Pediatric Fundamental Critical Care Support

The Pediatric Fundamental Critical Care Support (PFCCS) prepares non-intensivists, nurses, and critical care practitioners to deal with acute deterioration of critically ill pediatric patients for the first 24 hours until transfer or appropriate critical care can be arranged. This course can be licensed and brought to an institution in two ways, through a traditional live, instructor-led course, or an online, instructor-led course. Both course methods share the same:

• 21 didactic lectures
• 7 case-based skill stations
• Pre- and posttests
• Companion textbook
• Certificate of successful course completion
• Requirements for successful course completion: attend all didactic sessions, successfully complete all skill stations, and achieve a score of 70% or higher on the posttest

At the completion of the course, learners will be able to:

• Prioritize assessment needs for the critically ill or injured infant and child
• Select appropriate diagnostic tests
• Identify and respond to significant changes in the unstable pediatric patient
• Recognize and initiate management of acute life-threatening conditions
• Determine the need for expert consultation and/or patient transfer and prepare for optimal transfer

 

Participation in, or completion of, this course does not confer any credential, nor does it satisfy any board certification requirement apart from the continuing education credit if offered for it. This course is not intended to replace, override, or conflict with any licensing or credentialing requirements.

 

Traditional Licensed Course
A live, instructor-led, two-day course is the traditional method for delivering the PFCCS course. Licensed sites arrange for qualified instructors to deliver the lectures and their related skill stations. Complete slide decks with speaker notes and administrative materials and forms are provided to each site. Textbooks are shipped to the site before the course dates, allowing learners to prepare for the live activity. The site coordinator administers the pre- and posttests and provides the results to SCCM, which prepares and ships certificates of completion to the site coordinator for distribution. The Fundamentals Sales Team can help sites that have not previously held a course find consultants who will lead the development of PFCCS on site. The goal is for individual sites to become self-sustaining in their delivery of the PFCCS program.

Online Licensed Course
Using the well-established materials from the traditional, instructor-led course, this format allows sites to more efficiently deliver the didactic educational content and creates flexibility for instructors and learners for the delivery of the hands-on skill stations. Online lectures were prepared by leaders in critical care and are delivered by professional presenters. Using a state-of-the-art online learning management system, participants complete the lecture portion of the course over four weeks. Pre- and posttests assure their mastery of the educational content. Course directors and coordinators can monitor the progress of students in real time through their personalized administrative dashboard. Participants who successfully complete of the online licensed course will receive a certificate of completion. In addition, those learners will receive continuing medical education (CE)/continuing medical education (CME) from SCCM for their completion of the lecture portion of the program.

 

Choosing Online vs. Live Course
The instructor-led, online version of the course relieves the instructor of gathering students into a single classroom and providing instruction for the many lectures required for this course. Instead the students receive links to the course hosted in the SCCM Learning Management System, where they automatically receive the pretest, view the lectures and listen to a professionally recorded version of the audio for each chapter, download PDFs of the slides for note-taking, and interact with the program through pop quizzes and other interactive content. Students may leave and return to continue where they left off. The course director views student progress via an online dashboard until the student completes the lectures by taking the posttest. Pre- and posttest scores are provided to both the student and the course director. The course director schedules skill station time for the course. Each student then participates in the hands-on skill stations at the hosting institution. In addition, CE/CME is provided for physicians, nurses, and pharmacists through SCCM for the online modules. Thus, the online version of the course greatly relieves the burden of hosting this program.

 

In the live, instructor-led version of the course, the course director, with the assistance of the course coordinator, has responsibility for planning, organizing, and conducting the course. These responsibilities include faculty selection, course logistics, obtaining equipment, establishing participant registration processes, and requesting necessary course resources (audiovisual equipment, skills station equipment, catering, etc.). Provision of CE/CME credits is also a course director/coordinator responsibility.

 

​	​Traditional	​Online
​CE/CME	​Only if provided by the licensing institution	​6.5 hours provided by SCCM
​Location/Time	​A live in-person educational event, held at the institution’s discretion	​Didactic sessions available online for 4 weeks before the scheduled skill stations
​Skill Stations	​In person at licensing institution	​In-person at licensing institution
​Cost (Tiered)	​$220-$1,320 per course. Discounts for multiple courses.	​$660-$3,970 per course. Discounts for multiple courses.
Textbook​	​Paid via learner fee	​Paid via learner fee
Provider Certificate​?	​Yes	​Yes

 

The PFCCS course should be held over two full days. 
 
View sample course schedule.
 
Alternative schedule examples might include:

• Morning lectures followed by afternoon skill stations OR 
• Two to three lectures followed by corresponding skill stations

A complete list of lectures and skill stations offered with the course is included below. General considerations about the sequencing of lectures and skill stations is presented in the detailed administrative materials provided to all approved sites. Variations from these suggestions are permitted for the convenience of participants. The Fundamentals Sales Team is available by phone at +1 847 827-6869 or by e-mail at fccs@sccm.org to answer any questions or to discuss planning.
 
Lectures
 
Required:

• Acute Respiratory Failure and Mechanical Ventilation*
• Cardiovascular Evaluation and Pediatric Shock
• Fluids, Electrolytes, and Metabolic Disorders
• Pediatric Neurologic Emergencies
• Postoperative Management
• Sedation, Analgesia, and Neuromuscular Blockade

*If course participants require more in-depth information, Optional lectures: Airway Management, Acute Upper and Lower Airway Diseases, and Noninvasive and Invasive Mechanical Ventilation may be substituted.

Optional (based on services provided at institutuion):

• Acute Infections
• Abusive Trauma in Children
• Acute Kidney Injury
• Acute Upper and Lower Airway Disease
• Airway Management
• Assessment of the Critically Ill Child
• Crirical Care Management of the Child with Congenital Heart Disease
• Management of the Poisoned Child and Adolescent
• Oncologic and Hematologic Emergencies
• Noninvasive and Invasive Mechanical Ventilation
• Pediatric Burn Injury
• Pediatric Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
• Pediatric Emergency Preparedness
• Transport of the Critically Ill Child
• Trauma Injuries in Children

Skill Stations
 
Required:

• Cardiopulmonary Dysfunction
• Mechanical Ventilation
• Pediatric Transport
• Sedation
• Radiology/Invasive Devices
• Advanced Integration Scenarios

Optional:

• Accidental and Abusive Trauma

You will find suggestions and guidelines below to assist you in planning for your course. The course director, with the assistance of the course coordinator, has responsibility for planning, organizing, and conducting the course. These responsibilities include faculty selection, course logistics, obtaining equipment, establishing participant registration processes, and requesting necessary course resources (audiovisual equipment, skills station equipment, catering, etc).

Detailed guidelines for course administration, including timelines, sample schedules, equipment lists, and forms, are provided to site coordinators/directors after course dates are set. The Fundamentals Sales Team can answer questions or discuss your plans with you. To reach a member of the team, please call +1 847 827-6869 or e-mail fccs@sccm.org.

Administrative Process
To apply for a PFCCS course license and add learners, please visit the Fundamentals portal. A username and password are required to log in. If you do not know this information, please e-mail fccs@sccm.org. Please note that each learner will receive a copy of the book, and one certificate will be issued for each learner who successfully completes the course.
 
When planning and administering a PFCCS course, please use the following as a checklist.

1. Choose the type of course (online instructor-led or live instructor-led).
2. Submit an application for a course license and purchase learners through the Fundamentals portal.
3. Identify course dates (two days for live instructor-led course or skill station dates/time for online instructor-led course).
4. Submit payment for license and learners to SCCM.
5. SCCM forwards course materials to approved course director/course coordinator.
6. Conduct course.
7. Submit final course data (e.g., attendee test results, certificate requests, faculty listing) to SCCM through the Fundamentals portal.
8. SCCM ships Certificates of Successful Completion to the site coordinator for distribution.

Expenses/Resources
When purchasing a course license, SCCM will provide a textbook for each purchased learner and electronic access to presentations, skill stations, texts, and administrative forms. Course sites are expected to provide:

• Travel expenses for the course consultant and any visiting instructors 
• Honorarium for the course consultant, if requested (The course director may negotiate a lower or pro bono fee schedule; however, nothing higher than $1,000 is advocated by the PFCCS Program Committee, SCCM Council, or SCCM Executive Office.)
• Comfortable conference room seating and food and beverage (for breaks and meals)
• Materials for learner and instructor packets
• Equipment for presentation delivery, including an LCD projector
• Equipment for skill stations

 

Course Requirements

 

• The first time a site or course director offers a course, course consultant mentorship and approval is required.
• Selection of a course consultant is the site’s responsibility. If problems are encountered, please contact the Fundamentals Sales Team at SCCM headquarters.
• The course consultant may request an honorarium, not to exceed $1,000. The course director may negotiate a lower or pro bono fee schedule; however, nothing higher than $1,000 is advocated by the PFCCS Program Committee, the SCCM Council, or the SCCM Executive Office.
• Travel expenses for the course consultant and any visiting lecturers will be reimbursed by the site.
• The course director must be an approved PFCCS instructor who has taught in at least two courses during the previous two years.
• The course coordinator will provide administrative, organizational, and other types of support. There are no other requirements for the course coordinator.
• Each course must have two approved instructors (these may include the course director). All other lecturers may be clinical experts and associate instructors from a variety of areas and professions (e.g., nurse, physician assistant, respiratory therapist, pharmacist, and other specialist physicians).
• Skill stations may be operated by non-PFCCS trained personnel, but integrity must be assured by the course director and instructors.
• For the initial course to be presented, the course director and course coordinator will work under the direction of a course consultant who will mentor them with organization and administrative issues during setup, and personally evaluate the initial course presentation.

Continuing Education Credits
Online instructor-led course: The online instructor-led format provides 6.5 CME credits for physicians and 6.5 contact hours for nurses and pharmacists.

Live instructor-led course: SCCM does not have direct involvement in the course offering; therefore, SCCM cannot issue CE/CME credit to course participants. If the institution or course sponsor is a national or state accredited CE/CME provider, it may wish to grant CE/CME credit for the course. Typical credit for a two-day course would be 15.75 CME credits for physicians and 15.75 contact hours for nurses and pharmacists.

Apply and Purchase

Single Course

Shaped by SCCM’s commitment to meeting the needs of each individual customer, the PFCCS course pricing structure is designed to be both fair and flexible. The Society offers two options: single-course licenses and unlimited annual course licenses. Pricing options are tiered, based on the country in which the course is held. This allows SCCM to accommodate ranges in needs and available financial resources.

Please contact the Fundamentals Sales Team at +1 847 827-6869 or via e-mail at fccs@sccm.org with any circumstances that may require special pricing consideration. 

​Live Instructor Licensed Course	​Per Course Pricing
For-Profit​	​$1,320
Nonprofit Tier 3​	​$830
​Nonprofit Tier 2	​$550
​Nonprofit Tier 1	​$220

 

Online Licensed PFCCS  (includes 6.5 hours of SCCM-provided CE/CME)	Per Course Pricing​
​For-Profit	​$3,970
Nonprofit Tier 3	​$2,490
​Nonprofit Tier 2	​$1,650
​Nonprofit Tier 1	​$660

Multicourse Discounts
Are you interested in holding multiple courses throughout the year? If you plan to hold four or more courses in one year, you should consider an unlimited license. The Society offers discounted course pricing for volume purchases—the more courses you purchase, the larger the discount. Please contact the Fundamentals Sales Team at +1 847 827-6869 or via e-mail at fccs@sccm.org with any circumstances that may require special pricing consideration. 

Tiered Pricing
Tiered pricing is based on a country's Gross Domestic Product at Purchasing Power Parity Per Capita​ as reported by the World Bank in its most current World Development Indicators database.

​	​GDP (PPP) per capita
​Nonprofit Tier 3	​More than $15,000
Nonprofit ​Tier 2	​Between $5,000 and $15,000
Nonprofit ​Tier 1	​Less than $5,000

 
Per Learner Pricing
Licensed institutions will be assessed a fee for each learner, which includes a copy of the current edition of the textbook (print or eBook) and, upon successful completion of the course, a provider certificate. 

​Learner Fee	​Per Learner Price
For-Profit	$65/per learner
Nonprofit Tier 3​	​$61/per learner
​Nonprofit Tier 2	​$42/per learner
​Nonprofit Tier 1	​$21/per learner

Translated versions of the PFCCS textbook are available. Please call the Fundamentals Sales Team with any questions at +1 847 827-6869 or contact them via e-mail at fccs@sccm.org.

The PFCCS textbook is an integral part of the PFCCS learning experience. It is available in print or as an eBook.

The third edition textbook  is a valuable asset for any healthcare practitioner who treats critically ill or injured infants and children, particularly in hospitals that operate a pediatric/adult swing unit or that do not have a pediatric intensive care unit. This edition has been updated to reflect current practices and offers essential information throughout its 21 chapters and 15 appendices.

Several features make the PFCCS textbook easy to navigate and understand. Its format maximizes learning and flow of information. Each chapter and major section begins with learning objectives and a case study to focus attention on key clinical findings and patient presentation. Information boxes in the margins reinforce essential principles and emphasize clinical cautions, and many sections offer additional electronic resources for suggested reading.

Chapters

• Assessment of the Critically Ill Child
• Airway Management
• Pediatric Cardiac Arrest
• Diagnosis and Management of the Child With Acute Upper and Lower Airway Disease
• Mechanical Ventilation
• Diagnosis and Management of Shock
• Acute Infections
• Fluids, Electrolytes, and Neuroendocrine Metabolic Derangements
• Trauma Injuries in Children
• Pediatric Burn Injury
• "Abusive" Trauma: Diagnosis and Management
• Pediatric Emergency Preparedness
• Management of the Poisoned Child
• Transport of the Critically Ill Child
• Neurologic Emergencies
• Management of the Child With Congenital Heart Disease
• Oncologic and Hematologic Emergencies and Complications
• Acute Kidney Injury
• Postoperative Management
• Sedation, Analgesia, and Neuromuscular Blockade
• Invasive Medical Devices

Appendices

The PFCCS textbook includes appendices that can serve as reference material on current pediatric critical care practice:

• Pediatric Normal Values
• Intraosseous Needle Insertion
• Acid-Base Balance and Arterial Blood Gas Analysis
• Oxygen Delivery Devices
• Airway Adjuncts
• Endotracheal Intubation
• Common Medications
• Difficult Airway Algorithm
• Defibrillation/Cardioversion
• Temporary Transcutaneous Cardiac Pacing
• Thoracostomy
• Central Venous Access.
• Hand-Off Mnemonics for Transport and Trauma
• Pediatric Transport Form
• Arterial Catheter Insertion

Licensed institutions will be assessed a fee for each learner, which includes a copy of the current edition of the textbook (print or eBook) and, upon successful completion of the course, a provider certificate. Additional details are provided on the Pricing tab.

Translated versions of the PFCCS textbook are available. Please call the Fundamentals Sales Team with any questions at +1 847-827-6869 or via e-mail at fccs@sccm.org.

Single-copy purchases of the current edition of PFCCS as well as other textbooks in the Fundamentals series can be made through the SCCM store. Price is $65 USD for SCCM members and $85 USD for nonmembers.

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