ECMO Course for Ukrainian Healthcare Professionals
The ECMO machine, which oxygenates blood outside the body, is often the last resort for critically ill patients. ECMO is initiated when the likelihood of death within 24 hours is considered to be 100 percent without treatment.
“ECMO is the most advanced treatment available in intensive care. It can be life-saving for patients when standard intensive care is insufficient. Having the knowledge and skills to use ECMO can mean the difference between life and death for critically ill or injured children,” says Lars Falk, Head of the Intensive Care Transportation Center at Karolinska.
During the week, eight staff members from Okhmadyt were invited to Karolinska University Hospital to undergo training in ECMO, a program funded by Beredskapslyftet. The course included both theoretical and practical training for the Ukrainian doctors and nurses.
“During the course, they learn everything from the basics of ECMO theory to handling acute problems that may arise during ECMO treatment. We first teach them step by step how to manage different issues, and then they practice in a simulator where they work together to solve critical scenarios that might occur. It’s essentially the same training required to become an ECMO specialist capable of working with ECMO internationally,” explains Lars Falk.
Close collaboration between children's hospitals
Astrid Lindgren Children’s Hospital at Karolinska University Hospital has a close collaboration with Okhmadyt Children’s Hospital in Kyiv. Earlier this fall, three doctors and one nurse from Okhmadyt spent two months observing and training at Karolinska.
“Our partnership with the children’s hospital in Kyiv is important for both hospitals. There is always a strong sense of solidarity among healthcare professionals, and our daily work is built on that. We collaborate to address the needs identified by our Ukrainian colleagues. Through close, personal colleague-to-colleague contact, the support we provide has maximum impact. This collaboration is made possible through support from the Stockholm region, government agencies, and civil society, particularly "Beredskapslyftet". Our partnership is long-term; we will continue to be there even as Ukraine rebuilds,” says Svante Norgren, Head of Astrid Lindgren Children’s Hospital at Karolinska.
Text and Photo: Josefine Franking