CRITICAL CARE COURSE · 1 FULL DAY

Echo in Shock and Life Support

1 full day

6.5 contact hours

Melbourne, VIC

You train hands-on with the same ultrasound equipment used in Heartscope's cardiology clinics.

Course overview

This course covers focused cardiac ultrasound for assessing patients with shock, hypotension or peri-arrest deterioration. You'll practise the bedside views and use clinical cases to interpret the findings alongside the patient's presentation and other investigations.

Your educator will help you improve image quality and recognise the limits of a focused examination. Case discussions look at when the images are insufficient and further imaging or specialist review is needed.

Who this course is for

Emergency clinicians and registrars

ICU clinicians and intensive care registrars

Anaesthetists and anaesthetic registrars

Doctors working in acute care

Nurses and acute care staff

Retrieval and rural clinicians

Entry requirements

For healthcare professionals

You don't need prior echocardiography experience. We recommend Core Practice if you'd like more time to learn the standard views.

In-person attendance

You'll need to attend our Melbourne training centre. The practical sessions can't be completed online.

Course objectives

On completion, participants will be able to:

Set the machine up

Choose the right probe, optimise the image and position the patient for a quick bedside scan.

Run a quick echo sequence

Work through the parasternal, apical and subcostal views in a set order.

Spot the findings that matter

Recognise gross LV dysfunction, RV dilatation or strain, pericardial effusion and tamponade clues.

Assess the IVC

Measure IVC size, respiratory variation and collapsibility, and read them alongside the clinical picture.

Recognise shock patterns

Identify the focused echo patterns behind hypovolaemic, cardiogenic, obstructive and distributive shock.

Know where the limits are

Use lung findings as supporting information only, document appropriately, and know when to escalate.

Course curriculum

The main learning areas are outlined below.

Course outcomes

You'll practise the core views used in focused bedside echo.



You'll use clinical cases to relate echo findings to fluid status and shock assessment.



You'll learn to recognise when a focused scan needs further imaging or specialist review.



You'll receive a Scope Institute certificate recording the training you've completed. This is non-accredited professional training. It isn't CPD-accredited, but doctors can self-record eligible hours.

Accreditation

This course is not currently accredited by a specialist college and no CPD points are attached to it. Applications are in progress with the bodies listed below, and this page will be updated as each is confirmed.

Applications in progress

ACEM

Australasian College for Emergency Medicine

ASUM

Australasian Society for Ultrasound in Medicine

CICM

College of Intensive Care Medicine

ANZCA

Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists

RACGP

Royal Australian College of General Practitioners

ACRRM

Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine

No accreditation should be assumed until it is stated here. The certificate issued on completion documents the contact hours completed and the topics covered.

Frequently asked questions