The Original 52 Proposed Quality Assurance Standard statements
Domain
Standard
Description
1. Training
Centres
1.01. number of
ICU beds
a) Training ICUs must have 6 beds or more.
b) Smaller ICUs < 6 beds can contribute to a clearly
defined programme
1.02 number of
ICU
a) The ICM training programme must provide access to > 500 ICU admissions per year.
b) Training ICUs must provide verifiable evidence that >25% of their patients are
ventilated >24 hours, or > 40% of patient days are ventilator days.
c) >50% of nurses in training ICUs must be trained and certified in IC nursing.
1.03 building
facilities and
educational
resources
1.04 research
1.05 program
director
1.06 audit process
1.07 accreditation
1.08 trainee
feedback
2.
Training
Programme
2.01 structures
a) There must be access to educational facilities and resources (Internet, library, study
room) in training ICUs.
b) There must be access to simulation facilities (more than just CPR mannequins)
c) Careers advice must be available to all trainees.
Trainees must be able to provide evidence that they have contributed to scientific
research.
Training ICUs must be led by an ICU director who has been formally appointed for that
unit.
Each training ICU must be able to provide evidence of regular audit according to national
or hospital standards.
Each training ICU must be accredited by national training authorities.
Trainees must have a means of feeding back, in confidence, their views on the training
programme.
a) The training programme must have a defined syllabus, modular structure and be
competency based.
b) The training programme must provide continuous training periods of at least 1 month.
2.02 content
a) Case mix available within the programme must be sufficiently diverse to allow
acquisition of competencies.
b) The training programme must include the development of non clinical competencies.
c) The training programme must encourage lifelong learning.
2.03 transfer of
trainees
a) The training programme must include accredited community and university sites.
b) The training programme must include rotation to other hospitals with specialised ICUs.
c) The training programme must enable trainees to gain experience on general,
neurological and cardiac units.
d) The training programme must enable trainees to gain experience on paediatric,
transplant and burns units.
2.04 review of
programme
Each training programme must be accredited by national authorities at least every 5
years.
2.05 ratios
One trainer must not train more than 3 trainees at a time.
2.06 supervision
a) The training programme must transfer increasing levels of responsibility to the trainee.
b) The trainer must be accessible at all time when the trainee is working
c) Each trainee must have named trainers
2.07 time for study
Trainees must have protected time to attend relevant training courses or educational
meetings.
2.08 liability
insurance
a) A written training agreement must be issued to all trainees and trainers.
b) Training programmes must comply with the European Working Time Directive.
2.09 legal
compliance
2.10 trainee
induction
Training programmes must comply with equal opportunity legislation.
a)At the start of every post, trainees must meet with their trainer and set aims and
objectives for the post
b) At the start of every post, trainees must attend a departmental induction.
2.11 trainee
assessment
a) The training programme must have clear assessment processes which provides
structured feedback
b) The training programme must have mechanisms in place for supporting trainees in
difficulty.
c) Trainees must keep a learning portfolio (which includes self assessment).
3.
Selection
of
Trainees
3.01 exam
requirements
3.02 background
speciality
National examinations must be used in trainee selection processes.
a) Trainees must be registered as MD and authorised to practice medicine in the country
of the programme.
b) Trainees should only be selected from an agreed list of acute specialties.
3.03 selection
process
a) There must be evidence that selection criteria and processes are clear and non
discriminatory.
b) The selection process must include an appeals process.
4.
Trainer’s
profile
3.04
language
3.05 training for
selection panel
members
Trainees must be fluent in the national language of the programme.
4.01
qualifications
a) The trainer must be a practising intensivist.
a) Those on selection panels must be trained in selection principles and processes.
b) Evidence must be available that analysis is made of the relationship between
performance at the end of training and selection criteria.
b) The trainer must complete a nationally recognised trainers’ course.
c) The ICU director must be a physician with at least 5 years experience of ICM
d) The ICU director must hold a certificate in ICM.
4.02 experience
The trainers must be able to provide evidence that their practice is state of the art and upto-date
4.03 job
description
4.04 speciality
background
a) The trainer’s role must be recognised by the national body responsible for training in
ICM.
b) The trainer’s role must be recognised in a job plan which allocates appropriate time for
the number of trainees.
Trainers from multiple disciplines must be represented in the ICU training programme.