Rankin Inlet (Feb 01/06) - Four Kivalliq health workers were among the six professionals to take the pediatric advanced life support (PALS) training course in Winnipeg this past month.

The training program was sponsored by Keewatin Air/Kivalliq Air, which provided the transportation for course participants.

Kivalliq workers who took the PALS course were Robyn Ullyou and Linda Rose of Baker Lake and Milly Knaebel and Barb Gregoire of Arviat.

There were 14 participants originally slated to take the course, but bad weather across most of the Kivalliq region cut that number in half.

Penny Triggs is Keewatin Air's vice-president for air-medical operations.

Triggs said PALS is an internationally recognized course on the care of seriously ill infants and children.

She said the course teaches the key assessment techniques required to identify life-threatening conditions and the skills required to intervene safely and efficiently in pediatric emergencies.

"There are many sick children seen in the health centres every year and this course will be very useful in reinforcing the knowledge and skills required to take care of them," said Triggs.

"Kivalliq Air flew in the nurses from the two Kivalliq communities so they could participate and take the new information and skills back to their community."

The Department of Health and Social Services in the Kivalliq region worked with Kivalliq Air/Keewatin Air to organize the course.

The airline provided the instructors for the course, Dr. Tony Herd, Triggs and nurse Sandy Kowalski of the Winnipeg Children's Hospital pediatric intensive care unit.

Each participant was provided with a copy of the PALS textbook to study prior to the course.

Triggs said a multitude of advanced life-support manikins were used during the course for skill practice.

"This partnership between the Department and Health and Social Services and Keewatin/Kivalliq Air is an example of how government and the private sector can work together to improve health care in the Kivalliq region."