Cardiac POCUS Workshop

Course Overview

A practical, hands-on workshop designed to introduce neonatal clinicians to focused cardiac point-of-care ultrasound in the NICU. The workshop will focus on image acquisition, structured interpretation, and clinical integration of cardiac POCUS findings into neonatal decision-making.

Programme Topics

Principles of neonatal cardiac POCUS
Standard neonatal cardiac POCUS views
Assessment of cardiac anatomy and situs
Assessment of preload, volume status and systemic blood flow
Recognition of pulmonary hypertension
Pericardial effusion
Integration of cardiac POCUS findings into neonatal shock, respiratory failure and transitional circulation
Limitations of cardiac POCUS and indications for formal echocardiography

12:45 – 13:00	Registration
13:00 – 14:00	Cardiac POCUS Lecture	Prof Lizelle Van Wyk
14:00 – 14:30	Cardiac POCUS Practical Session 1
08:45 – 09:15	Vascular access technique and peripheral vascular anatomy	Caitlin Sutcliffe
14:30 – 14:40	Tea
14:40 – 17:00	Cardiac POCUS Practical Session 2
17:00 – 17:15	Conclusion: Final Take-home messages and wrapping up	Prof Lizelle Van Wyk

Practical Skills Covered

Participants will receive supervised hands-on training in:
Obtaining standard neonatal cardiac windows:
• Parasternal long-axis view
• Parasternal short-axis view
• Apical four-chamber view
Estimating ventricular function qualitatively
Assessing septal position and signs of pulmonary hypertension
Recognising pericardial effusion and tamponade physiology
Understanding when to escalate to formal echocardiography or specialist review

Course Format

Interactive lectures, image-based case discussions, and supervised hands-on scanning sessions.

Learning Outcome

By the end of the workshop, participants should be able to understand the principles of performing a focused neonatal cardiac POCUS examination, identify key haemodynamic abnormalities, and integrate findings safely into bedside clinical care.

Who Should Attend

Neonatologists, neonatal fellows, paediatricians, medical officers, and clinicians involved in the care of critically ill newborn infants.