The Implementation of PEARS Training: Supporting Nurses in Non-Critical Care Settings to Improve Patient Outcomes

Children's Hospital Boston's Life Support Program began offering the newly developed American Heart Association Pediatric Emergency Assessment, Recognition and Stabilization (PEARS) course for nurses working in non-critical care settings in December of 2007. The goal was to provide an appropriate alternative to pediatric advanced life support (PALS) training for clinical staff caring for the general pediatric population. To date, more than 900 nurses have completed the course with feedback from the participants being extremely positive. Even more impressive is a more appropriate use of the hospital's emergency medical response system promoting early intervention and the significant reduction in cardiac arrests on inpatient units. During a 12-month period, nurses involved in activations of the response system were asked to rate their ability to assess, categorize, decide and act after each event. The overwhelming majority agreed they were able to apply the PEARS systematic approach of assessment and early intervention to the situation. This article describes the planning and implementation of PEARS training for non-critical care nursing staff and provides data that demonstrates improved patient outcomes. Supporting activities and strategies promoting early recognition and interventions contributing to the successful reduction of cardiac arrests on inpatient units are also discussed.