Fundamentals of Critical Care Support

The Society of Critical Care Medicine’s Fundamentals of Critical Care Support (FCCS) course is the only internationally recognized training program to teach important principles in the initial care of critically ill patients. One of the ultimate goals of FCCS is to help avoid morbidity and prevent mortality.

FCCS is ideal for:

• The non-intensivist physicians
• Advance practice clinicians
• Nurses
• Pharmacists
• Respiratory therapists
• Paramedics
• Residents and medical students
• Other healthcare providers who are often the first to assess and evaluate the degree of a patient’s illness

At Virginia Mason Franciscan Health, Regional Critical Care is supported by Virtual Health and Care Transformation. A focus of Virtual Health and Care Transformation services is transforming and enhancing the way care is delivered. FCCS will serve as a valuable tool to support ongoing learning, development of essential critical care skills, strengthen provider knowledge, and build relationships between the healthcare teams.

At the completion of an FCCS course, participants should feel better prepared in identifying impending or actual critical illness. They will also learn skills necessary to stabilize a patient for up to 24 hours, with the goal of continued collaboration or transfer of care to a dedicated ICU team or specialty service.

In November 2017, The Care Transformation Team presented the first FCCS course in Tacoma, Washington.