Critical Care Clerkship

Critical Care Course Learning Objectives:

At the completion of this clinical rotation students should be able to do the following:

  1. Assess a critically ill patient and develop a timely, prioritized, and evidence-based plan for initial stabilization. (PC1, PC3)
  2. Apply knowledge to develop evidence-based clinical plans for critically ill patients, including appropriate use of hemodynamic monitoring, application of ventilator modes and settings, and initiation and titration of vasomotor support. (MK4, MK5, PC3, PC6)
  3. Be able to obtain Informed Consent for diagnostic and therapeutic tests and procedures including verbalization of risks, benefits and alternatives. (PC3, PC7, ICS1, SBP3)
  4. Observe, participate in, or potentially perform procedures under direct supervision, including placement of arterial lines and central venous catheters while learning proper sterile technique. (MK8, PC7)
  5. Demonstrate skills in the utilization of bedside Point-of-Care ultrasound for diagnosis in appropriate ICU patients. (PC1, MK5)
  6. Identify relevant information in the primary medical literature regarding their patients’ disease states, and incorporate information from the literature into presentations and documentation. (PL3, CS5)
  7. Demonstrate effective and professional interpersonal and communication skills, and model ethical behavior. (CS1, PR1, PR2)
  8. Demonstrate empathy and discuss end of life issues with the patient and family including giving bad news. (PC1, PC3, CS1, CS2, CS3, PR3, PR1, PR2)
  9. Perform a basic family meeting to discuss goals of care including discussing and obtaining code status. (PC1, PC4, CS1, CS2, CS3, CS4, PR1, PR2, PR3)
  10. Work within a multidisciplinary team on daily rounds as an effective team member including mitigating patient risk and early identification of potential medical errors. (PR1, SL4, IP2, IP3, IP4)
  11. Understand quality improvement metrics in the ICU and the team’s role in reducing hospital acquired infections including VAP, CAUTI, CLASBI, etc. (MK7, PR4, PL4, PL5, PL6, SL3, IP4)
  12. Concisely summarize a patient’s critical illness and hand off important clinical information efficiently to other team members and consultants. (CS1, CS5, IP1, IP2, IP3, PC6)
  13. Demonstrate an understanding of the pharmacology of sedation in the ICU including the prevention and treatment of pain, agitation, and delirium (MK2, MK3, MK4, MK5, PC3, PL4)
  14. Demonstrate a knowledge of airway management devices including high flow nasal cannula, NIV, BVM, LMA and endotracheal intubation. (MK1, MK4, MK8, PC6, PC7, CS1, CS2, PR3, PL2)
  15. Describe the basic aspects of antimicrobial treatment and rational use of anti-infective therapeutic agents, as well as the negative patient complications of antimicrobial overuse. (PC3, PC6, PL3, PL6)
  16. Understand the differential diagnosis, evaluation, and management for Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) through lab interpretation and radiological studies including the indications for acute dialysis therapy. (MK1, MK3, MK4, MK5, MK7, PC1, PC2, PC3, CS1)
  17. Learn and perform a complete neurologic exam and evaluation and management of patient with coma. (MK1, MK2, MK3, MK4, MK5, PC1, PC2)
  18. Write complete and succinct systems based medical plan with H&Ps and daily progress notes in EPIC. (MK3, MK4, MK5, PC2, PC3, PC6, CS1, CS5, PR1, PR4, PR5)