In 2003 there was a cardiac arrest on a patient 4 hours postcardiac surgery. Over the following four hours his chest was re-opened three times and eventually the patient was re-grafted in his ICU bed on bypass.

Many of the nursing and junior medical staff reported they felt disorganised and of little help to the situation and would have performed much better if they had a defined and well practised role. In response to this we created the Cardiothoracic Advanced Life Support Course.

We have devised a set of protocols that address the patient suffering a cardiac arrest and all common serious complications in ICU or on the ward. Our aim was to create a common language for all cardiothoracic practitioners.

We hope this course will empower all practitioners to act with confidence to better treat our critically ill patients using well validated protocols, safely managing the patient until expert help arrives.


As we teach a safe protocol to follow for all situations, the Cardiothoracic Advanced Life Support Course is appropriate for clinicians whatever their background.

  • Junior Surgical Registrars
  • SHO's
  • Nurse Practitioners
  • Surgical Assistants
  • Intensive Care and HDU Nursing Staff and Anaesthetists