Cardiothoracic Critical Care

You will develop your clinical knowledge and decision-making abilities through critical exploration of underlying pathophysiology, current evidence and practice recommendations, policies, and guidelines. This will allow you to be able to rationalise and synthesise care strategies and participate actively in decision making and leading care.

This module will be taught on-site at St Bartholomew’s Hospital, Barts Health NHS Trust. This allows for leading clinicians and experts to participate in the delivery of the taught content, and so that there is ease of access to specialist equipment which can be demonstrated during the taught sessions. The adult critical care unit is a leading cardiothoracic tertiary referral site with a wide portfolio of cardiothoracic expertise.

Academic staff from City, University of London, will support and oversee the clinical staff in the preparation and delivery of the module. The module leader from City, University of London will be involved in the marking and moderation process of your work and will be able to guide you in accessing all student facilities within City, University of London to support your learning and student experience (such as the library service and the Academic Skills team).

Who is it for?

For registered nurses currently working in a level 3 critical care setting which cares for patients requiring cardiothoracic critical care management.

Timetable

The course will run on the following dates:

• Thursday 2^nd October 2025
• Thursday 16^th October 2025
• Thursday 30^th October 2025
• Thursday 13^th November 2025
• Wednesday 26^th November 2025

The final summative assessment (poster presentation) will take place on Thursday 16^th December

Benefits

This is a standalone module worth 15 credits at level 7.

Content outline

This module will offer you the opportunity to critically evaluate the knowledge and skills required to care for critically ill cardiothoracic patients. A dynamic approach to clinical effectiveness in relation to contemporary cardiothoracic critical care management is required. Therefore, session content may be subject to change as new and important concerns arise.

Indicative content

Cardiac output

• Advanced haemodynamic monitoring interpreting cardiac output studies
• Rationale for appropriate choice of treatment
• Devices- Indications, benefits, and contraindications

Cardiothoracic surgery

• Types of surgery
• Immediate and long-term post operative care.
• Associated Pharmacology
• Fast track weaning protocol (ERACS)
• Aetiology and epidemiology relating to cardiac arrest in post- cardiothoracic surgery patient.
• Perioperative neurocognitive disorders

Interventional cardiology

• Management of the patient with acute coronary syndrome (ACS pathway) in critical care
• Adjunctive pharmacological therapies
• Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVI)
• Post procedure care and complications
• Pacing

Cardiogenic Shock

• Management of cardiogenic shock
• AMI
• Mechanical support devices

Adult congenital heart disease

• Overview ACHD surgery
• Care of the ACHD patient post-surgery
• specialist ACHD services
• Psychological support

Aortic vascular surgery

• Nursing and medical management

Ethical and other issues

• Psychological support of service users, families, and patients
• End of life care
• Ethical issues

Assessments

Formative

Formative assessments in this module will include group work to generate new knowledge and insights. In preparation for your summative assessment scenario-based activities will enable you to apply your knowledge and demonstrate your understanding. You will receive feedback from your peers and the module team.

Summative

You will prepare an electronic poster/E-poster on your chosen topic within cardiothoracic critical care. You will be expected to present this poster in person for 20 minutes which will include questions and answers. You will be required to research, discuss and synthesise knowledge on your chosen topic to demonstrate level 7 learning.

Credits

This course is worth 15 credits toward eligible programmes.

You must meet the entry requirements for MSc study. You should have also completed a post- registration specialist Intensive Care programme (or equivalent) at level 6 or level 7.

To undertake this module, you need to be currently working in a level 3 critical care setting which cares for patients requiring cardiothoracic critical care management.

English requirements

For those students whose first language is not English the following qualification is also required:

• IELTS: 7.0

Bersten. A., Handy J (2018) Oh's Intensive Care Manual (8th Ed) Elsevier

Brown D (2019) Cardiac intensive care (3rd ed) Elsevier

Krishnamoorthy, B., Hinton, J., Yonan, N. (2020) Cardiothoracic manual for perioperative practitioners. M&K publishing, Keswick

Marco, T (2021) ESC Textbook of intensive and acute cardiovascular care, Oxford University Press, Oxford.

Marieb, Elaine N. and Hoehn, Katja N. (2015) Human Anatomy & Physiology (10th Ed). Global edition

Rowlands A. and Sargent A. (2019) The ECG workbook, M&K publishing, Keswick

Tortora, G.T. and Derrickson, B.H. (202113) Principles of Anatomy and Physiology (146th Ed). New York: John Wiley & Sons