Postgraduate Course: Cardiac Management in Critical Care (CRCA11027)
Course Outline
| School | Edinburgh Medical School |
College | College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
| Course type | Online Distance Learning |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| SCQF Credits | 10 |
ECTS Credits | 5 |
| Summary | This course will build on earlier components of the Programme, particularly perioperative care, the recognition, assessment and management of the critically ill or injured adult, and the application of multiple organ support. Special clinical considerations regarding physiology, cardiovascular disease, pharmacology, and specific organ support will be emphasised. The complexities of clinical decision-making and the interactions of members of the inter-professional and multidisciplinary team will be covered.
Students will be asked to reflect on their learning, and foster connections between theory and practice through collaborative discussion boards, developing a community of practice and enabling peer feedback. An emphasis will be placed on critical analysis and the application of evidence-based practice.
Course design has been influenced by the traits set out in the Edinburgh Student Vision and Curriculum Transformation Programme. It is structured to provide students with the opportunity to become disciplinary experts, equipped with advanced specialist skills, knowledge, and experience. The emphasis on using personal experience to integrate appropriate interventions in the context of their own clinical practice, and the ability to communicate and justify their reasoning effectively, will cultivate reflexive learners who are adept at applying solutions to real-world challenges in critical care management. |
| Course description |
Each week of the course will explore a different theme, starting with the routine care of uncomplicated post-operative patients by a multi-disciplinary team. The course progresses through to the management of patients who have developed life-threatening complications in the intensive care ward. Aspects of care that are more specific to cardiac surgical critical care will be considered in detail. These include understanding different cardiac operations, post-operative bleeding and coagulopathy, cardiogenic shock, dysrhythmias, and managing pacemakers.
Emergency presentations including acute aortic dissection, massive pulmonary embolism, myocarditis and infective endocarditis will be considered using clinical scenarios that develop understanding of advanced organ support, including mechanical cardiac devices and ultimately heart transplantation.
Students will comprehend how we manage patients after routine coronary artery, heart valve and thoracic aorta procedures. Students will also appreciate how to treat complications in the post-operative period, when patients may become critically ill, developing organ failure.
Students will learn from a multi-professional team of experts in critical care, anaesthesia, and cardiac surgery.
Students will engage in recorded lectures, tutorials and videos. Students will consider a case-based study, with expert-facilitated group discussions.
Core reading material, website links, and links to relevant material in other courses of the programme will be provided. Students will use skills developed in other parts of the Programme, including critiquing recent studies.
Formative self-assessment MCQs will allow students to assess their learning progression.
The summative assessment for this module takes the form of a recorded presentation. This will make up 100% of the mark for the course.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2026/27, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
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Quota: None |
| Course Start |
MVM Online Learning Block 3 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
100
(
Lecture Hours 50,
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 3,
Online Activities 1,
Feedback/Feedforward Hours 1,
Formative Assessment Hours 5,
Summative Assessment Hours 38,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 2,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
0 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Coursework 100%«br /»
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Formative:«br /»
Students will be asked to submit up to 3 slides in week 4. This should cover their choice of topic for the summative assessment and why they have chosen it. They should choose one theme for these slides, which will help demonstrate how they will achieve one of the LOs, and direct how they plan to populate slides for the summative assessment. Themes for formative assessment will be: multidisciplinary teamwork involved; ethical considerations for their chosen topic; OR a brief summary and critical appraisal of literature in support of their chosen topic. «br /»
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This should be submitted prior to the end of Week 4 of the course so the course organiser and team can provide feedback by the end of Week 5. «br /»
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Summative :«br /»
The summative assessment for this module takes the form of a recorded presentation. This will make up 100% of the mark for the course. «br /»
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You have been asked to deliver a teaching session to your own department on an aspect of cardiac critical care that you have found both interesting during the course and useful for your professional development.«br /»
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Topic choice should be relevant to the course and the learning outcomes. Given the time constraint, students should focus on a specific, clearly defined topic. For example, rather than VA ECMO - which is a very broad subject, a more sensible topic would be 'The role of VA ECMO in out of hospital cardiac arrest', as this is more focused on a specific area. «br /»
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Students should include an introduction to their chosen topic and provide an overview of the relevant key clinical aspects of the topic, relevant to your audience. Students will critically appraise and explore the literature, summarising and briefly appraising key studies that have contributed to their knowledge of the topic. They should also discuss how they will develop this knowledge, both into their own professional practice and that of your department. The presentation should take cognisance of multidisciplinary team input and collaboration in conjunction with associated ethical considerations. «br /»
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A recorded presentation has been selected for summative assessment to reduce the possible use of generative AI and also to build professional skills for presenting style.«br /»
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Students will be directed to the up to date UoE AI guidance to ensure academic integrity is maintained. |
| Feedback |
Students will receive both formative and summative feedback from the faculty.
Assessment and Feedback in this course is covered by the University of Edinburgh Assessment and Feedback Principles and Priorities.
Feedback is defined as information to students which allows them to review what they know, understand and can do in their studies. Feedback is also important to identify areas for improvement, for example course feedback surveys will be an integral component of the programme to allow refinement.
Opportunities for feedback arise during timetabled courses, for example, during live session tutorials, interactive discussion boards, and emails. Feedback can be provided on coursework assignments, but also activities which are not formally assessed, for example, class discussion on the discussion board, group exercises, problem-solving, such as weekly quizzes and developing project plans and proposals. A formative task is provided in each course, which provides feedback prior to the student submitting their first piece of summative assessed coursework.
All assignments will be marked, and feedback is provided within a period of fifteen working days (where possible) following the submission date (excluding holidays periods whereby the University is closed, e.g. over the Christmas period).
When marked work is returned to you, it is your responsibility to read and think about the feedback given and not just look at the mark. The feedback gives you an indication of what you did well, what you misunderstood and what you did not address correctly. If you have any questions, please contact the named Course Organiser. |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Recognise and understand the importance of multidisciplinary teamwork in the management of adult cardiac critical care patients.
- Demonstrate a critical understanding of the pathophysiology and perioperative management of common elective and emergency cardiac surgical presentations within the cardiac critical care unit.
- Demonstrate a critical understanding of managing common post-operative complications following cardiac surgery, including mechanical circulatory support, and emergency cardiac presentation
- Apply a critical approach to the literature to guide decision making in the cardiac critical care unit.
- Be able to discuss complex ethical issues relating to decision making in adult cardiac critical care.
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Reading List
A resource list will be provided to ensure access to relevant materials for participation in this course. More details about resource lists can be found at https://www.ed.ac.uk/information-services/research-teaching-staff/resource-lists/information-for-students
The resource material list will be provided in the virtual learning environment to enhance each week's material. |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Mindset:
Enquiry and lifelong learning:
Students will use skills in information retrieval and critical analysis to understand and evaluate the concepts and principals of cardiac critical care. Students will understand how this knowledge can inform clinical practice and improve outcomes for patients.
Aspiration and personal development
Students will gain a comprehensive understanding of the role of the multi-disciplinary team in the delivery of cardiac critical care.
Students will have the opportunity to gain specific understanding of how specific clinical interventions work together to ensure excellent cardiac management in a critical care environment.
Outlook and engagement
Students will be equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to develop and improve management within their clinical area of practice or in future clinical practice.
Skills:
Research and enquiry
Students will demonstrate their ability to critically analyse, evaluate and synthesise research findings and incorporate new findings into existing practices to improve patient outcomes.
Personal and intellectual autonomy
Students will have the opportunity to consider how developments in cardiac management could be made in their own clinical context/environment.
Personal effectiveness
The students who fully engage with the course over the 6 weeks will gain the most from the taught content and focus their time for self-directed learning. By maximising these opportunities, they will develop their own knowledge and understanding as well as contributing productively to other students learning.
Communication
Effective participation and engagement with course materials will involve active communication with tutors and other students. This will allow students to direct their learning so that their own self-identified learning needs are addressed on this course.
Skills for Success Framework (SFSF)
This course prepares students for advanced practice in cardiac critical care by developing clinical reasoning, problem-solving, and adaptive decision-making skills essential for the management of complex cardiac conditions. Through case-based learning and expert opinion and teaching students will cultivate curiosity and reflective practice to improve clinical judgment and potentially enhance patient outcomes. Emphasis is placed on effective communication and interdisciplinary collaboration within high-acuity healthcare teams, with a strong focus on inclusivity, cultural competence, and ethical patient-centered care.
The course supports the development of personal and professional individuality, enabling learners to develop personal organisation, clinical expertise, and data literacy in dynamic critical care environments.
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| Keywords | Critical Care,Cardiac Care |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Ms Alana Jefferies
Tel: (01312) 426398
Email: ajefferi@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Mrs Kimberley Jamieson
Tel:
Email: kimberley.jamieson@ed.ac.uk |
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