, located in the footer of the webpage]

Cancellation Policy

Please note that the following Cancellation Policy applies to this course:

• Requests to withdraw from a course (cancel registration) can only be completed through the Eventbrite registration system. Please go to www.eventbrite.ca/mytickets to manage your registration.

• Refunds will be made according to the date of the request based on the following timelines:

More than 3 weeks before the start of the course = 100% of tuition will be refunded

Between 2-3 weeks before the start of the course = 75% of tuition will be refunded

Less than 2 weeks, but more than 1 week before the start of the course = 50% of tuition will be refunded

1 week or less before the start of the course = No refund

Please note that the processing charge/service fee is payable directly to Eventbrite and is subject to their refund policy. 

• If you are unable to attend the course, a friend or colleague can be substituted in your place at no additional charge.

• Transfers to a future date can be requested up to 3 weeks before the start of the course. To transfer to a future course, please email us and include your order number and the course date that you would like to attend. Transfers are subject to availability. 

- No refunds will be issued for withdrawals requested 1 week or less prior to a course. No refunds will be given for “no shows”.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

McMaster Children's Hospital, Room 3H41 (3rd floor, Purple section), Hamilton, Canada