Week 1

Preparation and Monitoring of Critical Cases

Preparedness

Considerations

Invasive blood pressure monitoring

Blood gas analysis

Spirometry

Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants:

List generalised considerations for preparing to anaesthetise emergency cases

How to setup and use invasive blood pressure monitoring and how this relates to oscillometric and doppler techniques

Interpret a basic blood gas analysis and outline how this abnormality may have occurred

Explain what spirometry is and how it differs from capnography

Week 2

Abdominal Surgical Emergencies

Haemoabdomen

Gastric dilatation and volvulus

Acute abdomen

Epidural anaesthesia

Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants:

Understand the physiological disturbances caused by gastric dilatation and volvulus

Understand the physiological disturbances caused by haemoabdomen

Understand the physiological disturbances caused by the acute abdomen

Participants should be able to suggest considerations for these surgeries and list possible complications that may arise during anaesthesia

Participants should be able to list the total and relative contraindications for epidural anaesthesia

Week 3

Thoracic Surgical Emergencies

Pyothorax

Penetrating injuries

Diaphragmatic rupture

Mechanical ventilation

Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants:

Understand the physiological disturbances caused by pyothorax

Understand the physiological disturbances caused by a penetrating injury

Understand the physiological disturbances caused by diaphragmatic rupture

Participants should be able to suggest considerations for these surgeries and list possible complications that may arise during anaesthesia

Participants should also feel able to safely choose ventilator settings for use during non-emergency surgery

Week 4

Caesareans

Physiology

ASA categorisation

Anaesthesia Protocols

Anaesthesia Infusions

Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants:

Understand the physiological considerations for caesarean section

Assign and justify the choice of an ASA category to the caesarean section patient

Suggest a safe protocol for caesarean section, with variation based on differing drug availability depending on clinical setting

Understand the basis of total intravenous anaesthesia infusions

Week 5

What’s happening? What should I do?

Hypoxia

Hypocapnia

Hypotension

ECG Abnormalities

Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants:

Participants should be able to list possible causes of, and suggest treatments for hypoxia and hypocapnia

Participants should be able to list possible causes of hypotension and discuss the physiology of both pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment options for this.

Participants should be able to interpret the most common ECG abnormalities seen and understand how these rhythms will affect the patient, and have an understanding of possible treatment options

Week 6

CRASH!

Recover CPR guidelines

Crash box

Basic life support

Advanced life support

Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants:

List the vital components of a crash box

Perform safe and effective chest compressions in a variety of patient sizes and conformations.Understand how to monitor the effectiveness of CPR in the clinical setting

Interpret the most common ECG rhythms seen during CPR

Know what drug treatment options are available during CPR

The course will be fully tutored by William McFadzean and will consist of 15 hours of CPD given in various formats, including tutorials, tasks, case scenarios, forum discussions and quizzes.

Click here for further details

Week 1

Preparation and Monitoring of Critical Cases

Preparedness

Considerations

Invasive blood pressure monitoring

Blood gas analysis

Spirometry

Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants:

List generalised considerations for preparing to anaesthetise emergency cases

How to setup and use invasive blood pressure monitoring and how this relates to oscillometric and doppler techniques

Interpret a basic blood gas analysis and outline how this abnormality may have occurred

Explain what spirometry is and how it differs from capnography

Week 2

Abdominal Surgical Emergencies

Haemoabdomen

Gastric dilatation and volvulus

Acute abdomen

Epidural anaesthesia

Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants:

Understand the physiological disturbances caused by gastric dilatation and volvulus

Understand the physiological disturbances caused by haemoabdomen

Understand the physiological disturbances caused by the acute abdomen

Participants should be able to suggest considerations for these surgeries and list possible complications that may arise during anaesthesia

Participants should be able to list the total and relative contraindications for epidural anaesthesia

Week 3

Thoracic Surgical Emergencies

Pyothorax

Penetrating injuries

Diaphragmatic rupture

Mechanical ventilation

Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants:

Understand the physiological disturbances caused by pyothorax

Understand the physiological disturbances caused by a penetrating injury

Understand the physiological disturbances caused by diaphragmatic rupture

Participants should be able to suggest considerations for these surgeries and list possible complications that may arise during anaesthesia

Participants should also feel able to safely choose ventilator settings for use during non-emergency surgery

Week 4

Caesareans

Physiology

ASA categorisation

Anaesthesia Protocols

Anaesthesia Infusions

Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants:

Understand the physiological considerations for caesarean section

Assign and justify the choice of an ASA category to the caesarean section patient

Suggest a safe protocol for caesarean section, with variation based on differing drug availability depending on clinical setting

Understand the basis of total intravenous anaesthesia infusions

Week 5

What’s happening? What should I do?

Hypoxia

Hypocapnia

Hypotension

ECG Abnormalities

Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants:

Participants should be able to list possible causes of, and suggest treatments for hypoxia and hypocapnia

Participants should be able to list possible causes of hypotension and discuss the physiology of both pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment options for this.

Participants should be able to interpret the most common ECG abnormalities seen and understand how these rhythms will affect the patient, and have an understanding of possible treatment options

Week 6

CRASH!

Recover CPR guidelines

Crash box

Basic life support

Advanced life support

Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants:

List the vital components of a crash box

Perform safe and effective chest compressions in a variety of patient sizes and conformations.Understand how to monitor the effectiveness of CPR in the clinical setting

Interpret the most common ECG rhythms seen during CPR

Know what drug treatment options are available during CPR

The course will be fully tutored by William McFadzean and will consist of 15 hours of CPD given in various formats, including tutorials, tasks, case scenarios, forum discussions and quizzes.

Click here for further details

Week 1

Common respiratory disease

Lower respiratory tract disease

Pleural disorders

Pulmonary disease

POCUS and sampling

Management

Learning outcomes

Describe lower respiratory tract physiology and the disease processes seen in practice

Understand the different causes of pleural disorders

Understand the different causes of pulmonary disease

Identify the uses of POCUS and understand which patients may benefit from thoracocentesis

Describe how to manage the patient with acute respiratory distress

Week 2

BOAS – From Admit to Discharge

Admit considerations

BOAS Plan

Anaesthesia considerations

Dealing with the BOAS crisis

Other nursing considerations

Learning outcomes

List the considerations which should be discussed with the owner when the patient is admitted to the hospital

Discuss safe ways of managing these cases whilst they are hospitalised to minimise complications

Understand how to make BOAS patients anaesthesia plans safer

Explain the concerns associated with a BOAS crisis and how to manage these

Describe other nursing considerations associated with these breeds and how we can factor these into our nursing care plans for hospitalised patients

Week 3

Blood gases

Why do we use blood gas analysis?

How to take a sample for a blood gas analysis

What is Acid/Base?

Interpretation of a blood gas report

Compensation

Learning outcomes

Understand why blood gas analysis is important for managing the respiratory patient

Describe how to take a sample for blood gas analysis

Understand Acid/Base status and what this means for the patient

Interpret a blood gas report using a step by step approach so that this can be transferred to your patients in practice

Understand the physiology behind compensatory mechanisms

Week 4

Oxygen Therapy 

How to identify a patient in need of oxygen therapy

Non-invasive methods of oxygen therapy

Invasive methods of oxygen therapy

Monitoring a response to therapy

Learning outcomes

Understand which parameters are used to identify patients are in need of oxygen therapy

Describe which methods of non-invasive oxygen therapy are available and which is the most suitable for their patient

Describe which methods of invasive oxygen therapy are available and which is the most suitable for their patient

Discuss whether a patient is responding to oxygen therapy and when a decision may be made to discontinue oxygen support

The course will be fully tutored by Elle Haskey and Katie Gray, and will consist of 10 hours of CPD given in various formats, including tutorials, tasks, case studies, forum discussions and quizzes.

Click here for further details

Week 1

Triage assessment of the trauma patient and stabilisation of the emergency patient

Carrying out an effective triage assessment and the RVN’s role

Major body system assessment

Approach to dysfunction of the cardiovascular, respiratory and neurological systems

Practical considerations for managing the emergency patient stabilisation

Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants:

Will be able to correctly identify a patient with dysfunction of a major body system

Confidently triage and assess an emergency patient

Recognise the approach to dysfunction of different major body systems and stabilisation techniques utilised for emergency patients

Appreciate specific nursing considerations for the emergency presentation

Week 2

Urethral obstruction

Identification of the patient with urethral obstruction

Stabilisation techniques

Evidence-based discussion on emergency management, fluid types and analgesia options.

Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants:

Will have taken part in case based discussions

Be able to identify the patient’s condition and the pathophysiology alongside potential complicating factors such as co-morbidities

Understand how to correct fluid deficits and identifying the difference between hypovolemia and dehydration

Participate in acid-base and electrolyte discussions, including how to address hypo and hyperkalemia

Appreciate the specific nursing considerations for patients with urethral obstruction

Week 3

Diabetic ketoacidosis

Presentation and initial emergency management

Acid base balance and electrolyte abnormalities

Pathophysiology of diabetic ketoacidosis and complicating factors

Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants:

Will have taken part in case based discussions

Be able to identify the patient’s condition and the pathophysiology alongside potential complicating factors such as co-morbidities

Understand how to correct fluid deficits and identifying the difference between hypovolemia and dehydration

Participate in acid-base and electrolyte discussions, including how to address hypo and hyperkalemia

Appreciate the specific nursing considerations for patients with DKA

Week 4

The acute abdomen – surgical cases

Pre-anaesthesia stabilisation and assessment

Analgesia choices in the critically ill patient

Peri-operative and recovery periods

Nursing specific concerns post operatively

Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants:

Will be able to develop a pre-anesthetic plan and discuss suitable stabilisation as well as attribute an ASA score

Be able to complete with confidence a surgical checklist and identify areas of concern

Understand analgesia choices, the options we have including CRIS, local and regional techniques

Engage in cased based presentations, including abdominal foreign bodies and gastric dilatation and volvulus

Week 5

The acute abdomen – non-surgical cases

Analgesia and pain scoring

Non-surgical versus surgical patients

SIRS and DIC

Nutritional support

Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants:

Understand pain scoring and the importance of using validated methods

Understand analgesia choices, the options we have including CRIS, local and regional techniques

How to decide if a patient is surgical or non-surgical, especially in the case of traumatic haemoabdomen

Understand the pathophysiology behind systemic inflammatory response syndromes and disseminated intravascular coagulation and how to identify the early indications of development of these syndromes

Week 6

Acute gastrointestinal disease

Haemorrhagic gastroenteritis including
parvovirus

Fluid therapy

Antibiosis

Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants:

Identify appropriate approaches to fluid replacement including discussion of the use of crystalloids and colloids in the patient with AHDS.

Appreciate the importance of nutrition in the patient with acute gastro-intestinal disease and how we can provide that

Potential complications that may occur, including sepsis

Rational use of antibiotics using evidence bases

The course will be fully tutored by Kath Howie and will consist of 15 hours of CPD given in various formats, including tutorials, tasks, case scenarios, forum discussions and quizzes.

Click here for further details