PEARS Provider - Pediatric Emergency Assessment, Recognition, Stabilization

Pediatric Emergency Assessment, Recognition, and Stabilization (PEARS) Provider

About this Course 

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 Current Heart & Stroke BLS Provider certification - OR - have done the Heart & Stroke BLS Renewal Prerequisite Challenge test

Basic Life Support Recertification

Heart and Stroke Foundation BLS Provider Recertification is included within our PEARS Provider course, at NO additional charge, for all participants who provide a Heart and Stroke BLS Provider Renewal Prerequisite Challenge Certificate during course check-in. 

BLS Provider Renewal Prerequisite Challenge Certificate are completed online through the Heart and Stroke Foundation's Resuscitation Portal . Kindly follow the link below.

BLS Renewal Challenge Test

* Submission of paper copies of a valid BLS (HSF) certificate or the BLS Renewal Challenge test at course check-in to be eligible to participate in this 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]

For more information, visit the following link: McMaster Children's Hospital Simulation, Resuscitation and Outreach Center (SiROC)

Program Coordinator

Shimaa Nassif, MD

Cancellation and Credit Policy

Please note that the following Cancellation/ Credit 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 registration processing fee (Eventbite service charge) is subject to Eventbrite's Refund Policy. 

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

• To transfer to an alternate course date, you must withdraw from the course that you originally registered for and complete the registration process for the course date that you want to attend. Course withdrawal conditions listed above apply.

- No refunds nor credit to reschedule will be issued for withdrawals requested 1 week or less prior to a course. No refunds will be given for “no shows”.

- We reserve the right to cancel or reschedule the course due to circumstances beyond our control. You will be rescheduled to the next available session and offered to choose from future classes if the date we offer does not match your schedule. No refund will be issued.