The American University of Antigua College of Medicine

The statement was once made that “children are the world’s most valuable resource and its best hope for the future.” A nation may be rich with oil, gas, and precious minerals, but without its children, who or what can that country really become?

Antigua is continuing to become “more” by striving to provide adequate health care for its children. The staff members at Mount St. John’s Medical Center (MSJMC) have opened their hearts and minds to further development by investing in the country’s children through knowledge. It was seen that, with a variety of life threatening diseases and disorders lurking about that touch the lives of precious little ones, proper pediatric medical training is obligatory. To this end, MSJMC aligned itself with AUA to conduct its first Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) training. The training course was a joint teaching collaboration between AUA’s Emergency Medicine Training Center and employees of the renowned Mayo Clinic. The goal of this two (2) day training course was to aid the pediatric healthcare providers of MSJMC develop the knowledge and skill necessary to efficiently assess and effectively manage infants and children that may be seriously ill. Participants learned how to evaluate for evidence of respiratory and circulatory hazards, prioritize and establish treatment options, and intervene when necessary to stabilize a child. Along with reviewing the treatment of the respiratory and circulatory systems, students also learned how to manage cardiac arrest and arrhythmias, and how to provide post-resuscitative care after a critical event.

The nurses and doctors that participated in the PALS training left with a renewed confidence in their roles as pediatric healthcare providers. They recognized that although there may be a number of complex disciplines utilized in the care of a pediatric patient, basic life support (BLS) is still the foundation for which resuscitative care is built. It was understood that no one person can care for a seriously ill or injured child, but rather a team, or village, of healthcare providers working harmoniously together, would help improve the child’s condition and overall chances of survival.

The excitement generated from the PALS course has laid the ground work for AUA’s EMTC to continue its work in supporting other initiatives with MSJMC. It is envisaged that additional PALS courses along with ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support) and BLS programs will be conducted at the start of 2010.