Resuscitation of the Critically Ill Patient

Immediate Priorities, Assessment, and Acute Management

Please note there is a new version of the course.

View 2025 CPD Courses

The course is an accredited learning activity for 6.5 hours for medical and nursing continuing professional development.

For GPs the course is an accredited CPD activity for the 2023-2025 triennium with ACRRM (Course Code : 29028 : 5 Educational Activity and 3 Performance Review PDP Points) and RACGP (Course Code : 410507: 3.5 Educational Activity and 3 Reviewing Performance Hours)

Latest Course update: January 2024

Designed for medical officers, nurses, paramedics and students in all medical fields.

How we approach the management of the seriously ill patient in the first few minutes may significantly determine their chances of survival, risk for complications, and long-term disability. In seriously ill patients, we are frequently required to commence management before we have a diagnosis or had the opportunity to complete a thorough clinical assessment. In this course we consider the process for the immediate assessment and intervention in the seriously ill adult or child and focus on initiating treatment for life threatening complications affecting the airway, breathing and/or circulation.

This course explores the following topics:

1. Immediate priorities in the assessment and treatment of the critically ill patient

2. Recognition and emergency treatment of airway obstruction

3. Immediate management of the patient with severe respiratory distress

4. Diagnosis and management of the patient with circulatory shock