A new WFSA-led global training initiative designed to strengthen ICU care by equipping clinicians with practical, evidence-based skills to improve patient outcomes and support recovery, particularly in resource-limited settings.
WFSA is developing a new short course aimed at improving outcomes for Intensive Care Unit (ICU) patients worldwide. The ICU Better course is being developed in response to persistently high mortality rates in intensive care units, particularly in settings facing shortages in trained personnel, specialty education, and resources.
Led by the WFSA Intensive & Critical Care Medicine Committee (ICCM), ICU Better is designed as a two-day, in-person course focused on the essential, life-saving fundamentals of daily ICU care. The programme is currently under development by an international group of specialists and will prioritise high-impact, evidence-based practices that can be applied across diverse healthcare settings.
Topics include sedation strategies, ventilator weaning and troubleshooting, early mobilisation, and the prevention and management of common ICU complications.
“There are relatively more resources to train clinicians to stabilize the acutely critically ill patient, but comparatively less focus on liberating patients from the ICU once they are stabilized. Simple things like weaning, nutrition, vent management, mobilization make the difference between a patient recovering or not.”
– Dr Julia Weinkauf
The aim is to equip clinicians with the knowledge and skills needed to improve patient outcomes and support safe, timely recovery from critical illness.
The course is intended for anaesthesia professionals, intensivists, and clinicians of all levels and specialities working in the ICU, particularly those in settings where access to specialised training and resources is limited.
ICU Better will combine concise large-group teaching with interactive, hands-on small group sessions. A key feature of the programme is its training-of-trainers (ToT) model, which aims to build sustainable local capacity. Over time, this approach will enable locally trained faculty to lead future courses, reducing reliance on external trainers and strengthening long-term impact.
The ICU Better Steering Group includes Julia Weinkauf (USA), Ana Crawford (USA), Sheila Myatra (India), Seda Akinci (Turkey), Zainub Jooma (South Africa), and Joao Manoel Silva Jr (Brazil) of the ICCM, in collaboration with a large diverse group of global experts in critical care practice and delivery. Course content is currently in development with a pilot of the full programme expected in early 2027.
Further details, including opportunities to register for updates and upcoming events, will be shared as development progresses.
