134982 - Critical Airway and Respiratory Management (CARM)

This one-day course covers topics related to life-threatening emergencies affecting airway and breathing. Course faculty consists of emergency physicians with extensive clinical ecperience in managing patients with critical illness. Participants are expected to introduce their own clinical experiences to make their learning more relevant. This course is designed to compliment the Cardiac Emergency Management (CEM) course.

Sessions will be addressed through clinical updates, interactive workshops and small group learning opportunities that have been specifically designed to treat a patient in rural and remote locations.

The stream constitutes seven hours of education.

Relevance to General Practice

In rural and remote areas of Australia the demands for advanced emergency care skills in general practice are significantly higher, due to the relatively low number of GPs, the relative lack of immediately accessible specialist services, and the logistical and geographical difficulties of evacuating the seriously ill. There is also a higher incidence of farming, mining,
industrial and motor vehicle accidents and greater access to firearms in isolated areas.

Developing skills in emergency medicine is seen as an essential element of the general practice training program. In addition, rural GPs may require advanced skills.

Learning outcomes

Increase knowledge in airway management: including use of airway adjuncts and rapid sequence intubation, and failed intubation pathway techniques.

Recognise the importance of oxygenation and ventilation in the assessment and management of the critically ill patient.

Increase knowledge in interpreting blood gases and chest x-rays in the context of respiratory illness and injury.

Increase knowledge in the use of non-invasive and invasive oxygenation and ventilation strategies according to clinical indication.

Correct assessment of the patient with respiratory distress and failure to improve awareness of maximising patient safety and care.