Pan London Critical Care Intravenous Therapy

It will reduce variation in teaching and reduce the need to repeat training for Nurses and other Healthcare Practitioners (HCP). This e-learning delivers the theory component in the overall Pan London Critical Care Intravenous Therapy competency process established in London.

Successful completion of these e-Learning sessions will ensure Nurses and HCP’s are ready for their practical clinical assessment. Once all elements of the competency are completed the holder of a Pan London Critical Care Intravenous Therapy competency will be able to administer IV medication without the requirement to repeat the entire assessment process.

Who it’s aimed at

All London-based Nurses and HCPs delivering care and IV medications to critically ill and injured patients.

Staff elsewhere in the country should consult their local critical care policies or education team to ensure this e-learning package is recognised within local arrangements.

Prerequisites and instructions for learners

Staff need to hold a valid Trust IV / medication competency prior to accessing the Critical Care IV Therapy Programme and a calculations test. Access further information on the IV therapy Passport. 

Access the HEE e-Learning for Healthcare (HEE e-LfH) IV Therapy e-learning programme. 

Staff will have completed the IV administration element of the CC3N Steps 1 competency (pages 37-40) thus reducing the burden on training burden on clinical education teams where Steps competencies are used subsequently.

The London Critical Care Education Group agreed the following principles: Competence would be assessed every 2 years, after a medication error or after a longer-term absence (longer than 6 months). There are formative assessments throughout the sessions and a summative final assessment that trainees must pass. The trainee needs to arrange with their clinical mentor or line manager to undertake their practical clinical assessment. 

The Critical Care IV Therapy Passport pathway

The pathway to the CCIV passport is comprised of three steps as illustrated below:

Step 1 Access Learning

The Critical IV Therapy Passport e-learning programme can be accessed on the HEE e-LfH Hub. The e-learning programme is free to access for health care professionals working within NHS organisations, charities, social care and Higher Education Institutions (HEI), and is accessible for other organisations by arrangement.

This e-learning programme provides the full curriculum and is the preferred route to access the learning required for the passport. Read more about the Critical IV Therapy Passport programme, including details of how to access, here.

Learners are required to complete eAssessments via e-LfH irrespective of the way they access step 1.

Step 2 Assess Knowledge

Assessment of knowledge is via eAssessment on the e-LfH Hub. This is the standardised gateway to practice learning and assessment.

Step 3 CCIV Practice Learning and Assessment

This Critical Care IV Practice Learning and Assessment Document (CCIV PLAD) for the pathway is composed of a set of competencies relevant to a HCP’s current role.

Download CCIV PLAD for use in practice after completing step 1 and 2.

Course content

The course consists of six knowledge sessions and one e-Assessment:

• Intravenous Vasoactive Medication Sedatives
• Analgesia and Paralysing Agents
• Electrolytes
• Antiarrhythmic Medication – Amiodarone
• Other Important IV Medications
• Communication and Human Factors
• Critical Care IV Therapy e-Assessment

All sessions must be completed and the e-Assessment passed before learners can undertake their practice assessment.

Development and support for this work

Work to develop a Pan London Critical Care IV Passport started with the North West London Critical Care Network Clinical Applied Skills Passport (CLASP) project in 2016. The ambition was to collectively reduce: ·

• Unwarranted variation in standards
• Duplication of effort and resource utilisation
• Clinical time assessing theoretical competence packages
• Standardise skills training and competency sign off for staff looking after critically ill patients across all sites in North West London and across the capital

A Pan London education group was established to review all critical care IV competence documents across Trusts in London and develop one competency for critical care IV in London. This was successfully piloted in nine critical care units across London. All critical care nurse educators in London-based Trusts and many stakeholders including (not exhaustive) directors of nursing, governance leads, critical care matrons, pharmacists, lead nurses and medical leads have contributed to the development. In order to assist and accelerate delivery of CLASP across London, the critical care IV competency has been included in the CapitalNurse work Programme.

Meet the team

• Chris Hill, Clinical Practice Educator, Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust; Nurse Lead, NENC London Critical Care Network
• Gezz Van Zwanenberg – Nurse and Project Lead North West London Critical Care Network
• Emma Nye, Project Manager, HEE e-Learning for Healthcare
• Angelina Montinaro, Lead Instructional Designer, HEE e-Learning for Healthcare
• Sonali Gupta, Instructional Designer, HEE e-Learning for Healthcare
• Runam Prasad, Instructional Designer, HEE e-Learning for Healthcare
• Alex Drinkall, Stakeholder Manager, HEE e-Learning for Healthcare

Special thanks goes to the following individuals:

• Peachiammal Subramanian - Practice Development Sister Barts Health NHS Trust
• Christiana Udoh Critical Care Practice Development Nurse - King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
• Elaine Manderson Matron - Intensive Care Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
• Maryke Woest Clinical Nurse Educator - AICU Bupa Cromwell Hospital
• Claire Wroe Clinical Practice Educator - AICU Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust Pan London Critical Care Nurse Education Group

How to access

Visit e-learning for healthcare.