Children don’t respond to illness and injury the same way adults do, and the signs of trouble can be easy to miss. A fast heart rate, subtle breathing changes, or a quiet, irritable child may be the only clues before rapid deterioration. Knowing what is normal at each age, spotting the earliest red flags, and understanding how children compensate differently is critical for timely intervention. We'll highlight vital sign interpretation, rapid assessment tools, and the unique ways respiratory distress, shock, and cardiac arrest present in pediatric patients, giving nurses the insight to act quickly and confidently.
Learning Objectives
- Identify age-specific normal ranges for pediatric vital signs and recognize abnormal findings by age group.
- Apply rapid assessment tools to evaluate appearance, breathing, and circulation in infants, children, and adolescents.
- Distinguish how respiratory failure, shock, and cardiac arrest present differently in children compared to adults.
- Recognize early red flags of pediatric deterioration to guide timely interventions.
Continuing Education Credit
This nursing continuing professional development activity is approved for 1.0 contact hour. Credit will be awarded upon successful completion of the program and submission of the course evaluation, if completed within 90 days of the activity.
Contact hours are provided by Nurse Approved, LLC, an approved provider by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider Number 17734. Provider approval by the California BRN is recognized by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). License status may be verified through the California Department of Consumer Affairs License Search.
Expiration Date for Continuing Education Credit: January 15, 2026
To receive your contact hour, you must watch the webinar in its entirety and complete the evaluation form that will be shared at the end of the presentation.