Online Courses in Critical Care: Course and Class Descriptions

Web-based critical care courses are available to nursing students, paramedic students and similar professionals. Read on to learn about online classes designed to help interested individuals develop the skills necessary for work with critically ill patients.

Overview of Online Critical Care Courses

Online courses in critical care teach health care professionals necessary skills for work with critically ill patients. These classes are commonly offered as part of nursing master's degree or paramedic certificate programs. A mandatory period of on-site clinical practicum is a usual feature of such programs; for online enrollees, these may require campus visits or faculty approval at a site local to the student. Graduates often work in hospitals, ambulances and extended health-care settings. Most programs also feature open enrollment for professionals who only want to take one or more online courses.

Technical Requirements

Often, online critical care courses occur via learning platforms such as Blackboard or Blueline. Students need access to a computer and the Internet, with a browser capacity that supports the latest versions of Internet Explorer or Firefox. An active e-mail account is necessary to communicate with teachers and fellow students. Course timetables commonly follow university academic calendars and may require students to be online at prearranged times for live discussion sessions. Exams may be taken online or at approved sites under the supervision of a proctor.
Degree- or certificate-seeking students must satisfy prerequisites to enroll in these programs. Those applying to an online nursing program in critical care may need to hold a current resident nursing license or undergraduate degree (including relevant science or nursing courses). Paramedic participants must have a current paramedic's license and may need one year of work experience. Prerequisites may not apply to those seeking to take these online courses without receiving credit.

List of Online Critical Care Courses

Critical Care for Adult Nurses Course

This class covers the performance of physical assessments, pharmacological interventions, nutritional measurements and diagnostic tests in critical care settings. Course topics are often taught in relationship to the body's systems; examples include the respiratory, gastrointestinal, neurological, endocrine and hematological components.

Critical Care for Paramedics Course

This course discusses how to provide care to critically ill patients during inter-facility ambulance transports, often between hospitals and specialized care units. Examples of study topics include chest drainage maintenance and thoracostomy, working with central venous lines, surgical airways, advanced pharmacologic treatment, hemodynamic monitoring and 12-lead ECG interpretation.

Patient Management in Critical Care Settings Course

This class emphasizes the management of common problems that arise in critical care hospital settings. Areas of study include current technology related to disease management, current health treatment research, diagnostic assessment and management skills for critically ill patients.

Pharmacology in Acute Care Settings Course

The prescription and safe management of pharmaceutics in acute care settings is the focus of this course. Students study pharmacological effects on organ systems, varied routes of administration, therapeutic uses, adverse reactions, contraindications and drug interactions. They also follow a module on legal and professional responsibilities as related to pharmacology.