WinFocus FoCUS Workshop

WINFOCUS Focused Cardiac Ultrasound© Provider Course

WINFOCUS FoCUS Workshop

Kaul Skills Lab is the collaborating partner of WINFOCUS in Pakistan.

Course Description

This blended course on Focused Cardiac Ultrasound (FoCUS) that includes e-lectures,videos, evaluation, scenarios, quizzes, & in-person hands-on skill component of WINFOCUS FoCUS© Course is based on WINFOCUS' 15 years of teaching experience around the globe. The FoCUS© course is specifically designed for critical care and emergency physicians, anesthesiologists, acute cardiac care clinicians, and healthcare providers in general, dealing with cardiovascular emergencies. The course is targeted at those who are new to cardiac ultrasound and covers the use of limited Transthoracic Echocardiography (TTE) in the setting of cardiac arrest, peri-resuscitation and shock, and as a screening tool for the unstable patient in the ICU or any emergency setting. It might also be of interest to more experienced echocardiographers interested in making the ultrasound investigation of the critically ill patient more effective and ALS-compliant. The course (formerly known as Winfocus Basic Echo, WBE) has reached its 140th edition since 2008, and has been delivered in more than 50 countries worldwide. Its educational content conforms to the proceedings of the 1st International Consensus Conference on Focused Cardiac UltraSound (Via G, Hussain A, et al. International Evidence-Based Recommendations for Focused Cardiac Ultrasound - J AM SOC ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY 2014). As additional benefit, It prepares for WINFOCUS FoCUS© International Certification.

Focused cardiac ultrasound (FoCUS) is a simplified, clinician-performed application of echocardiography that is rapidly expanding in use, especially in emergency and critical care medicine. Performed by appropriately trained clinicians, typically not cardiologists, FoCUS ascertains the essential information needed in critical scenarios for time-sensitive clinical decision making.

This brand new, up-to-date edition (2022) is based on a concept of evidence-based ultrasonography and a thorough description of the pathophysiology underpinning the taught sonographic signs and patterns. A clinical-sonographic integrated approach facilitates appropriate FoCUS implementation into real life clinical scenarios. The new flipped classroom format entails an e-Course as pre-requisite to the workshop. This content is made available also after the workshop for consolidating FoCUS competencies and skills. Six hours of hands-on training will be provided during the 1 day workshop, with a guaranteed trainer to trainee ratio of no greater than 1 to 5. Language of formal lectures of the course and e-Learning will be ENGLISH.

Modules

Foundations of the specific WINFOCUS educational approach to FoCUS
Know how WINFOCUS FoCUS curriculum is structured
Know the outline of the e-learning component of WINFOCUS FoCUS curriculum

know the specific features of FoCUS in comparison to comprehensive echocardiography
be aware of the place of FoCUS ultrasound within echocardiography competencies & training
be aware of the role of FoCUS within the approach to critical patients with cardiovascular compromise
describe the principles, aims & targets of a FoCUS exam

understand spatial relationships between the transducer and cardiac anatomical planes
know the theoretical background to obtain a set of transthoracic views for FoCUS
start scanning to obtain FoCUS Views

learn how to handle the ultrasound machine in the critical care setting
understand the differences between ultrasound transducers and their applications
recognize basic features of ultrasound devices
know the theoretical background required to use the controls for image optimization

understand why the FoCUS exam should start by screening for the signs of chronic heart disease
remember the simple rules of thumb to recognize the signs of chronic cardiac disease based on pathophysiology
remember the most frequent patterns of chronic heart disease

understand LV systolic function assessment based on ejection fraction
describe eyeballing techniques to assess global LV systolic function
identify FoCUS signs of global LV systolic dysfunction
recognize the presence of gross discrepancies in LV regional systolic function

understand RV distinctive features that make RV systolic function assessment more difficult compared to LV
acquire confidence with ultrasound signs of RV failure
know how to perform a TAPSE measurement
correctly interpret RV failure us findings in the context of possible severe pulmonary embolism or chronic RV disease

understand which kind of information FoCUS can provide on intravascular fluid status
know how to screen for severe central hypovolemia
know how to diagnose fluid responsiveness, to the extent that FoCUS allows
identify FoCUS signs of potential fluid intolerance
raise suspicion for the presence of vasodilation as the main cause of shock

recognize pericardial effusion and estimate its size/volume
know the theoretical background to use 2-d echo to detect findings consistent with tamponade
be aware of how tamponade can sometimes be difficult to diagnose
be aware of the limitations of FoCUS in the diagnosis of tamponade
know the confounding factors in the diagnosis of tamponade

understand the role of FoCUS as concerns cardiac valves disease and intracardiac masses
remember the basis of the FoCUS approach to valves: assessment of morphology and motion
remember the targets of the FoCUS assessment of mitral and aortic valves: masses, abnormal thickening, holes,
exaggerated mobility / restriction to motion
recognize intracardiac masses & prosthetic devices

understand the role of FoCUS during cardiac arrest
know theoretical background to safely implement FoCUS into acts for cardiac arrest
be able to recognize FoCUS Patterns that may be seen in cardiac arrest with non-shockable cardiac rhythms
understand the limited prognostic information that can be derived from the FoCUS patterns seen during cardiac arrest

know the main FoCUS patterns in shock
start implementing a systematic clinical-ultrasound integrated approach to shock
be aware of situations going beyond the diagnostic capability of FoCUS

E-Course

10+ International trainers
Engaging videos
Pubmed referred literature
Checklists & report sheets for practice
Cheat sheets & Infographics
Hand-to-eye coordination videos

Hands-on Workshop

8+ hours hand-on workshop
12 hands-on stations
6 trainers
5:1 trainer-trainee ratio
Simulated patients
Completion certificate

Collaborating Partner in Pakistan

For registration & further queries:
trainings@kaulassociates.com.pk or call: +92-0318-4179410 (Mr. Shahroze Rasheed)

Demo e-Lecture available at: https://youtu.be/GAYX9cP9Kj8
Course Description at: https://www.winfocus.org/winfocus-academy/focus-course