Nurturing The Next Generation of ECMO Experts

Nurturing The Next Generation Of ECMO Experts

Advancing critical care management with Singapore's only ELSO-endorsed ECMO Course at NUHCS

PULSE Issue 47 | July 2026

The National University Heart Centre, Singapore (NUHCS), marked a significant milestone in advancing extracorporeal education with the successful launch of its inaugural Extracorporeal Life Support Organisation (ELSO)-endorsed Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) course. Held from 15 to 16 May 2026, the programme brought together healthcare professionals from across the region, including participants from the United States, for an immersive learning experience focused on caring for critically ill patients with severe heart and lungs conditions.

What is Extracorporeal Life Support Organisation (ELSO)?

An international non-profit consortium of healthcare institutions, researchers, providers and industry partners that help medical institutions deliver ECMO support through continuing education, guidelines, original research, publications and a comprehensive registry of patient data. Established in 1989, ELSO is the world’s largest ECMO society with over 700 member centres worldwide.

What is Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO)?

A highly-specialised and complex form of life support that temporarily takes over the functions of the heart and lungs for critically ill patients when conventional treatments are no longer effective. ECMO does not treat heart failure but simply provides more time for treatment from medical experts including specially trained nurses, perfusionists, cardiac surgeons and Intensive Care Unit (ICU) physicians.

Through a combination of lectures, simulation-based learning and hands-on workshops, participants gained practical insights into the full spectrum of ECMO care.

As the first and only institution in Singapore to offer an ELSO-endorsed ECMO course, NUHCS reinforces its commitment to advancing excellence in critical care education.

Led by Course Director Adj A/Prof Ramanathan K.R., Senior Consultant, Division of Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit (CTICU), Department of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery (CTVS), NUHCS, the two-day programme was facilitated by a multidisciplinary faculty comprising clinicians, perfusionists¹, nurses, and physiotherapists.

Key learning areas:

• ECMO fundamentals and physiology: Understanding the history and overview of how contemporary ECMO supports patients with severe heart and lung failure, and the principles behind its safe and effective use.
• ECMO circuit and life-support technology: Learning how to operate and troubleshoot the life-support machine (ECMO), heart-lung circuit (perfusion) and specialised equipment to oxygenate blood and support critically ill patients.
• Starting, managing and weaning ECMO: Exploring a patient’s ECMO journey and learning to handle ECMO on different patient demographics – including moving patients on ECMO, connecting and disconnecting a patient to the machine, monitoring treatment, managing oxygenation differences, to safely weaning them off ECMO.
• Patient-centered ECMO care: Understanding the individual and collaborative roles of nursing management, rehabilitation-related care and specialised paediatric ECMO management in supporting patients throughout their treatment and recovery.
• Virtual Reality (VR) demonstrations: Through immersive VR technology, participants explored the ECMO circuit in 3D, visualising how blood is rerouted outside the body for oxygenation before being safely returned – bridging the gap between theoretical learning and real-world anatomy.
• Simulation and care-based discussions: Applying knowledge to real-world scenarios through realistic simulations, virtual reality demonstrations and clinical case discussions to strengthen multidisciplinary teamwork, communication and decision-making in emergency situations.

One core takeaway of the course was the hands-on simulation training, where participants practiced essential ECMO skills in a safe learning environment while receiving guidance from experienced faculty members. Through realistic clinical scenarios, they were challenged to apply their knowledge, troubleshoot complications and make critical clinical decisions under pressure. 

Beyond technical competencies, the programme emphasised the importance of timely clinical judgement, effective communication and multidisciplinary collaboration in improving outcomes for patients requiring ECMO support. Bringing together clinicians, nurses, perfusionists, and allied health professionals, the course fostered meaningful knowledge exchange and strengthened professional networks within the ECMO community.

Give a man a fish, he lives his day; teach him how to fish, he will live his life.

- Course director adj a/prof ramanathan k.r., senior consultant, division of cticu, department of ctvs, nuhcs

Excellent quality in case discussions and simulations with good amount of hands-on.

- testimonial from a course participant

As the first of its kind in Singapore, this ECMO course concluded on a high note, featuring intensive guidance of best practices by subject matter experts, strengthening clinical confidence and decision-making skills, while also fostering camaraderie among participants, building a more connected community for heart-lung care.

As ECMO continues to evolve as a critical therapy for severe heart and lung failure, NUHCS remains dedicated to nurturing the next generation of ECMO professionals and driving excellence in cardiothoracic care through education, innovation and collaboration.

Reference:
1. Perfusionist – Medical professional who operates the heart-lung machine, that takes over the work of the heart and lungs, during open-heart surgery.