Thames Valley Critical Care Course

Pre-course learning / Course programme

PRE-COURSE LEARNING

In order to maximise your learning on the course, you should prepare by completing a selection of e-learning modules on the Health Education England e-Learning for Healthcare website. In addition to completing these e-modules, there are a few other key topics which you will need to read over. These can be found in the 'essential reading' section below (in PDF format).

It is important that you take enough time to complete and understand the pre-course learning material before the course.

HOW TO ACCESS THE E-LEARNING MATERIAL

1. Log into or register for an account with e-LfH. If registering for the first time, you will need to use a work email address to create an account.
2. Once you have registered and have an active account, you need to enrol on to the ‘Intensive Care Medicine (e-ICM)’ and ‘Anaesthesia (e-LA)’ e-learning programmes. These are found under the ‘My e-Learning’ section and selecting ‘Full catalogue’.
3. The Intensive Care Medicine (e-ICM) and Anaesthesia (e-LA) e-learning programmes will then be added under your ‘My e-Learning’ section. You will now be able to access and play the selected e-modules listed below. You can either search for the following e-module titles in turn using the search box function within the e-LfH website, or, simply click on the hyperlinks below which will take you directly to the appropriate e-module to complete. You should complete the e-modules in the order detailed below.

E-MODULES TO COMPLETE

General concepts

• Basic Monitoring

Respiratory failure & the basics of mechanical ventilation

• Respiratory physiology (non-mandatory)
• Oxygen therapy
• Invasive ventilation 1
• Invasive ventilation 2

Airway management

• Rapid Sequence Induction (non-mandatory)
• Airway maintenance: Tracheal Tube 1
• Management of failed intubation (non-mandatory)
• Tracheostomy 1: Basic knowledge about tracheostomies and laryngectomies
• Tracheostomy 2: Emergency management of a tracheostomy or laryngectomy

Shock, sepsis & inotropes

• Cardiovascular physiology
• Classification of shock
• Definitions of sepsis
• Vasoactive agents

Acute renal failure & renal replacement therapy

• Diagnosis and investigation of AKI
• Initial management of AKI
• Renal replacement therapy

Trauma call & head injury

• The primary survey
• Principles of the management of head injury and brain protection
• Management of massive haemorrhage

Procedures

• Arterial Lines: indications, insertion, complications
• Central venous and pulmonary artery catheters

ESSENTIAL READING

• Daily assesment of the patient in the intensive care unit.pdf
• Human factors & communication strategies.pdf
• Commonly used drugs on the intensive care unit.pdf

Full Thames Valley Critical care course manual 

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

• https://ficmlearning.org/
• https://criticalcarereviews.com/
• https://theanaestheticroom.com/