Implementing Pre-Hospital/911 Pediatric CPAP/BiPAP: A Train-the-Trainer Workshop for EMS Educators and Clinical Leaders
Pediatric respiratory distress remains one of the most anxiety-provoking calls in prehospital medicine. Despite growing evidence supporting the use of pediatric CPAP and BiPAP, collectively referred to as noninvasive ventilation (NIV). Many agencies continue to rely on supportive oxygen therapy alone due to uncertainty surrounding implementation, provider confidence, equipment selection, and concerns regarding patient tolerance.
This interactive train-the-trainer workshop is designed for EMS educators, clinical leaders, and training officers seeking to build or strengthen pediatric CPAP/BiPAP programs within their organizations. Participants will explore pediatric respiratory physiology, recognize clinical indicators of increased work of breathing, and examine the physiologic principles behind CPAP, BiPAP, and positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP). Current clinical practices, position statements, emerging research, and common misconceptions, including the limitations of blow-by oxygen will be reviewed to support evidence-informed decision-making.
Beyond the clinical content, this workshop focuses on implementation and sustainability. Attendees will participate in protocol development discussions, explore quality improvement strategies through pediatric respiratory case review, and examine methods to improve provider confidence through deliberate educational design.
Hands-on equipment stations and facilitated scenarios will provide participants the opportunity to compare NIV generators and interfaces, practice coaching techniques for caregivers and pediatric patients, and develop strategies to address one of the most common barriers to implementation: the belief that children will not tolerate NIV therapy.
Participants will leave with practical tools, educational strategies, and implementation frameworks that can be immediately adapted within their own departments to improve pediatric respiratory care and support the successful adoption of pediatric NIV programs.
