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Tattoos, Tongues, Teens & Trauma Emergency Implications of Body Piercing/Modifications
Working & Wheezing
"Big Head, Little Body Syndrome"
How Long Can You Hold Your Breath?
"Dead, Dead, & Dead"
"The Worst Ways To Die"
Coding Kids: Pediatric Resuscitation Update
Don't Let The Bedbugs, Bats, Or Bulldogs Bite
Bloodletting, Barbers, & Bugs
Back To Basics
Ipecac, Lavage, & Teaching Them A Lesson
Blood Goes... Air Goes... & Death By Diagnosis
More Than Just Tylenol... Pediatric Fever Management
Pediatric Neuro Nightmares I: Head Trauma
Pediatric Neuro Nightmares II: Spinal Cord Trauma
"To Tube or not to Tube..."
Care of the Pediatric Patient in the "Big People" ICU
Bumps, Bruises, & Breaks: Pediatric Extremity Trauma
"Unbelievable But True Case Studies"
Trauma for Two or Three or... : Trauma in Pregnancy
"A Trauma Patient Unlike Any Other"
Expressway & Elevator Deliveries: Emergency Newborn Care
Treating Tiny Trauma: Pediatric Trauma Update -- 8 Hour Seminar
Crashing Kids: Pediatric Medical Emergencies Update -- 8 Hour Seminar
Surviving Neonatal Resuscitation
Birth, Babies, & Big Kids: OB, Infant, & Pediatric Emergencies
OB/Neonatal Skills Lab
Pediatric Emergencies Skills Lab
Pediatric Play Time -- 4 hour Pediatric Skills Lab

CPEN 1 Day "Crash" Review Course
Certified Pediatric Emergency Nurse Review Course

Emergency nurses who provide urgent and emergent nursing care to pediatric patients and their families will want to validate their skills and expertise by sitting for this examination. Earning the CPEN credential demonstrates extensive knowledge and experience related to pediatric emergency nursing care. Qualified nurses will be able to take the examination for this esteemed certification.

This 1 day, fast-paced pediatric emergency nursing program was created to review the initial assessment and management of sick or not sick children. This highly interactive seminar will take complex information and present it in a non-threatening and easy to understand manner.

0730-0800 Registration and sign-in
0800-0900 Respiratory Emergencies - Working & Wheezing
0900-0910 Break
0910-1010 Cardiovascular Emergencies - Congenital Hearts & CPR
1010-1020 Break
1020-1120 Neurological/Psychiatric Emergencies - Neuro Nightmares & Dysfunctional Dilemmas
1120-1130 Break
1130-1230 Environmental Emergencies - Drowning, Drugs, Bugs, Bites, & Radical Rashes
1230-1330 Lunch
1330-1430 Abdominal & OB/Neonatal Emergencies - Bellies, Birth, & Babies
1430-1440 Break
1440-1510 Endocrine Emergencies - Hormones & Haagen-Dazs
1510-1520 Break
1520-1620 Orthopedics & Pain Management - Bumps, Breaks, Morphine, & Monitoring
1620-1630 Break
1630-1700 Miscellaneous Medical Emergencies - Remaining Reminders
1700-1800 Pediatric Pearls & Jeopardy Jewels (Game Show Test Prep Review)

CPEN 2 Day Review Course
Certified Pediatric Emergency Nurse Review Course

Emergency nurses who provide urgent and emergent nursing care to pediatric patients and their families will want to validate their skills and expertise by sitting for this examination. Earning the CPEN credential demonstrates extensive knowledge and experience related to pediatric emergency nursing care. Qualified nurses will be able to take the examination for this esteemed certification.

This 2 day, slower-paced, more relaxed pediatric emergency nursing program was created to review the initial assessment and management of sick or not sick children. The program is highly interactive with hundreds of review questions that will take complex information and present it in a non-threatening and easy to understand manner.

CPEN Day 1:
0830 - 0930 Emergency Assessment of Crashing Kids
0930 - 0940 Break
0940 - 1040 Emergency Management of Crashing Kids
1040 - 1050 Break
1050 - 1150 Respiratory Emergencies - Working & Wheezing
1150 - 1300 Lunch
1300 - 1400 Cardiovascular Emergencies - Congenital Hearts & CPR
1400 - 1410 Break
1410 - 1510 Neurological/Psychiatric Emergencies - Neuro Nightmares & Dysfunctional Dilemmas
1510 - 1520 Break
1520 - 1630 Pediatric Pearls & Jeopardy Jewels (Day I Review)

CPEN Day 2:
0830 - 0930 Environmental Emergencies - Drowning,
Drugs, Bugs, Bites, & Radical Rashes
0930 - 0940 Break
0940 - 1040 Abdominal & OB/Neonatal Emergencies - Bellies, Birth, & Babies
1040 - 1050 Break
1050 - 1150 Endocrine Emergencies - Hormones & Haagen-Dazs
1150 - 1300 Lunch
1300 - 1400 Orthopedics & Pain Management - Bumps, Breaks, Morphine, & Monitoring
1400 - 1410 Break
1410 - 1510 Miscellaneous Medical Emergencies - Remaining Reminders
1510 - 1520 Break
1520 - 1630 Pediatric Pearls & Jeopardy Jewels (Day II Review)

Tattoos, Tongues, Teens & Trauma
Emergency Implications of Body Piercing/Modifications

It's happening more & more... Though body modification has been practiced for thousands of years, seemingly only recently has it become an "epidemic," especially among teens & young adults. This presentation will review "what we really want to know" regarding body modification & implications for emergency care. Through real-life case studies, answers to questions involving airway management, defibrillation, obstetrics, & thrombolytics will be addressed.

  • This is not a new "fad"
  • Piercings from top to bottom
  • Beyond just piercings... scarification, branding, & more
  • Emergency/transport implications - Urban legend vs. research realities

Course length: 60 minutes

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Working & Wheezing
Pediatric Respiratory Emergencies

If they look like an asthmatic, and they act like an asthmatic, they probably are an asthmatic. However, all that wheezes is not asthma! This lecture will review the assessment findings & current management techniques utilized in pediatric patients with commonly encountered respiratory emergencies, such as asthma, croup, epiglottitis, & RSV.

  • How many nebs can you really give?
  • IV vs. inhaled vs. IM vs. oral steroids?
  • Why is epiglottitis making a comeback?
  • Ribavirin, racemic, & RSV?

Course length: 60 minutes

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"Big Head, Little Body Syndrome"
4 Crucial Implications for Pediatric Trauma

Up until age 6, kids are still kids... They look like kids... They act like kids... They are still cute little kids... & they have "big head, little body syndrome." Their "big ol' heads" make a big difference in the areas of airway management, cervical spine immobilization, burns, & drowning. This lecture will review the implications of this syndrome, as well as current research & "real-life" recommendations for positioning for procedures and diagnostics, airway maintenance, burn surface calculations, & more.


  • Adult vs. pediatric spinal boards
  • Do pediatric cervical collars fit kids?
  • Big parts vs. little parts in burn calculations

Course length: 20 minutes

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How Long Can You Hold Your Breath?
The Near-Drowning Experience

What really happens when someone drowns? Attendees will be given an inside view as they are asked to close their eyes and be guided through the human body's responses to progressive hypoxia and eventual death. From the prehospital arena to the critical care unit, assessment findings are being investigated in an effort to predict the long-term degree of disability for patients. As with many areas of medicine there are no absolutes, and children continue to amaze caregivers with their astonishing recoveries.

  • What do people drown in & does it make a difference?
  • Why did they get in & more importantly, stay in the water?
  • Are there fates worse than death?
  • Prevention measures: What really works?

Course length: 45 minutes

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"Dead, Dead, & Dead"
Emergency Burn Care : What You Really Need To Know

A child that is burned is a gut wrenching experience, but not knowing how to best care for them is almost as horrible. Burns that are thermal, chemical, or electrical in origin will change the lives of thousands of people forever each year. Prehospital and emergency personnel can be one of the first to care for these patients and proper interventions in the first few critical hours can truly be lifesaving. Current assessment and management principles of burn care, as well as their pathophysiologic rationales will be discussed. This interactive lecture will dispel many of the myths of burn care, thus allowing for a better understanding of the real-life ways to best manage these critically ill children & adults.

  • EMS vs. ER fluid resuscitation
  • Myths of Morphine
  • Dressings: Dry vs. wet? Goop or no goop?
  • Thermal, electrical, chemical, tar, & non-accidental burns
Course length: 60 minutes

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"The Worst Ways To Die"
Burns & Near-Drowning

This lecture series combines two of our most popular courses, burns & near-drowning, to illustrate the worst ways to die!

Course Length: 120 minutes (with 15 minute break between courses)

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Coding Kids: Pediatric Resuscitation Update
What They Don't Teach You In ACLS & PALS

Throughout America and the world today, children are needlessly dying, or are they needlessly being resuscitated? Despite the recent advances in emergency and critical care medicine, survival rates from cardiac arrest in children remain at best, dismal. This lecture will attempt to demystify "why we really do what we do" in the arena of pediatric resuscitation. Current research findings and recommendations will be reviewed, as well as the effectiveness of therapies past, present, & future. In addition, proposed criteria for termination of resuscitation efforts will be discussed.

  • Alternative CPR techniques
  • Cardioversion, defibrillation, & adult vs. pediatric AED's
  • Changes in anti-arrhythmic medications
  • IV fluids: What type, how fast, & why?
  • Termination of efforts: How long is too long?

Course length: 120 minutes

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Many people remember growing up & hearing the stories of the "kid down the street" who received the "shots in the stomach" for rabies. Management of the patient with exposure to animals or insects continues to change. This lecture will review current findings & management techniques with anaphylactic shock, Lyme disease, and rabies exposure.

  • What are people allergic to & what do I do about it?
  • Deer ticks, antibiotics, & the diagnosis of Lyme disease
  • Rabies vs. Ebola & why is prophylaxis so crucial?
  • Are your patients really going to get rabies?
Course length: 45 minutes

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"Bloodletting, Barbers, & Bugs"
The Unbelievable History of Medicine

This fascinating and informative talk looks at the history and evolution of emergency medicine. From the earliest times, parents have looked to medicine, and later nursing & EMS to help their children, and some of the most bizarre treatments imaginable have been tried. This unique look at medical history will give attendees a chance to understand the origins of many currently utilized procedures. Emergency and critical care personnel of all levels will enjoy this review of the seemingly unbelievable history of medicine, nursing and EMS. Who were the real masters of airway management?
  • Letting the evil spirits & bad blood out!
  • What wars taught us about transport, orthopaedics, & shock

Course length: 60 minutes

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Back to Basics
Emergency Assessment of "Neuro Nightmares"

Every five minutes, one person's life is permanently altered in the United States due to neuro trauma. As prehospital, emergency, and critical care sciences progress, along with newer medical and surgical therapies, the prognosis for those acutely injured continues to become more favorable. This lecture will review assessment techniques utilized with neurologically injured pediatric patients, along with disputing those "we've always done it this way" methods. Throughout this comprehensive lecture, attendees will refine their assessment proficiencies, while learning of the latest research.

  • Learn what paramedics, not books, teach about motor vehicle crashes
  • Saturday night, 2AM "real-life" neuro exams
  • Spinal cord injuries: Beyond "can't move & can't feel"

Course length: 60 minutes

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"Pump their stomach... Narcan for everyone..." Countless children are affected by overdoses every year and keeping up with the latest management techniques can be difficult as they definitely are changing. This lecture will review current controversial management recommendations for the pediatric & adult overdose patient. In addition to "antidotes", the changing roles of various decontamination options, such as Ipecac, lavage, charcoal, and other therapies will be discussed.

  • The three types of overdoses
  • Changes in the "coma cocktail"
  • "It's still above": Ipecac & lavage
  • "It's gone below": Whole GI irrigation & charcoal
  • Tylenol & oral vs. IV Mucomyst

Course length: 45 minutes

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Blood Goes... Air Goes... & Death By Diagnosis
Pediatric Chest & Abdominal Trauma

After head injuries, the most common areas that are injured in a child are the chest & abdomen. Many of the common injuries in the adult population, also can occur in children, but the assessment findings & management techniques definitely are different.

  • What thoracic injuries can kill you & what can you fix in 2 minutes or less?
  • CT scans for everyone?
  • Pediatric vs. big-people management of liver & splenic injuries

Course length: 90 minutes

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"You can't find a fever unless you take a temperature." One of parents greatest fears is when their child has a fever. This fear brings their child to your care, and the inevitable, truly feared, septic workup. This lecture will review the current recommendations in the diagnosis and management of sick & not-sick febrile children, as well as what to do beyond just finding the fever.

  • What really is a fever?
  • Temperature & monitoring options & accuracies
  • Does everyone need a septic workup & how extensive?
  • Tylenol vs. Motrin: How much & how often?
Course length: 45 minutes

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Every five minutes, one person's life is permanently altered in the United States due to head trauma. As prehospital, emergency, and critical care sciences progress, along with newer medical and surgical therapies, the prognosis for those acutely injured continues to become more favorable. This lecture will review assessment & management techniques utilized with neurologically injured pediatric patients, along with disputing those "we've always done it this way" methods. Throughout this comprehensive lecture, attendees will refine their assessment proficiencies, while learning of the latest research.

  • "Real-life" neuro examinations tools
  • What do we do for head injuries that actually works?
  • What we still do for head injuries that doesn't work?
Course length: 100 minutes

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Though rare in the pediatric population, spinal cord injuries are truly devastating and change the life of the patient & their family forever. As emergency & critical sciences continue to advance, along with newer medical, surgical, and rehabilitative therapies, the prognosis for those acutely injured continues to become more favorable. This lecture will review assessment & management techniques utilized with pediatric spinal cord injury patients.

  • "Real-life" neuro examinations tools
  • What do we do for spinal cord injuries that actually works?
  • What we still do for spinal cord injuries that doesn't work?

Course length: 45 minutes

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"To Tube or not to Tube..."
Pediatric Advanced Airway Management

Imagine for just a moment that you are three years old, intubated, paralyzed with Pavulon, and wide awake. You are able to feel everything, hear everything, but just not able to do anything about your situation. You try to cry, but not a sound is heard. The only clue that you are awake and hurting is the tear in your eye and your increasing tachycardia. Children, just like adults DO FEEL PAIN! Recent studies have demonstrated that neuromuscular blockers, and especially concurrent sedatives, continue to be used incorrectly, resulting in the horrific state of chemically induced, under sedated, paralysis. Rapid sequence intubation, which was once confined to the O.R. environments, is becoming a frequently utilized adjunct to airway management in prehospital, emergency, and critical care medicine, and consequently an understanding of the commonly administered medications is essential. Lastly, the techniques and criteria for the different intubation options, such as LMA's, oral/nasal intubation, & needle/surgical cricothyroidotomy will be reviewed through case studies.

  • "Not tubed" non-invasive oxygen delivery methods
  • Placing & keeping the tube in the "good spot"
  • "Better living through chemistry": Which drug, when, & why?
Course length: 60 minutes

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Acute myocardial infarctions... Upper GI bleeds... Multiple trauma... All of these diseases and conditions are "all in a day's work" for critical care nurses. However, when one is asked to care for a pediatric patient, especially one that is critically ill, anxiety and fear can be typical responses. Children have many of the same diseases and conditions as adults, and the assessment and management principles will differ in some areas, yet be very similar in others. This lecture will review the essential components of a rapid pediatric assessment, along with "just like adults" treatment tips to allow for the best possible care in stressful situations.
The target audience is critical care staff (adult) that may be asked to care for children in their units.

  • Sick or not sick: Real-life rapid pediatric assessments
  • Tubed or not tubed: Airway management techniques
  • Big people vs. little people fluids & medications
Course length: 75 minutes

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Some of the most common reasons for seeking medical care in the pediatric population involve bumps, bruises, & breaks. This lecture will review the assessment & management of pediatric patients with orthopaedic trauma, with special consideration given to wound care & pain management techniques.

  • Wound care... What really works?
  • Making "the shot" not hurt... It can be done!
  • Traumatic amputations & fine martinis

Course length: 45 minutes

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Medical personnel sometimes do not realize the impact that they have on patients and their families. In this current age of restructuring, floating, and downsizing, the patient's outcome can be closed with the chart, and our contributions quickly forgotten. Through a review of unbelievable case studies, this lecture will help remind attendees about why they really went into EMS/nursing and the differences that we make every day.

  • Two-year old vs. Doberman & who "saved their daughter"
  • Conjoined "Siamese" twins & slinkies
  • Necrotizing fasciitis "the flesh eating disease"... You want me to fly what?

Course length: 60 minutes

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Trauma for Two or Three or... : Trauma in Pregnancy
What You Really Want (& Need) To Know

When caring for the pregnant trauma patient, one must always remember that there is not one, but two potentially critically injured patients. The number one cause of fetal death in trauma remains the death of the mother. Keeping this fact in mind, many of the assessment and management techniques utilized with the non-pregnant trauma patient are applicable, however, there are distinct and crucial differences that medical personnel should be aware of to allow for the best possible care of the mother and her yet unborn child.

  • Scott's laws of ER & pregnancy
  • Can you do an abdominal CT? Can you give Mannitol? Won't it harm the baby?
  • ER perimortem C-section & neonatal resuscitation
Course Length: 60 minutes

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"A Trauma Patient Unlike Any Other"
A Medical Review of the Crucifixion

"Medic 101 to County General... We are en route with a 33-year old male who was the victim of a crucifixion. He is in traumatic arrest, intubated and 100% oxygen is being administered. We have two IV's with LR wide open & will be at your ER in 2 minutes." In the previous paramedic report, you are told that in 2 minutes, a victim of crucifixion will be arriving at your ER. Simply put, this will be a trauma patient like no other. When one considers the "worst ways to die," typical responses include death by drowning & death by fire. If you lived 2000 years ago however, you most certainly would disagree. Throughout world history, one of the most feared deaths was that of crucifixion. The first part of the presentation will guide you through the medical, psychological, and emotional aspects of crucifixion. The death of the man called Jesus will be used to illustrate the use of a punishment that was unequaled in its cruelty and depth of suffering.
More recently however, several forensic science and mystery novels have also "resurrected" crucifixion as the way that unfortunate victims are tortured and later killed. The statement that "it doesn't happen anymore" is not quite true as video footage will detail the yearly crucifixions that occur in the Philippines during Lent (not to the point of death however), as well as the ongoing studies by a medical examiner with volunteer medical students & crucifixion in attempts to determine the true cause of death. This lecture will not only review the injuries associated with crucifixion, but also theories as to cause of death. Regardless of religious beliefs, this lecture will give attendees a deeper awareness of "...and they crucified him."

Course Length: 60 minutes

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"How many times have we said "all patients can make it to L&D..." Most times this statement is true, however, deliveries can and do occur outside the labor & delivery setting. All EMS & ER professionals should have a basic understanding of the necessary steps in resuscitation of a newborn. Most infants are healthy and require little more than "catching & clamping", however, others may require more extensive resuscitative measures. Using the mnemonics, "keep 'em pink, warm, & sweet" & "TOT's & BOB's" will assist in these potentially stressful situations. This course has been designed to teach the "what you really need to know (& will actually remember)" information regarding neonatal assessment & resuscitation.
Course Length: 60 minutes

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8-hour seminar

This full day seminar combines the most current research available with "real-life" applications for a review of pediatric advanced airway management,
head & spinal cord trauma, chest & abdominal trauma, burns, extremity trauma, and pain management.

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8-hour seminar

An overview of the resuscitation of crashing kids will be reviewed during this case study based full day seminar, as well as current research regarding
asthma, croup, epiglottitis, RSV, near-drowning, fever management, toxicology, and sedation.

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7-hour seminar

Formally known as N.A.L.S., this course will provide attendees with an American Academy of Pediatrics Neonatal Resuscitation Provider (NRP) card
after successful completion of skills stations and a written test. Unlike typical NRP courses, all lectures and didactic information are presented from the
perspective of the EMS, ER, & transport environments. In addition to the required NRP material, this course reviews the essential components of a rapid
neonatal assessment, as well as initial/transport management of common (& not so common) medical and surgical neonatal emergencies. Surviving
Neonatal Resuscitation is unlike any NRP course you have taken and will help give you the skills and confidence that you and your patients need to survive.

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7-hour seminar
Designed to offer the participant an intermediate level review of "real-life" assessment and management principles for OB, newborn, and pediatric patients with various medical and traumatic emergencies. During this course, many of the most common fears in the areas of perinatal and pediatric medicine will be addressed. Attendees will gain stronger insight into the medical care of these challenging patients. Multiple group case studies will highlight crucial issues pertaining to these issues and more.

"Vampires, Vancomycin, and the Vena Cava" ~ OB Trauma and Medical Emergencies
"In the ER, Elevator, or on the Expressway" ~ Newborn Resuscitation and Stabilization
"Preparation & Perinatal Playtime" ~ Interactive OB/Newborn Case Studies
"Preparation & Peds Playtime" ~ Interactive Pediatric Case Studies "Tattoos, Tongues, & Teenagers" ~ Emergency Implications of Body Piercing

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7-hour Program

This one of its kind full day program brings together lectures and skills lab training for a complementary learning experience.

Lecture Content Includes:
"Vampires, Vancomycin, and the Vena Cava" ~ OB Trauma and Medical Emergencies
"In the ER, Elevator, or on the Expressway" ~ Newborn Resuscitation and Stabilization
"Emergency Newborn Care: Beyond the First 5 Minutes"

Skills lab stations include: Interactive OB/Neonatal Case Studies
Neonatal Airway Management & securing of ETT's
Vascular access (Umbilical & Intraosseous)

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7-hour Program

This unique full day program brings together lectures and skills labs for a unique learning experience.

Lecture Content Includes: Assessment and Management of "Crashing Kids"
Pediatric Sedation and Pain Management Update

Skills lab stations include: Interactive Pediatric Case Studies
Pediatric Resuscitation & Defibrillation
Color Coding, Airway Management & Securing of ETT's
Intraosseous Line Placement (conventional and the "new toys")
Spinal Immobilization (conventional & car seats)

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Offer this unique program once in the morning and repeat again in the afternoon for a second group.
Maximum of 30 participants per session 4 hour session. Some equipment will be required by sponsoring institution.

This one of a kind, hands-on review course was developed to help reinforce the essentials of pediatric emergency care. During this 1/2 day program, attendees will work with harvested animal organs for a truly unique review of pediatric pathophysiology. Not just hearing, but actually seeing, touching, and performing procedures are the keys to really understanding, "Why we do what we do" in pediatric emergency and critical care. Medical professionals will gain confidence in their procedural skills, and be better able to utilize these techniques with critically ill or injured pediatric patients. Your pediatric patients will be glad that you took the time to "Get Messy!"

Skills lab stations include: Intraosseous Line Placement (conventional and the "new toys")
Airway Management (LMA, Cric's, trache's, needle decompression)
Multiple interactive pediatric scenarios

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