Nursing Associated Group (UAM): Extracorporeal Circulation and Perfusion

Summary of activtivies

Academic Year 2023-2025 Edition:

Delivered by the Department of Nursing of the Autonomous University of Madrid (UAM) and the Fundación Jiménez Díaz University Hospital Sponsored Chair, the Group has conducted the master’s degree in advanced Practice in Extracorporeal Circulation and Perfusion (120 ECTS credits) and the Specialisation Diploma in Advanced Clinical Practice for the Comprehensive Care of Patients on ECMO and/or Ventricular Assist Devices (51 ECTS credits).

These are professional qualifications developed in response to the growing need in Spain for Advanced Practice Nurses specifically trained in Extracorporeal Circulation and Perfusion, as well as in the management of ECMO and ventricular assist devices. In addition to training highly qualified professionals capable of working in Critical Care Units and Cardiac Surgery Operating Theatres, our objective is to promote research in the fields of Perfusion and Extracorporeal Circulation through the Bachelor's and Master's final projects generated within these programmes, fostering the development of new research lines and doctoral theses. We have recently renewed the extension of the collaboration agreement originally signed in 2021 with the Regional Ministry of Health of the Community of Madrid.

Enfermería-03

Teaching Venue: The theoretical and practical classes, as well as the clinical seminars, were delivered at the Faculty of Medicine of the Autonomous University of Madrid (UAM).

All preclinical, technical and experimental teaching activities were conducted at the Advanced Clinical Simulation and Training Centre (CEASEC), located within the Experimental Surgery Service of La Paz University Hospital /IdiPAZ. Clinical placements were carried out in the Clinical Teaching Units of the Intensive Care, Postoperative Critical Care and Cardiovascular/Thoracic Surgery Operating Theatre Departments at La Paz University Hospital, La Princesa University Hospital, Puerta de Hierro Majadahonda, Fundación Jiménez Díaz, 12 de Octubre University Hospital, Clínico San Carlos University Hospital, the Central University Hospital of Asturias (HUCA), Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC) in the Netherlands, the Regional Hospital of Northern Honduras, and Germans Trias i Pujol University Hospital (Can Ruti) in Badalona.

To facilitate academic teaching, students from other Spanish autonomous communities are given the opportunity to attend classes remotely via Microsoft Teams. All teaching materials and course documentation are available through the UAM Moodle platform. However, examinations, simulation activities and experimental training are conducted exclusively in person.

To obtain either qualification, students must successfully complete all theoretical modules, the final Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE), the required clinical placements in participating healthcare institutions, and the final Master's or Diploma project.

Results of the 2nd Edition: In this second edition, 18 students graduated from the master’s programme and 12 students completed the Specialist Diploma programme. The maximum number of available scholarships (2.5 scholarships) was awarded.

Among the 18 master’s students, five came from different Spanish regions (Seville, Murcia, Valencia, Asturias and Salamanca) and one student came from Honduras. Among the Diploma students, three were from Asturias.

Of the 18 master’s students, 40% are already working in hospitals across the Community of Madrid, despite not completing their training until the 31^st of October 2025. Among the students enrolled in the Specialist Diploma, 90% are currently working in critical care units.

Graduation Ceremony: The graduation ceremony was held on October 31^st, 2025.

Contributions to society

Nurse perfusionists are health professionals specialised in techniques and therapies requiring extracorporeal circulation. Extracorporeal circulation or cardiopulmonary bypass is a technique that temporarily replaces (partially or totally) the cardiocirculatory and/or respiratory function of a very seriously ill patient, or is used to enable highly complex surgical approaches and specific treatments. Originally designed to enable open heart surgery, scientific and technological developments in recent decades has also allowed its widespread application in various clinical, surgical and research scenarios, such as ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) treatment, surgery for complex tumours and high-risk transplants, therapies for the preservation, recovery and evaluation of organs for donation, and special oncological treatments. By extension, it has also provided the biomedical industry with the invention of cutting-edge life-support technology, such as long-duration ventricular assist devices and the total artificial heart.

The historical development of this particular discipline took off globally thanks to the transmission of knowledge and specific skills, first among cardiac surgeons and, progressively, among other members of the surgical team in our environment, mostly nurses and nurses' assistants. Thus, at present, all cardiovascular perfusionists in Spain are graduates in nursing who have received specific and regulated training, after much effort by this particular group and its scientific association. A postgraduate university programme was incorporated in the 1990s, and since 2008 it is in the category of a Master's degree, capable of satisfying the acquisition of competencies required for the safe, effective and efficient practice of clinical perfusion in all its fields of application. In addition, perfusionists must recertify their scientific competence and technical aptitude every two years before an accreditation body, the European Board of Cardiovascular Perfusion, which ensures compliance with the strictest quality standards that regulate the basic and continuing training, daily clinical practice and current research of all European perfusionists.

Over the last decade, technological integration has allowed an exponential expansion of the indications for extracorporeal circulation techniques and treatments. In this new context, the drive for the persistent improvement of results that motivates and nurtures advanced clinical practice in Nursing requires a progressive expansion of the pool of perfusionists in our country. This is in order to address the future demands of society that this professional category must respond to as a part of the health team with maximum guarantees of quality.

To this end, the Master’s Degree in Advanced Practice in Extracorporeal Circulation and Perfusion is presented as an updated and interdisciplinary academic offer with strong content, featuring fundamental, procedural and specialisation subjects, and a unique perspective on preclinical training based on SHELL/CRM methodology as the backbone of the high-fidelity simulation programme and animal experimentation that completes it. Students are provided with individualised support, both in the progressive acquisition of skills from the training center, and during their rotation through the various clinical teaching units.

The Master's degree has also been built as a pedagogical project based on meaningful and individualised learning, oriented towards the comprehensive training of students and their preparation for the competent professional performance of advanced clinical practice and research in extracorporeal circulation and perfusion, in all its areas of application, improving, with such advanced practical knowledge, the quality of care and safety that we provide to patients susceptible to these techniques.

Course venue: Theoretical-practical classes and clinical seminars are held at the UAM Faculty of Medicine. All preclinical, technical and experimental teaching activities are taught at the Advanced Clinical Simulation and Training Center (CEASEC) at La Paz University Hospital, Experimental Surgery Service/IdiPaz. Clinical rotations take place in the Clinical Teaching Units of Intensive Care Services, Post-Surgical Resuscitation and the Cardiovascular/Thoracic Surgery Operating Room at La Paz University Hospital, La Princesa University Hospital, Puerta de Hierro Majadahonda University Hospital, Fundación Jiménez Díaz University Hospital, Central University Hospital of Asturias (HUCA) and the Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC) in the Netherlands.

To facilitate academic teaching, students from other Autonomous Regions have the opportunity to connect via Teams. All teaching guides and documentation is uploaded in the UAM Moodle. Exams, simulation and practical training are always face-to-face.

In order to pass both degrees, students must pass all the theoretical subjects, the final practical exam (ECOE), a clinical internship in health institutions and the final thesis.

Results from the 1st edition:

In the first edition, 22 Master's Degree students and 8 Expert Diploma students graduated.

A grant of 6,000 euros was awarded.

Of the 22 Master's students, 95% are currently working in hospitals and the medical industry. Of the Diploma students, 7 work in critical patient units with ECMO, and a hospital in our region is going to start setting up ECMOs thanks to a student who trained with us.

6.6.8-ENFERMERÍA-Foto graduación

Graduation ceremony:

On 31 October 2023, we held the Graduation Ceremony at the Faculty of Medicine. The President of the Community of Madrid, Ms. Isabel Díaz Ayuso, was the honorary patron of this first class of UAM graduates.

Collaborations

This programme is endorsed by the Regional Ministry of Health of the Community of Madrid, the Official College of Nursing of Madrid, the Spanish General Council of Nursing, ANDE (Spanish Association of Nursing Directors), CNDE (National Conference of Nursing Deans), and the SCELE (Scientific Society of Nursing).

PhD Theses

Enfermería-02

List of publications

NA

Projects, contracts and observational studies

PUBLIC

Sources of public funding for projects being developed at the IIS-FJD:

_FINANCIACIÓN-261007

NA

PRIVATE

Clinical trials

NA