PALS for Clinicians
PALS is the advanced paediatric life support card most UAE hospitals and clinics ask of staff who may treat a critically ill child. Exactly who needs it is set by your facility and, for some licence categories, by the regulator. This guide sets out the usual pattern and how to plan your certification.
The usual pattern
BLS for all clinical staff; PALS for paediatric, neonatal and paediatric intensive care teams, emergency department staff who see children, anaesthetists, paramedics and family or urgent-care doctors; ACLS as well for anyone who also treats adults.
Paediatricians and paediatric nurses are the core PALS audience. Many paediatric units require every nurse to hold PALS; others require it for senior nurses and anyone on the resuscitation team, with BLS for the rest.
Intensive care teams caring for infants and children usually hold PALS, and neonatal staff often also need NRP for resuscitation at delivery.
Emergency doctors and nurses who see children, and paramedics who carry paediatric resuscitation equipment, generally need both PALS and ACLS. Our PALS vs ACLS guide explains why.
Anaesthetists and sedation teams who treat children, and family and urgent-care doctors, are frequently asked for PALS. Dental clinics sedating children may need PALS-certified staff on site.
The UAE’s health regulators license professionals and facilities, and their current guidance and your facility’s policy decide the requirement for your role. Their websites are in the sources below. Our BLS requirement guide covers the baseline.
We run on-site group PALS with infant and child manikins for hospital teams, and can stagger dates so cards do not all expire at once. Contact us for a plan.
Other life support and first aid courses: BLS Course · ACLS Course · First Aid Course · Training calendar
Many paediatric units require it for all nurses; others for senior staff and the resuscitation team. Your facility sets the rule.
Often both: NRP for resuscitation at delivery and PALS for infants beyond the newborn period.
Paramedics who treat children commonly hold PALS in addition to ACLS.
AHA PALS is widely accepted by UAE facilities. Confirm the requirement for your licence category with the regulator or your employer.
Yes. We bring manikins and instructors to your facility anywhere in the UAE.
Safety First Medical Services is an American Heart Association training centre on Al Reem Island. HeartCode blended PALS, classroom PALS and on-site group sessions for paediatric, emergency and neonatal teams, with a two-year AHA PALS Provider eCard on completion.
See PALS dates and register Classroom PALS course Group booking enquiry
What we teach follows the awarding body and the UAE health authorities. For the definitive position on a course or licensing question, these are the places to check.
Last reviewed by the training team at Safety First Medical Services, an American Heart Association training centre at Addax Office Tower, Al Reem Island, Abu Dhabi. Call +971 55 761 9841 or email training@safetyfirstmed.ae.