IMPRovE Community of Practice

Audience

RNs required to work in critical care environments such as Emergency Departments, Intensive Care Units, High Dependency Units, Cardiac Care Units, Interventional Radiology Units (e.g. Cath Labs) and Peri-Anaesthesia Units.

Units

• Fundamental Cardiac Physiology
  • Cardiac Muscle Physiology
  • Innervation of the Myocardium
  • Adrenergic Receptors
  • Regulation of Cardiac Output & Blood Pressure
• Cardiovascular Pathophysiology - Patient with Chest Pain
  • Introduction, pathophysiology, classification of acute coronary syndromes
  • Diagnosis of myocardial ischaemia - history, physical examination, ECG interpretation, laboratory testing
  • Management of ischaemic chest pain - fibrinolytics, PCI
• Cardiovascular Pathophysiology - Shock States
  • Overview, classification of shock, pathophysiology
  • Clinical features, treatment - hypovalaemic, cardiogenic, septic shock, inotropic support
  • Arterial Blood Gas Interpretation - acid-based disturbances
• Respiratory Physiology
  • The Control of Ventilation, Dynamics of Spontaneous Breathing, Lung volumes and capacities
  • Gas transport - O2 delivery & metabolism, physiology of O2 saturation. CO2 production & elimination
  • Arterial Blood Gas Interpretation - acid-based disturbances
• Monitoring Techniques for the critically ill patient
  • Introduction to Haemodynamic Monitoring
  • Arterial Lines
  • Central Lines
  • Pulmonary Artery Catheters
  • Pulse Oximetry -SpO2
  • Capnography - EtCO2
• Respiratory - assessment and mechanical ventilation
  • Respiratory assessment including Lung Sounds
  • Chest X-ray Interpretation
  • Indications & Goals for Mechanical Ventilation
  • Ventilator Modes
  • Care of the Mechanically Ventilated Patient
• Respiratory - difficult airway management
  • High Flow Humidified Nasal Oxygenation
  • Assessment & Management of the Difficult Airway - The Vortex approach
• Renal
  • Physiology
  • Acute Kidney Injury - Assessment, Complications
  • Acute Kidney Injury - Management including renal replacement therapies
• Neurological disorders and assessment
  • Review of anatomy and physiology
  • Neurological Assessment
  • Care of the Patient with a neurological disorder - common presentations
• Endocrine and metabolic
  • Hepatic Failure
  • Diabetic Emergencies