Interdisciplinary Pediatric Airway Skills Education (PASE) Program

The CHOP interdisciplinary Pediatric Airway Skills Education (PASE) program is a modular education plan for airway education for non-anesthesiologists.  It consists of three online modules (Parts 1-3) and an in-person airway skills teaching session (Part 4).  Parts 1-3 are recommended for all physicians, nurses, and other allied health providers who will care for children requiring airway support or intervention; these are also prerequisites for completion of Part 4.  Part 4 is required prior to rotation through the CHOP operating room for airway experience for non-anesthesiologists.

Part 1, Basic Airway Anatomy & Assessment, teaches the learner anatomy of the airway, anatomic airway differences between adults, children, and infants, recognition of potential difficult airway situations, and basic techniques for opening the airway in children.

Part 2, Bag-Mask Ventilation, teaches the learner the functioning of equipment, the proper technique for manual ventilation of children, and airway adjuncts such as oropharyngeal and nasopharyngeal airways.  This module also includes introduction to laryngeal mask airways as rescue devices for patients unable to be mask ventilated.

Part 3, Endotracheal Intubation, teaches the learner the indications, equipment, technique, and common pitfalls of endotracheal intubation in children.