Question about PALS

BeenThereDoneThat74, MSN, RN · Dec 15, 2004

in response to a recent post about acls, i got to thinking about pals. i will probably be taking it in the next few months...but am concerned. someone told me that to practice the inbuation you practice on anestisized (sp) kittens? :angryfire there is no way in h$ll that i'd ever do that. but i am required to take the class for a few of the jobs i have applied for.....can someone clear this up? i really don't even think i could sit by and watch other people do this, i'd have to call the aspca police!!! help

:eek:never, ever, ever, ever heard of this, or took a class like this. my dad is an instructor and concurs. it won't be too hard for you to find one where you don't have to do it

hypnotic_nurse · Dec 15, 2004

no, no no -- it's all plastic dummies. :)

RE Agent · Dec 15, 2004

In response to a recent post about ACLS, I got to thinking about PALS. I will probably be taking it in the next few months...but am concerned. Someone told me that to practice the inbuation you practice on anestisized (sp) kittens? :angryfire There is NO way that I'd ever do that. But I am required to take the class for a few of the jobs I have applied for.....can someone clear this up? I really don't even think I could sit by and watch other people do this, I'd have to call the ASPCA police!!! Help

Well, I have heard of this, but never seen it. We had plastic heads in PALS to practice on. When I was in the navy we used goats in our cambat casulty course. We did cut downs, chest tubes, and paracardialsentisis (sp). It was awful to me, but if I had to save a life after this training, I could. I don't think I could intubate a kitten, unless it really needed it. Good Luck!!!

purplemania, BSN, RN · Dec 15, 2004

I think years ago cats were used but that is considered archaic now. The Am. Heart Asso. uses only mannequins (or manikins, depending on which dictionary you like).

emsboss · Dec 15, 2004

As a PALS instructor...Let me assure you there are no longer ANY live animals used as practice for intubation. We used to use cats or ferrets because the size/anatomy is comparable to an infant. PETA and some other groups stepped in and stopped this practice:rolleyes: . We now use mannequins:p . Hope this helps!

jaimealmostRN · Dec 15, 2004

THANK YOU all so much. Now I'm really excited at the prospect of taking the class. If they did still do this I think all the kittens would probably be coming home with me LOL. Thank you agian everyone. :)