IMPORTANT - THIS INFORMATION REFERS ONLY TO CRITICAL CARE BLOCKS UNDERTAKEN BETWEEN AUGUST 2010 AND JULY 2014 - FOR BLOCKS AFTER THIS DATE CLICK HERE
The ICCU is accredited by the RCoA for training at a basic, intermediate, higher and advanced levels for anaesthetists. In order to have a successful ARCP you must;
Keep a logbook
You need to keep a log of procedures performed and also a list of conditions seen / patients reviewed. There is a logbook you can use here. This link takes you to some explanatory notes. Alternatively, the Faculty have produced a logbook summary, available here.
Attend an M&M meeting
M&M is discussed at the monthly Friday morning meetings. If you'd like to be involved in presenting M&M please let us know.
Take part in a Journal Club
This is an ARCP requirement. Another reason for you to contribute to our online journal club.
Complete an MSF Assessment
Irrespective of when you last did one, an MSF is required for each critical care block
Meet with your Educational Supervisor
Your initial meeting should be recorded on an ES1 form. (regardless of when you start in critical care)
A midway meeting is highly recommended to make sure you're on track with paperwork etc. - use an ES2 form
Your end of block meeting should be recorded on an interim progress report form. This is slightly different to what the nsaicm website says, but this way makes more sense unless you are also on an ICM programme.
Your ES for your time in critical care will be different from your anaesthesia ES - don't forget to change the name on the Eportfolio before your first meeting.
A midway meeting is highly recommended to make sure you're on track with paperwork etc. - use an ES2 form
Your end of block meeting should be recorded on an interim progress report form. This is slightly different to what the nsaicm website says, but this way makes more sense unless you are also on an ICM programme.
Your ES for your time in critical care will be different from your anaesthesia ES - don't forget to change the name on the Eportfolio before your first meeting.
Positive Consultant Assessment
You will get a collated Consultant assessment at the end of your block, in time for your final ES meeting.
Complete Enough WPBAs to satisfy Annex F
This is in many ways the biggest challenge. Annex F of the RCOA curriculum defines the competencies that an anaesthesia trainee needs to satisfy in critical care. There are a huge number of them, and it's now been recognised that achieving every last one of them in 3 months may be too much to ask. This should not, however, stop you trying and you will need to make a very reasonable attempt to pass your ARCP. The following pointers should help you:
- Remember you can use assessments completed during your anaesthesia time.
- You can map each assessment to any number of competencies (within reason).
- If you have a current ALS certificate that will satisfy the resuscitation competencies.
- If you have completed your mandatory child protection training that will satisfy another competency.
- This document lists the competencies that can be considered as essential. You should focus on these as a priority.
- Organisation is the key. You need to be able to clearly show your ES and the ARCP panel the progress against Appendix F you have made. Use this document to record your progress, remembering to map evidence from anaesthesia, mandatory training, external courses etc.. The essential competencies are highlighted in blue. It also lets you know to what level you should be able to perform at which stage of training.