Emergency Medicine (Advanced)
1 day
Peripheral Nerve Block Ultrasound Course
ACEM, ACRRM, RACGP
Course highlights
- Revise anatomy and innervation of upper and lower limb nerves;
- Review requirements for safe practice;
- Practice finding the appropriate nerve on a variety of live models, and the proximate dangers;
- Hone your needle tip visualisation and fine motor skills on purpose built phantoms;
- Discuss the utility of each block within common case scenarios.
Course Dates
Description
Regional anaesthesia is an exciting new addition to the Emergency Physician toolkit – made possible by the rapid improvement and availability of high quality point of care ultrasound machines. It is even more important as time and resuscitation real estate are at a premium.
The more we scan, the more we realise the huge variability of anatomy among our patients – and we understand the poor success rates of anatomical landmark techniques. Ultrasound guidance is rapidly becoming the new benchmark.
Positioning blocks under direct vision, allows you to avoid vessels with ease, and place smaller volumes of anaesthetic right where it will give the most benefit.
This one-day course will revise the anatomy of the most useful peripheral blocks of upper and lower limbs and review the requirements for safe regional anaesthesia. We will discuss the scope and use of each block and teach you to find the individual nerves on live models. Lastly, we will hone your in-plane needling technique.
In this one-day peripheral nerve blocks course, you will identify and discuss sites, distribution and application of a range of blocks including:
- Fascia iliaca plane block;
- Femoral nerve block;
- Median, radial, ulnar nerve blocks in forearm and at the elbow;
- Axillary nerve block;
- Popliteal sciatic nerve block and saphenous nerve block (subsartorial nerve block);
- Posterior tibial nerve at ankle (how to find other nerves at ankle).
Who should attend?
- Emergency Physician
- Junior House Officer
- Nurse
- Nurse Practitioner
- Paediatrician
- Palliative Medicine Physician
- Paramedic
- Retrieval Medicine Physician
- Rural Generalist
- Senior House Officer
Objectives
The objectives of this nerve block course are:
- Perform in-plane needle techniques on purpose built phantoms;
- Describe the use, risks and benefits of peripheral blocks;
- Demonstrate ability to identify the anatomy of the common blocks and recognise the pertinent anatomical and pharmacological risks in live models;
- Demonstrate patient and machine optimisation techniques for different tasks;
- Explain the pre-requisites and requirements for safe regional anaesthesia;
- Recognise and discuss alternative methods of analgesia for common tasks and propose the most appropriate.
Prerequisites
The prior ultrasound experience assumed for this course is highlighted below.
| None/Minimal | Don’t use ultrasound |
| Limited | Use ultrasound weekly/monthly |
| Moderate/Experienced | Use ultrasound daily/weekly |
Accreditation
ACEM
ACEMCourse 012 is approved for 7.5 Continuing Professional Development (CPD) hours as complying with ACEM standards and policies.
ACRRM
ACRRMThis course is approved for 9 total activity hours. PDP units: 1 Performance Review, 3 Performance Review, 5 Educational Activity. MOPS points: 8. Grant eligibility: Emergency Medicine, Anaesthetics, Obstetrics, Surgery.
RACGP
RACGPCPD Approved Activity under RACGP 2023-25 CPD program. Approved for Educational Activities 2 hours, Reviewing Performance 6.5 hours, specific requirements diagnostic radiology, 1 day Anaesthetics, Obstetrics, Surgery and Emergency Medicine training grants. Provider Number 214288, Activity ID 414911.
HOURS
| Theoretical | 3.25 |
| Practical | 3.25 |
| Total | 6.5 |
CATERING
Morning tea, a light lunch and refreshments are provided.