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PEDIATRIC RESUSCITATION PROGRAM IN TAIWAN, CHINESE TAIPEI - PAST PERSPECTIVE & FUTURE

Kai-Sheng Hsieh, Jia-Kan Chang, Chia-Yuh Chen, Tsu-Fuh Yeh

Dept. of Pediatrics, Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung; Dept. of Pediatrics, Chung Shan Hospital of CSMC, Taichung; Dept. of Pediatrics, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, Tainan, Taiwan, Chinese Taipei

Background: In many countries, widespread, extensive practice of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) has dramatically reduced mortality and morbidity rates of patients facing life-threatening events. However, the practice of CPR in pediatric patients in many countries is less adequate as compared to adults.

Methods and Methods: The first ACLS instructor course was delivered in late 1980��. Now there are around 350 certified ACLS instructors. In pediatrics, the first combined advanced pediatric life support (PLS) and pediatric advanced life support (PALS) course was instituted in mid 1990��. There are around 150 certified PALS instructors now. For the neonatal resuscitation program (NRP), the first NRP instructor course was given in 1996. There are around 70 certified NRP instructors in Taiwan now.

Results: Currently, the certificate of standard CPR course is required in many different hospital accreditation programs in Taiwan. This fact provides strong stimulus for health care providers to take serious consideration for the completion of the course. More instructors and availability of standardized training courses has led to further increased number of medicare personnel capable of delivering pediatric CPR as needed.

Conclusions: With advances of new medical technologies, the effectiveness and achievement of CPR needs to be renewed periodically. An approach has been undertaken to improve quality rather than quantity of pediatric/neonatal CPR training program in Taiwan Currently we are underway to develop a mechanism to survey and monitor the quality of PALS/NRP training course so that the education of PALS/NRP will be more instrumental in the future, not just for fulfillment of certain certificate/accreditation purpose.