A National Initiative: Training Nonintensivists in Critical Care, an Educational Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic

The World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic in March 2020. It is accepted that the associated severe acute respiratory syndrome requires intensive care unit (ICU) management. Therefore, considering the rapid spread of the disease, a specific educational response in the form of a critical care course was designed for non-ICU physicians. The course involved purpose-driven learning that used backward education design, the six-step curriculum process, and blended learning. The course included critical care essentials, COVID-19 infection prevention and control, nontechnical skills, and physician wellness. The course was implemented in two parts: A self-directed online knowledge-focused component and a practical hands-on approach to ensure non-ICU physicians gained the necessary critical care skills. The practical simulation-based part was implemented combined with infection control measures. The central coordination team provided on-going scientific, organizational, and logistical support for this non-ICU physician course that would directly address the identified need for surge capacity planning.