This essential level 2 CSTF paediatric basic life support online course is designed for staff with direct clinical care responsibilities, including all qualified healthcare professionals and those working with paediatric patients. It aims to equip healthcare workers with the knowledge and skills to respond effectively to paediatric emergencies, particularly clinical deterioration or cardiorespiratory arrest.

The CSTF paediatric basic life support e-learning course covers the following:

Understanding clinical deterioration in children

• This section examines the early identification of clinical deterioration signs in paediatric patients. Participants will learn to assess vital signs, recognise distress indicators, and understand the implications of delayed intervention, enhancing their ability to prevent further decline.

Basic airway management technique

• Learners will gain practical knowledge on maintaining a patent airway in children, including head tilt-chin lift and jaw thrust manoeuvres. This segment covers airway obstruction management, emphasising the differences in approach between infants and older children.

Rescue breaths and chest compressions

• This module is focused on initiating life-saving interventions. It instructs on performing effective rescue breaths and chest compressions, adhering to the latest Resuscitation Council UK guidelines. Thus, it ensures learners can deliver high-quality CPR in critical situations.

Managing choking incidents

• Detailed guidance on handling choking emergencies in children, distinguishing between effective and ineffective coughs, and executing back blows and abdominal or chest thrusts as appropriate. This part prepares healthcare workers to act swiftly and effectively in choking scenarios.

Application of national guidelines and local policies

• This comprehensive overview ensures familiarity with Resuscitation Council (UK) guidelines, local resuscitation policies, and procedures. It aims to standardise resuscitation practices across different healthcare settings, promoting adherence to national standards.

Emergency roles and responsibilities

• Clarifies the specific roles healthcare workers play during paediatric emergencies, from the initial response to detailed reporting and recording of the event. This module underscores the importance of teamwork, communication, and adherence to legal and ethical standards in emergency care.

Interactive scenarios and case studies

• Through realistic scenarios and case studies, learners will apply their knowledge in simulated emergencies, reinforcing their skills in identifying and responding to paediatric emergencies, including clinical deterioration and cardiorespiratory arrest.

Practical demonstrations and course media

• Incorporating video demonstrations and interactive media to visually guide learners through the techniques of paediatric life support, enhancing engagement and understanding of complex concepts.

This level 2 paediatric basic life support eLearning course aims to:

• Enhance knowledge and skills in recognising and responding to paediatric clinical deterioration.
• Provide an understanding of the current Resuscitation Council (UK) guidance and legislation regarding paediatric life support.
• Promote the importance of early and effective resuscitation to save lives.

The learning objectives of this online paediatric basic life support training course are to:

• Illustrate the identification of clinical deterioration

• Explain the key signs of clinical deterioration in paediatric patients, enabling healthcare workers to quickly recognise when a child is at risk of cardiorespiratory arrest.

• Demonstrate basic airway management 

• Instruct basic airway management techniques to ensure an open airway in paediatric patients, which is critical for effective resuscitation.

• Initiate rescue breaths and chest compressions

• Guide on initiating and maintaining effective rescue breaths and chest compressions, following current Resuscitation Council UK guidelines, to provide life-saving interventions.

• Manage choking incidents

• Detail the steps for appropriately responding to choking incidents in children, highlighting the differences in approach between infants and older children.

• Apply national guidelines and policies

• Familiarise participants with national guidelines and local resuscitation policies and procedures, ensuring adherence to the best practices in paediatric life support.

• Understand emergency roles and responsibilities

•  Clarify the roles and responsibilities of healthcare workers during paediatric emergencies, including the correct process for reporting and recording details of such events.