PALS EDUCATIONAL GUIDE
H's & T's in PALS
Understand the H’s & T’s and their role in pediatric patient assessment before beginning your HeartCode PALS eLearning course.
The H’s & T’s are an important concept introduced during the American Heart Association HeartCode PALS eLearning course. They provide healthcare professionals with a structured way to consider potentially reversible causes of cardiac arrest and other pediatric emergencies during patient assessment. This educational guide reinforces those concepts and supplements—but does not replace—the official American Heart Association course materials.
WHAT ARE THE H'S & T'S?
The H’s & T’s are a memory aid used during the HeartCode PALS eLearning course to help healthcare professionals perform a systematic pediatric patient assessment. Students learn how reversible causes may influence patient care and why recognizing them is an important part of pediatric advanced life support.
WHO NEEDS PALS CERTIFICATION?
Healthcare professionals commonly requiring PALS certification include:
- Registered Nurses (RN)
- Physicians
- Nurse Practitioners
- Physician Assistants
- Respiratory Therapists
- Paramedics
- Emergency Department Staff
- Pediatric Intensive Care Unit Staff
- Pediatric Healthcare Professionals
What Will You Learn?
Recognizing potentially reversible causes is an important concept taught during the HeartCode PALS eLearning course. Students learn how pediatric patient assessment, team communication, and evidence-based decision-making work together while considering reversible causes during pediatric emergencies.
Topics commonly covered include:
- Reversible causes of pediatric cardiac arrest
- Systematic pediatric patient assessment
- Team communication principles
- Clinical decision-making concepts
- Recognition of pediatric emergencies
- Evidence-based pediatric emergency care
- Integration of reversible causes into patient assessment
How to Prepare
Reviewing the H’s & T’s before beginning the HeartCode PALS eLearning course can help reinforce pediatric patient assessment concepts. The in-person PALS skills session focuses on demonstrating high-quality CPR skills rather than reviewing advanced PALS concepts.
- Complete the HeartCode PALS eLearning course before your skills session.
- Review the concept of reversible causes.
- Become familiar with systematic pediatric patient assessment.
- Arrive prepared to demonstrate high-quality CPR skills.
- Key Takeaways
- The H's & T's are taught during the HeartCode PALS eLearning course.
- They help healthcare professionals consider reversible causes during pediatric patient assessment.
- Understanding these concepts supports evidence-based pediatric emergency care.
- The in-person PALS skills session focuses on demonstrating high-quality CPR skills.
Frequently Asked Questions
American Heart Association PALS certification is typically valid for two years.
PALS certification is intended for healthcare professionals who care for infants and children in emergency or critical care settings.
Yes. BLS teaches the fundamentals of high-quality CPR, while PALS builds upon those skills by introducing advanced pediatric emergency cardiovascular care concepts during the HeartCode PALS eLearning course.
Yes. Students complete the HeartCode PALS eLearning course before attending the in-person skills session, which focuses on demonstrating high-quality CPR skills.
