Critical Skills for Critical Care: A State-of-the-Art Update and Procedures for ICU Providers

By: Katlyn Campbell

March 5, 2020

The Critical Skills for Critical Care: A State-of-the-Art Update and Procedures for ICU Providers live learning course focuses on training registrants to work in a critical care team, using critical care ultrasound and mechanical ventilation and participating in airway management. Taught by a diverse set of expert faculty, registrants have the opportunity to learn from relatable physicians and advanced practice providers (nurse practitioners and physician assistants). Since 2016, Susan Stempek, MMSC, PA-C, FCCP, has been teaching this interactive course featuring evidence-based reviews, case-based discussions, and expert debates in areas of clinical controversy. Read what she had to say about this course:

1. What do you believe is the benefit of registering for this course?

This course provides a standard for procedural ICU training using simulation, which is unique to CHEST courses. The course is ideal for early-career critical care advanced practice practitioners (APPs) or any clinician who would like a refresher on basic techniques of ultrasound, airway management, and mechanical ventilation. Taught by a diverse faculty group, this course will give the learners basic skills that they can use to continue to deepen in their practice. Each of the faculty members has recognized that clinicians have diverse areas of expertise, independent of their formalized educational training and background. Given that critical care is delivered by both physicians and APPs, we think it's important for this learner community to have relatable faculty members.

2. Why may it be important for people to register for this course with their colleagues?

All critical care is delivered in teams, whether small or large. Here we have a unique opportunity for physicians wishing to refresh basic skills and the APPs who work with them to learn skills together. Learning in a team environment, whether they are people with whom you practice "at home" or in teams shaped during the CHEST course, provides the highest-fidelity learning experience and allows for comprehensive learning.

3. This course is promoted as an update in critical care, but what kind of updates does that entail? (New equipment, new techniques, etc.)

This course will teach evidence-based procedural techniques with case-based learning interspersed throughout and led by diverse faculty. Newer procedural methods will be discussed as well as evidence for performing a procedure using the "new" vs "traditional" method. The first day will examine ultrasound skills and case-based learning for applying ultrasound scenarios. The second day will be focused on airway management and include teaching of a baseline didactic approach and the procedural technique. Learners will also be taught ultrasound for procedural guidance, and will examine several procedures that can be performed this way. The third day is intended to be focused on recommendations regarding basic ventilator management with simulation for troubleshooting.

4. What kind of feedback have you received from learners who took this course?

Learners left with significant confidence to return to their home locations and begin to use their new skills (of course with appropriate privileging processes in their home organizations). They also enjoyed the amount of hands-on time they had learning from the mixed APP and physician faculty members. This is a significant training experience for those wanting to strengthen their skills in critical care ultrasound, mechanical ventilation, and airway management—all within the span of 3 days.