Week 1

Triage Assessment and Stabilisation 

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 should 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 should be able to:

Participate in case based discussions

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 should be able to:

Participate in case based discussions

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 hyperkalaemia

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 should be able to:

Develop a pre-anesthetic plan and discuss suitable stabilisation as well as attribute an ASA score

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 – Medical Cases

Analgesia and pain scoring

Non-surgical versus surgical patients

SIRS and DIC

Nutritional support

Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants should be able to:

Understand pain scoring and the importance of using validated methods

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

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 should be able to:

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

Describe potential complications that may occur, including sepsis

Discuss the rational use of antibiotics, using evidence bases