Intensive Care Fundamentals 2024
Summary
Intensive Care Fundamentals (ICF) is a new educational initiative carefully prepared and standardised by ESICM experts to be delivered locally in local languages by ESICM-trained and certified faculty.
ICF adopts the successful hybrid educationmodel with self-paced learning at home and an interactive face-to-face component.
For the first module of self-paced learning, the trainees will have access to the Intensive Care Fundamentals book that contains practically oriented essential knowledge complementary to the content of the face-to-face course.
The second module is a standardised 2-day face-to-face course composed by:
- case-based scenarios
- interactive workshops
- and simulations
The formats were chosen to allow enough flexibility to tailor the training according to local practices, SOPs, and habits, whilst the principles of current evidence-based practices that should be common across countries and hospitals, are firmly embedded in the standardised content.
The future trainers should undergo a Training for Trainers course to:
- get familiar with the ICF Course content
- learn how to set it up in their hospitals and
- receive ESICM Certification as ICF Trainer
General Information
Enrolled trainees 203
Open 16.01.2024
Available for ESICM limited places
Last Updated January 16, 2024
Intended Learning Outcomes
Outcomes 1: The deteriorating patient
- Identify an acutely ill or deteriorating patient (in a simulated setting)
- Identify life-threatening conditions in an effective and timely fashion using the ABCDE approach (in a simulated setting)
- Stabilise and initiate treatment for a critically ill patient (in a simulated setting)
- Discuss the risks and possible pitfalls of transporting a critically ill patient
- Recognise and manage circulatory arrest and peri-arrest states (in a simulated setting)
- Describe the patient at risk of difficult intubation
Outcomes 2: Ward round
- Demonstrate a routine daily reassessment of a patient in a structured manner (in a simulated setting)
- Effectively prescribe venous thromboembolic disease and stress ulcers prophylaxis.
Outcomes 3: Organ support
3a: Acute respiratory failure
- Describe the indications and modalities of oxygen therapy, non-invasive ventilation methods, and indications for intubation and invasive mechanical ventilation
- Apply basic physiological principles of mechanical ventilation - volumes, pressures, compliance etc. in the management of the most common lung pathologies using basic modes of ventilation (in a simulated setting)
- Demonstrate the ability to initially set a ventilator and adapt ventilatory settings for patients with the most common types of ventilation disorders, including obstructive pulmonary disease and ARDS (in a simulated setting/app)
- Select an adequate PEEP based on physiological values (in a simulated setting/app)
- Identify the most common types of ventilator interference (in a simulated setting/app)
- List the most common cause of sudden hypoxia in a patient with a tracheostomy
- Discuss the managment of the acutely hypoxic patient on mechanical ventilation in ICU
- Describe the principles of weaning from mechanical ventilation, readiness testing and the risk factors for weaning failure
3b: Shock and Haemodynamic monitoring
- Describe basic cardiovascular physiology and its monitoring in the context of the most common pathologies in ICU, including cardiac output and its measurement, left heart failure, and right heart failure
- Demonstrate assessment of fluid responsiveness in the simulated haemodynamically unstable patient/case
- Discuss the indications and use of vasopressor therapy
- Describe the different aetiologies of shock, recognise the role of POCUS to help assess the causes of haemodynamic instability
3c: Sepsis and septic shock
- discuss the warning signs of life-threatening infection
- discuss the one-hour bundle of treatment of patients with sepsis
- Describe the most common ICU acquired infections and propose an effective initial antibiotic treatment
- Identify the need for urgent source control in sepsis where appropriate in a simulated setting or case
- Describe the basics of antibiotic stewardship
3d: Metabolic derangements
- Interpret arterial blood gases
- Describe a treatment plan for patients with life-threatening electrolyte and metabolic disturbances
- Propose the appropriate management for patients with the most common metabolic disorders, especially hyperkalaemia and hypernatraemia
- Discuss the importace of fluid choice and balance in the critically ill patient
3e: Renal failure
- Recognise indications for urgent renal replacement therapy (in a simulated patient/case)
- Describe common Renal Replacement Therapy (RRT) modes and compare haemodialysis, haemofiltration and haemodiafiltration
3f: Nutrition
- Discuss the benefits and risks of enteral and parenteral nutrition
3g: Treatment and prevention of delirium, sedation and analgesia
- Discuss the physical and psychosocial needs of hospitalised patients with regards to the prevention of delirium
- Describe signs of hypo- and hyperactive delirium and treatment options
- Safely prescribe sedation and analgesia in a simulated ICU setting or case, including adequate use of sedation holds
Outcomes 4: Specific pathologies in the intensive care unit
4a: Trauma and Surgery
- Discuss suitable options for perioperative pain management
- Apply the principles of safe blood transfusion to a simulated patient with life-threatening haemorrhage / trauma
- Diagnose and propose a treatment plan for the common coagulopathies in a simulated patient or case
- Discuss the management of haemorrhage in a patient who is receiving an anticoagulant/antiplatelet agent
4b: Neurological emergencies and basics of neurointensive care
- Describe the pathophysiology of intracranial hypertension and its operative and non-operative management
- Describe a treatment plan for patients with various neurological injuries (e.g.,Traumatic Brain Injury [TBI] and stroke)
- Explain the meaning of neuroprotective measures in patients with brain injury
- Discuss the immediate actions needed when a patient is showing signs of coning
- Discuss the initial management of patients with seizures and/or status epilepticus
- Plan neuroprotective strategies following cardiac arrest in a simulated patient or case
- Describe the principles of post-resuscitation care prognostic assessment post-CPR
4c: Medical emergencies
- Recognise and effectively treat life-threatening brady- and tachyarrhytmias in a simulated setting
Outcomes 5: Non-technical aspects of intensive care
5a: Ethics of intensive care, end-of-life aspects
- Explain the limitations of intensive care, and the principles of withholding and withdrawing treatment, inclulding potential organ donation
- Describe a management and treatment plan for the patient at the end of life including symptom relief therapy
5b: Crisis resource management and communication in crisis
- Discuss the principles of communication in crisis and crisis resource management (leadership, membership, situational awareness) and relate them to their own experience and professional context
- Communicate in a professional but effective and assertive manner in a simulated emergency
- Demonstrate a succinct and structured handover in a simulated setting
Outcomes 6: Equipment
- Troubleshoot common issues with equipment: monitoring, arterial lines, central venous catheters, and chest drain
Enrollment Options
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