We read with interest the article by Drs Flores and Weinstock1 regarding the preparedness of pediatricians' offices to deal with emergencies. There is no doubt that lack of preparedness may affect the outcome of an unexpected emergency. Although such a study, to our knowledge, has not been performed in Israel, based on personal information from pediatricians in the community, we tend to believe that the level of preparedness in Israel, for equipment and training, is either the same or more likely even worse than the level found in Fairfield County, Connecticut. Data that support a remedy for this situation are given.
The Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) course
was introduced in Israel on November 11, 1994. Since then, 250 physicians and nurses have taken the course. We studied the influence of the PALS course on the acquisition of cognitive skills related to pediatric resuscitation. The first 145 participants (ie,