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A Journey Through Transfer Medicine

Understanding the complexity and diversity of transfer medicine for critically ill patients across a global landscape.

2,977 enrolled on this course

A Journey Through Transfer Medicine

2,977 enrolled on this course

  • 4 weeks

  • 4 hours per week

  • Digital certificate when eligible

  • Intermediate level

Find out more about how to join this course

Discover how to keep critically ill patients safe during transfer

Across the world, thousands of critically ill patients are transferred within hospitals and between locations, yet there is little formal training available.

This novel, interactive course is designed to address this gap. You will develop skills and knowledge around transferring critically ill patients across road, air and remote environments. Working with pilots, we have included non-technical skills training, drawing parallels with aviation, and relating these back to medicine. We will explore transfer medicine in specialised settings and hear experts on preparing for these.

Whatever your background, you will learn to plan and execute transfers of critically ill patients safely.

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What topics will you cover?

This course has been developed with input from frontline clinicians and leading experts to provide a practical educational experience.

Week 1 - Introduction To Transfer Medicine

  • Epidemiology of transfer medicine
  • Organisation of transfer and retrieval services in different countries worldwide
  • Risk identification and mitigation within transfer medicine

Week 2 - A Practical Guide To Transfer Medicine

  • Physiology and physics pertinent to transfer medicine
  • The practical and logistical considerations when transferring a critically-ill adult
  • Critical incidents encountered on transfers
  • Human factors including leadership and teamwork
  • The multi-disciplinary nature of transfer medicine and the role of different team members

Week 3 - Equipment, Decision-Making & Aeromedical Transfers

  • Equipment used for a safe transfer in hospital, ambulances and air services
  • Documentation, communication and decision making when on a transfer
  • Important aspects of aeromedical transfers, including different types of helicopters and planes

Week 4 - Specialist & Extreme Transfers

  • Transfer of critically-ill patients with specific medical conditions and different patient demographics
  • Critical care transfer in the context of specific and remote environments
  • A look at the future of transfer medicine as an emerging speciality

When would you like to start?

Start straight away and join a global classroom of learners. If the course hasn’t started yet you’ll see the future date listed below.

Learning on this course

On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

  • Explore the scope of transfer medicine practice and understand the risks involved in transferring critically unwell patients
  • Summarise the physiological principles, human factors and relevant guidelines required to optimise a patient, transfer them safely and handle critical incidents
  • Assess the importance of equipment and different modes of transport in executing a safe transfer
  • Develop an understanding of specialist, unusual and remote situations and specific patient groups who need safe critical transfer

Who is the course for?

This course is designed for all healthcare professionals with an interest in the transfer of critically ill patients.

This includes nurses, paramedics, practitioners and doctors in anaesthesia, critical care, emergency medicine, prehospital medicine and various other disciplines, as well as students in these fields.

Who will you learn with?

Arndt is a consultant anaesthetist at UCLH and retrieval consultant at ACCESS, London. He has set up and led critical transfer services in London and Germany. He was medical lead of an ADAC HEMS base

Riaz is an anaesthetic and intensive care medicine doctor with a special interest in transfer medicine. She is the data and digital transformation lead for NCL-ACTS

I am an anaesthetic consultant having recently completed training in London. I am the education lead for NCL-ACTs and also work as as a locum consultant for the East of England ACCTS

Verity is an anaesthetic doctor in London and a Clinical Lecturer at UCL. Having completed a fellowship in Transfer Medicine she now educates for London's Adult Critical Care Transfer Service

Joe is an anaesthetic registrar in London and has completed a fellowship in adult transfer medicine.

Deepshri is an anaesthetic registrar in London, where she did a fellowship with the Children's Acute Transport Service. She has illustrated the graphics that will take you through the course.

Who developed the course?

UCL (University College London)

UCL was founded in 1826. It was the first English university established after Oxford and Cambridge, and the first to open up university education to those previously excluded from it.

Ways to learn

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Ways to learn

Choose the best way to learn for you!

Subscribe & save

$27.99

For the first two months. Automatically renews

Develop skills to further your career

  • Access to this course
  • Access to 1,000+ courses
  • Learn at your own pace
  • Discuss your learning in comments
  • Digital certificate when you're eligible

Cancel for free anytime

Buy this course

$134/one-off payment

Fulfill your current learning need

  • Access to this course
  • Learn at your own pace
  • Discuss your learning in comments
  • Printed and digital certificate when you’re eligible

Limited access

Free

Sample the course materials

  • Access expires 13 May 2024

Find out more about certificates, Unlimited or buying a course (Upgrades)

T&Cs apply.

Learning on FutureLearn

Your learning, your rules

  • Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
  • Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
  • Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores

Join a global classroom

  • Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
  • Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
  • Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others

Map your progress

  • As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
  • Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
  • Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate

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