Rapid Upskilling in High Dependency & Critical Care for Registered Nurses
SURGE Critical Care - Specialised Upskilling and RN Growth through Education in Critical Care
SURGE - Critical Care provides education for Registered Nurses about the necessary minimum knowledge and skills required to work in High Dependency or Critical Care settings, such as Intensive Care Units (ICU).
The education is available online and builds on previous knowledge, skills and experience in preparation for transitioning to High Dependency Units (HDU) and Critical Care wards.
This education is brought to you by Critical Care Education Services and Medcast.
Project Outcomes
The following is a summary of the key outcomes of the evaluation of the project.
The full evaluation report has been published on the department’s website and can be viewed here.
Do you need refresher training or to expand your workforce capacity?
We can help your facility prepare for the expected demand in ICU and HDU beds.
For example, Medcast can mobilise the list of nurses that did the initial education; provide refresher education to re-establish their confidence to redeploy; and reinforce education and training with current ICU and HDU staff. We can also assist you to rapidly expand your pool of nurses that can be deployed to ICU and HDU.
If you would like to discuss any of these options, please contact us.
Ongoing Access to Courseware
SURGE Ongoing Access Bundle
If you completed either of the SURGE Critical Care or High Dependency courses you have the opportunity for exclusive ongoing access to the course content for a period of 12 months.
Enrol today to refresh your knowledge and you will also will have access to a series of live critical care revision webinars and a selection of other topics not included in the original courses.
READ MORECourses
High Dependency Nursing
EnrolOverview
This course is designed to provide nurses with essential skills relating to the assessment and management of patients who are classified as being highly dependent.
Audience
RNs currently working on general wards requiring upskilling to enable them to work in HDU or Critical Care area.
Duration
13 hours
Units
- Cardiac - Electrocardiography
- Cardiac - Physiology
- Cardiac - Shock States
- Cardiac - Arrhythmias
- Cardiac - Acute Coronary Syndromes
- Fluid & Electrolyte Imbalances
- The Infected Patient
- Monitoring - Pulse oximetry, arterial lines, central lines
- Respiratory - assessment and management
Critical Care Nursing
EnrolOverview
This course is designed to provide nurses with current knowledge and skills to be applied to any Critical Care setting.
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.
Duration
20 hours
Units
- Fundamental Cardiac Physiology
- Cardiovascular Pathophysiology - Patient with Chest Pain
- Cardiovascular Pathophysiology - Shock States
- Respiratory Physiology
- Monitoring Techniques for the critically ill patient
- Respiratory - Assessment & mechanical ventilation
- Respiratory - Airway management
- Renal
- Neurological disorders
- Endocrine & Metabolic
Critical Care and High Dependency Course Bundle
EnrolOverview
This course will provide discounted access to the Critical Care and High Dependency plus an additional 5 hours of online modules including topics from a range of our other courses.
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.
Duration
50 hours
Dr Catherine Eltringham
This article equips GPs with practical strategies to recognise and assess suicide risk in Australian veterans. It outlines tools to support your consultation and assessment, and highlights referral pathways such as Open Arms – Veterans and Families Counselling and DVA services to support early intervention and save lives in general practice.
This article explores the risks and management of dynamic hyperinflation in mechanically ventilated patients with status asthmaticus. It outlines causes such as airway obstruction and bronchospasm, and provides strategies for adjusting ventilation settings to minimise gas trapping, support cardiac function, and reduce complications like pneumothorax and systemic hypotension.
Quality Use of Medicines Alliance
This is the second FastTrack on atrial fibrillation (AF). Part 1 described the diagnosis, initial assessment of AF, and indications for urgent review. This FastTrack describes the approach to setting a management strategy using risk calculators, how to assess and reduce risk factors, and long term monitoring of patients with AF.